Come for the festivities, stay for the culture
Sometimes we’re just itching to go on a holiday, but we can’t decide when or where to go. That’s when we create a global calendar and start planning a trip around festivals, big events and celebrations. Attending a festival overseas is a great way to experience the local culture and traditions up close, with the locals themselves.
And who says the most happening festivals are in Europe or the US? If you’re on a budget, Asia and Oceania are popping with lively celebrations. For every Coachella and Oktoberfest, we have a Wonderfruit and Tokyo Ramen Show to keep us grooving and salivating. So pull up your own global calendar and get ready to mark these dates down!
Photo: Apratim Pal / Deccan Chronicle
6. Dev Dewali
Where: Varanasi, India
When: 23 November 2018
Probably the most famous festival throughout India, Diwali is a spectacular celebration of local religious culture through lights. But for a grand celebration like no other, visit the city of Varanasi 15 days after Diwali, during Dev Dewali. Only celebrated in Varanasi, Dev Dewali honours the Hindu gods and goddesses who are believed to visit Earth to take a bath in the holy Ganges river. To welcome them, locals light up the 87 ghats (or riverfront steps) of Varanasi leading to the Ganges with thousands of small oil lamps called diyas. Music, hymns, dancing and feasting accompany the stunning sights, turning Varanasi into a vibrant carnival.
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