Special Events
India, with its many religions, has a multitude of religious festivals. The two most important in Mumbai are both Hindu - Ganesh and Diwali.
Mumbai International Film Festival, Jan, in cinemas throughout the city
Holi: Hindu festival of harvest and fertility on the day after the full moon in early March. People run through the streets bombarding each other and stray tourists with brightly coloured powder and water. Throughout the city.
Independence Day: national holiday, 15 Aug, throughout the city.
Ganesh: Hindu festival, Ganesh is the god of wisdom and prosperity and his festival, which falls in August/September, is celebrated with particular enthusiasm in Mumbai. Its climax is colourful and noisy and involves many tens of thousands of people converging on Chowpatty Beach to immerse themselves and their images of Ganesh (which resemble an elephant) into the sea. It is an unforgettable experience.
Navrati, Hindu festival, early Oct, throughout the city
Diwali (Festival of Light): the most pan-Indian of Hindu festivals (coinciding with the onset of the Hindu and Jain new year) symbolises the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness by commemorating Lord Rama’s return to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after his 14-year exile.
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Special Events