It's that time of the year when you feel good about everything, owing to the nip in the air. The weather is so good that suddenly you want to do stuff in your life and end the year with a bang. If you have that feeling or you're just interested in being social, here are the top 15 events to attend in December 2019.
1. Rann Utsav
While you may or may not be familiar with the magnificent festival that is orchestrated every year on the stunning pristine white salt marshland of Rann of Kutch, the above line narrated in the resonant baritone of Amitabh Bachhan's voice is a memory harbored by most Indians. Well, it turns out he wasn't far from the truth when he claimed that if you haven't experienced Rann of Kutchh yet, you haven't really seen much at all.
Image Credit: magicpin
One of the most popular festivals in India, the Rann Utsav brings together Gujarati folk artistes from multiple genres which results in a four-month extravaganza in the middle of Asia's largest white desert. People from all over the world come and stay in luxury tents set up for the festival, just along the periphery of the white salt desert. At the festival, they witness music performances, folk dances, handicraft exhibitions, while also participating in adventure sports and going on excursions to nearby locations.
What to look forward to:
The vibrancy of the Kutch culture which is gifted with varied hues. Music, dance, food, shopping, handicrafts and star gazing on the arid lands of Kutch, make for a magical experience.
Image Credit: magicpin
When:28th October 2019 – 23rd February 2020
Where: Rann of Kutch desert, Dhordo, Gujarat
How to get there: The nearest airport and railway station are in Bhuj, which is 74 km away. Major cities are connected via this route. From Bhuj, you can either take a public bus or a private taxi to reach Kutch. It will take you a couple of hours and anything between Rs 50 and Rs 2,000, depending on your choice of transport.
Click Here To Know Everything About The Rann Utsav
2. Comic-Con
Comic-Con refers to a series of annual comic-based conventions that are orchestrated all over the globe. It is a grand celebration of all things pop culture and entertainment including the latest comics, movies, TV shows, video games and fandoms! Comic-Con first arrived in India in 2011 and soon enough, the popularity of the concept spread like wildfire. After traversing through the Indian sub-continent and garnering innumerable loyal fans, this year's edition is popping by 5 cities and the hearts of several geeks! Comic-Con India is all about bringing together multiple genres of comics and fandoms under one roof and bind them with the unifying love for pop culture!
Image Credit: magicpin
Click Here To Know Everything About The Comic-Con
3. Pet Fed
The biggest festival in India devoted solely to our beloved pets and pooches is right around the corner. A giant carnival that celebrates the priceless value and truckloads of happiness our pets add to our lives, Pet Fed is an enormous event comprising of two days worth of gleeful activities, shopping, socializing with the most adorable furry friends and their humans, as well as unlimited fun!
Image Credit: magicpin
Click Here To Know Everything About The Pet Fed
4. Super Moon Winter Tour
Suffice it to say, the name Prateek Kuhad will inevitably ring a few bells if you identify as an Indian music enthusiast. The hottest name in the world of Indian independent music at the moment, his soulful ballads have already taken the industry by storm, and very few audiophiles in the country remain unaffected. Well, lucky for us, the multi-city Indian leg of this musical prodigy's global winter tour is a few days away from springing into action! Zee Live's Supermoon is all saddled up to set foot in the sphere of music by creating a must-experience musical evening aimed at enriching and quenching the soul!
Image Credit: magicpin
Click Here To Know Everything About The Super Moon Winter Tour
5. Joshua Tree Tour
If there is an event that the entire nation has been collectively anticipating, it's the first-time arrival of the iconic Irish band, U2 in India! This marks the end of their historic record-breaking tour, The Joshua Tree Tour, with the final destination as our very own, Aamchi Mumbai. U2's visit to India has been orchestrated with a view to celebrating the end of performing this album globally and according to us, there couldn't have been a bigger bang to go out with
Image Credit: magicpin
Click Here To Know Everything About Joshua Tree Tour
6. Sunburn 2019
Behold Asia's biggest electronic music festival, Sunburn Goa 2019 is here. 3 pulsating days of House, EDM & Pop, will leave all your senses aroused with the magic of life-sized fun that we call Sunburn Goa. Since the previous few years, Sunburn has attained an unrivaled position in the world of music festivals across the globe. And by now, it is touted to be the third-largest dance festival after Tomorrowland & Ultra.
Image Credit: magicpin
Click Here To Know Everything About The Sunburn 2019
7. Jashn'e'Rekhta
Jashn-e-Rekhta is truly a melting pot of Hindustani languages, culture and heritage in the contemporary age. A brainchild of the Rekhta Foundation, which is a non-profitable organization dedicated to preserving the languages and literature hailing from the Indian sub-continent, has come a long way with a platform like no other to spell the charm of music, poetry and ethnic wisdom on the world.
Image Credit: magicpin
Every year, a plethora of the finest Urdu laureates come together in Delhi to celebrate the spirit and eloquence of the beautiful language. The festival is called Jashn-e-Rekhta and it is organized to preserve and promote Urdu culture in India. Since the endeavor is to enlighten people, the event is free for everyone to attend. Several events and seminars take place during this three-day festival with many celebrities attending.
What to look forward to:
A crash course in the beautiful language of Urdu and its poetry. There are mushairas, panel discussions, cinematic conversations, workshops and more.
Click Here To Know Everything About The Jashn-e-Rekhta
8. International Sand Art Festival
This one-of-a-kind festival-cum-exhibition takes place in Konark, Odisha, where multiple sand artists from India and abroad come together to participate in the International Sand Art Festival. It's a very esoteric genre of art and the outcome is stunning (as you can see in the picture above). The judges pick the best sand art and its creator is awarded Rs 1 lakh.
Image Credit: Youtube
What to look forward to:
If you love sand art or art in general, this is the place to be. International artists from France, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, USA and many other countries will compete for the top prize with Indian artists this year.
When: 1st December 2019 - 5th December 2019
Where: Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark, Odisha
How to get there: The nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar, which is 64 km away. The nearest railway station is in Puri, which is 31 km away. From both these places, you get plenty of state-run buses as well as private taxis to reach your stay in Konark.
Click Here To Know Everything About The International Sand Art Festival
9. Hornbill Festival
Also called 'the festival of festivals', the Hornbill Festival is one of the most awaited events in north-east India each year. It is celebrated to encourage inter-tribal interactions in Nagaland since the state is home to a lot of different tribes. The Nagas consider their festivals to be sacred, almost every native individual participates in Hornbill. The festival is named after the beautiful Indian Hornbill bird.
Image Credit: Youtube
What to look forward to:
A massive celebration of Nagaland's indigenous warrior tribes. There are exhibitions, folk dances, sports, food fairs, games and other ceremonies organized and executed by the locals.
When: 1st December 2019 - 10th December 2019
Where: Naga Heritage Village, Kohima, Nagaland
How to get there: The closest airport to Kohima is situated 68 km away at Dimapur which is directly connected to Guwahati and Kolkata. The nearest railway station is also in Dimapur and is connected to Guwahati via the Jan Shatabdi. From Dimapur, you can get plenty of state-run buses as well as private taxis to reach your stay in Kohima.
Click Here To Know Everything About The Hornbill Festival
10. Magnetic Fields
If you've ever wondered where your trance music-loving friends disappear to in the winter, wonder no more, because the answer is the historic Alsisar Fort. Rajasthan is decadent, grand and has the perfect ambience to help you give in to your favourite music during the three-day extravaganza called the Magnetic Fields Festival. Wonderful DJs and singers come together to perform at this one-of-a-kind event.
Image Credit: Jambase
What to look forward to:
Electronic music, fashion, art and food in a luxurious, restored, 17th-century palace. The lineup this year includes Maribou State, The Black Madonna and Daniel Avery among multiple other talented artists.
When: 13th December 2019 - 15th December 2019
Where: Alsisar Mahal, Shekhawati, Rajasthan
How to get there: Jaipur has an airport, a railway station and an interstate bus terminus, all of which are extremely well-connected to every major city up north.
Click Here To Know Everything About The Magnetic Fields
11. Serendipity Arts Festival
The Serendipity Arts Festival exhibits and celebrates a massive number of art forms across multiple venues in Goa. The event will be featuring 70 projects out of which 40 are already commissioned. Various art genres such as music, dance, photography, architecture, visual arts, culinary arts and theatre are revealed to the audience, as a medium to express and invoke questions. Hence, the art on display here is, many a time, borderline controversial.
Image Credit: IFFI Goa
What to look forward to:
If there is a form of traditional or modern art, its exponents are here to showcase it. The art here is thought-provoking and not futile. And of course, the venue is Goa!
When: 15th December 2019 - 22nd December 2019
Where: Panjim, Goa
How to get there: The nearest major airport is in Dabolim which is 29 km away. Even international flights land here. From Dabolim, you can either take a direct bus or a taxi to Panjim. The nearest railway station is in Margao, 39 km away from Panjim. Margao station is directly connected to Mumbai, which in turn, is extremely well-connected to everywhere else in India. You can even take direct buses to Panjim from Mumbai and around.
Click Here To Know Everything About Serendipity Arts Festival
12. Poush Mela
Poush Mela is a yearly event that takes place on the seventh day of the Bengali month poush on the Shantiniketan Mela ground in the Birbhum district. This rural festival is one of the most important in the area and is an epitome of Bengali culture. It was originally organised by the Tagore Family as a family affair but today it is attended by millions of global visitors that come to witness the carnival and its Bengali folk performers.
Image Credit: NatGeoTraveller
What to look forward to:
Bengali folk music, tribal arts, handicrafts and everything that you expect out of a mela. The food is also outstanding with authentic Bengali treats on offer.
When: 24th December 2019 - 26th December 2019
Where: Shantiniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal
How to get there: The nearest major airport is in Kolkata, which is 200 km away. You can easily catch a private taxi to Shantiniketan which will be a good three-hour-long drive. The nearest railway station is in Bolpur, just 3 km away from Shantiniketan. Bolpur station is directly connected to Kolkata, which is extremely well-connected to everywhere else in India. You can even take direct state transport buses to Shantiniketan from Kolkata.
Click Here To Know Everything About Poush Mela
13. Hot Air Balloon Festival
Hot Air Balloon Festival is one of unique December festivals of India, organized by Karnataka Tourism in parts of Mysore, Hampi, and Bidar. People enjoy the sheer joy of flying high above the ground in the stunningly bright balloons.
Image Credit: Bristol Live
Where: Karnataka
Key attractions: Vibrant looking balloons and bird’s eye view of heritage structures of Mysore & Hampi
Dates: Entire month of December 2019
14. Cochin Carnival
Cochin Carnival, one of the most famous Indian festivals, is a cultural feast that is celebrated with absolute cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Along with musical performances & cultural gigs, the celebrations include a grand parade that features elephants in ornamental trappings, folk music, and people in their best colorful attire.
Image Credit: The Culture Trip
Where: Cochin, Kerala
Key attractions: Continuous playing of Panchavadyam (the blend of 5 instrumental music), beach volleyball, beach football, and beach bike race
Dates: December 2019 – January 2020
15. Winter Festival
Winter Festival is considered as one of the most mesmerizing festivals in December. A colorful festival of Rajasthan, it is celebrated with fun and frolic. Artisans from all over the country gather here to showcase their artwork and handicrafts. The festival celebrations also include music and dance performances like Daph, Ghoomar, and Gair.
Image Credit: Make My Trip
Where: Mount Abu, Rajasthan
Key attractions: Boating and rowing competitions in Nakki Lake, kite flying, spectacular fireworks
Dates: December 2019
Aren’t the above-mentioned festivals in December in India truly amazing? So, what are you waiting for? Plan a holiday in India to celebrate these Indian festivals in December in India 2019. Make sure you witness these festivals this year and ring in the New Year while celebrating.
