January has some great festivals and events coming up in and around our hotels, which highlight the sheer diversity and richness of India’s culture, north to south
Here are some of our Top Picks:
13 – 16 January: Pongal at Coco Lagoon, Pollachi , Tamil Nadu
The most important festival of the south, as they celebrate the harvest season. At Coco Lagoon, come celebrate with the royal family of the region, as they join local villagers, who will prepare the traditional pongal dish, everyone is decked out in their best finery and even the cows get their horns painted a festive colour.
27 – 31 January: The Baneshwar Fair, Rajasthan
This popular tribal fair features members of the Bhil tribe, who travel from surrounding Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to take a holy bath in the river. Other highlights are the performance of traditional folk songs and dances, magic shows, acrobatic stunts, and carnival rides – visit the Baneshwar Fair which is just 2.5 hours from Udaipur an Devra Udaipur
31 January: Thaipusam, Tamil Nadu
For the outsider, this festival which is celebrated by Tamil communities, can seem very bizarre and rather gruesome. The festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan, son of Shiva and Parvati. Devotees demonstrate their devotion by piercing pierce various parts of their bodies with small metal hooks and skewers, and the more fanatical hang themselves off thick hooks and elevated in the air off special floats that have been set up.
The major centre for this festival is Palani, which can be easily reached from Pollachi and Coco Lagoon, Pollachi
Contact us at Red Coral for more info on these and other major festivals, fair and events across India which are easily accessible from our portfolio of off the beaten track hotels and resorts.”