Festivals are a hugely significant part of Punjabi culture and have a focus on community bonding, celebrating the harvest, and honouring religious beliefs. Held throughout the year to celebrate different occasions, these exciting, vibrant festivals combine local delicacies with traditional singing, dancing, and processions. Shared experiences are important in Punjab, which is what makes the state’s festivals so special.

Lohri marks the end of a bitterly cold winter and welcomes longer, warmer days in Punjab. It is a time for people to worship the sun and give thanks for a good harvest. Households across the state light bonfires which families dance and sing around, and you’ll often find multiple families around community bonfires too. Local delicacies, such as gachak, revri, moongfali, and popcorn, are prepared and served for dinner. Traditional clothes and bright accessories are often worn by locals. If there has been a wedding or a birth in the previous year, expect Lohri celebrations to be especially grand.

Baisakhi is a significant festival for Punjabis, as it not only marks the spring harvest and the solar new year in the state but also celebrates the birth of the Khalsa in Sikhism. Baisakhi includes visits to gurudwaras, kirtan processions, and community fairs. Traditionally celebrated in mid-April, Baisakhi sees many people dressed up in new, traditional clothes, ready to bring in the new year. After a customary visit to the gurudwara, families and communities gather for a traditional feast which includes dishes such as Punjabi kadhi, kheer, pindi chole, meethe chawal, and lassi.

The Punjab festival of Teeyan, also known as Teej, takes place in August and welcomes the arrival of the monsoon season while also celebrating women in the community. Teeyan is known for dancing, music, folk songs, fasting, colourful traditional outfits, and prayers. This festival is observed in Punjab and across parts of Northern India. Some cities, like Chandigarh, organise large scale cultural shows and feasts that are open to everyone and have a focus on happiness, wellbeing, and prosperity. Teeyan festival is a true cultural treat that includes unique festivities, such as decorated swings and kite flying.

Hola Mohalla is an annual event that spans three days and traditionally follows Holi. The celebrations include displays of bravery and military prowess by the Nihang Sikhs involving traditional war techniques and animals. This three-day Punjab festival welcomes Sikhs to Anandpur Sahib from around the world. Meals are served community-style in langars and the festival concludes with an elaborate, military-style parade. One of Punjab’s most flamboyant festivals, the Hola Mohalla is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience. Plan your visit so you arrive before the festivities begin and stay the length of the festival to get the most out of your trip.Some cities, like Chandigarh, organise large scale cultural shows and feasts that are open to everyone and have a focus on happiness, wellbeing, and prosperity. Teeyan festival is a true cultural treat that includes unique festivities, such as decorated swings and kite flying.

Gurupurab is a celebration of the lives of the Sikh Gurus, typically held on their birthday or the anniversary of their death. There are several Gurupurabs observed throughout the year in Punjab, with Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday amongst the major celebrations. For this particular Gurupurab, people visit gurudwaras, participate in langar, burst firecrackers, and cover their homes with lights. A visit to Punjab during Gurpurab is a sight to behold. Just like on Diwali night, homes in every city are decorated and lit up which gives the state a beautiful glow at this special time of year.

If you’d like to visit Punjab for one of its many festivals, there are many times of the year you can choose to travel. Visit in January for the community focused Lohri festival, travel during April when you can try delicious treats to celebrate Baisakhi, or head to the state in the summer for the bright and colourful Teeyan festival.