Tag: January events and holidays

Goodbye January! (India and more) Just In Case You Missed it…

DateDayHolidayCelebrated in
1 January 2020WednesdayNew Year’s Day Across the country
2 January 2020ThursdayMannam JayanthiKerala
2 January 2020ThursdayGuru Gobind Singh JayantiSeveral states
11 January 2020SaturdayMissionary DayMizoram
15 January 2020WednesdayBhogi/Pongal/Makar Sankranti/Bhogali Bihu/Tusu Puja/Lohri/HadagaAndhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Assam, Punjab, and Maharashtra
16 January 2020ThursdayThiruvalluvar DayPuducherry, Tamil Nadu
17 January 2020FridayUzhavar TirunalPuducherry, Tamil Nadu
23 January 2020ThursdayNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose JayantiWest Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, and Assam
25 January 2020SaturdaySonam Lhochar/Himachal Statehood DaySikkim, Himachal Pradesh
29 January 2020WednesdayVasant PanchamiSeveral States
31 January 2020FridayMe-dam-me-phiAssam

Note: Swami Vivekananda Jayanti and Republic Day fall on Sundays in 2020

Description of Holidays in January 2020

  • New Year’s Day: New Year’s Day is observed on the first day of the month of January. The celebrations as part of the holiday differ according to one’s culture.
  • Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti: The holiday commemorates the birthday of the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Govind Singh. On the occasion, prayers for prosperity are offered in the gurudwaras and large processions are taken out on the roads. As part of the festival, special dishes are prepared and served.
  • Mannam Jayanthi: The day is celebrated in honour of Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai. Born on 2 January 1878, Pillai is recognised as the founder of Nair Service Society.
  • Missionary Day: Missionary Day commemorates the arrival of two Welsh Christian missionaries in the state. On the occasion, prayers are held in churches and community feasts are organised.
  • Bhogi: Bhogi is the first day of the four-day Makar Sankranti festival. On the day, a bonfire is lit at dawn with logs of wood, and other wooden things that are not useful.
  • Pongal: A harvest festival, Pongal marks the beginning of Uttarayan, sun’s journey northwards. As part of the festival, Kolam is drawn in addition to swinging and cooking of delicious Pongal.
  • Makar Sankranti: Makar Sankranti marks the first day of sun’s transit into Capricorn. The festival is observed with social festivities like colourful decorations, kite flying, bonfires, feasts, and dances.
  • Bhogali Bihu: Bhogali Bihu marks the end of the harvesting season. The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. Traditional Assamese games are held in rural places as part of the celebrations.
  • Tusu Puja: Tusu Puja is celebrated at the time of harvest by the tea tribes. As part of the festival, folk goddess Tusu is worshipped. Tusu Puja is also known as ‘Til Sankranti’ in some places as ‘til’ (black sesame seed) is considered significant during the puja.
  • Thiruvalluvar Day: Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated in honour of celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar. The day is celebrated at the end of the three-day festival of Pongal.
  • Uzhavar Tirunal: Uzhavar Tirunal, a farmer’s festival is celebrated when the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn. The festival is celebrated with lots of joy and gaiety. As part of the festival, women sing and dance to music that is specific to the festival.
  • Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birthday: The day is celebrated in honour of Subhas Chandra Bose. A prominent freedom fighter, Bose fondly called ‘Netaji’ was instrumental in establishing the Indian National Army (INA). On his birthday, his role in the country’s freedom struggle is remembered.
  • Sonam Lhochar: The festival is celebrated by the Tamang community and it marks the beginning of the Tibetan New Year. As part of the festival, men and women adorn traditional attires, dance to the rhythmic beats of ‘damphu’ and enjoy exotic Tamang cuisine.
  • Himachal Statehood Day: The day is celebrated to mark Himachal Pradesh becoming the 18th state of the country on 25 January 1971.
  • Vasant Panchami: A Hindu festival, Vasant Panchami highlights the incoming of spring. The festival is centred on the Hindu goddess Sarasvati. As part of the festival, people dress in yellow and feast on ‘kesar halwa’ which is made of flour, sugar, nuts, and cardamom powder. Students place their books, pens, and pencils near the feet of the goddess and seek her blessings.
  • Me-dam-me-phi: An auspicious festival, Me-dam-me-phi is celebrated by the Ahom people to show respect to the departed ancestors. The festival helps in creating unity, developing the feeling of brotherhood and mutual understanding among each other.

Given that we have provided you the list of holidays for January 2020, you can start planning a vacation with your near and dear ones straight away.

Being the first month of the calendar year, January has many holidays. The month has one national holiday called ‘Republic Day’, which is celebrated on 26 January every year. The entire country celebrates this national holiday. Regional holidays in January 2020 vary based on the customs and traditions of different states. As a result, festival holidays tend to differ from one state to another. Let’s understand more about the month of January.

Continue reading Goodbye January! (India and more) Just In Case You Missed it…