Descriptions of Hindu Holidays and Observances

Diwali (Hindu)
This Indian Festival of Lights is held in mid-November. It is mainly dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. It is the Hindu new year.

Holi (Hindu)
This spring festival is held in early March. It is a carnival-like celebration featuring bright colors, bonfires and pilgrimages. It is dedicated to Krishna or Kama, the God of Pleasure.

Janmashtami (Hindu)
Janmashtami is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. Every ritual in the celebration of this occasion is associated with various phases of his life, which have been immortalized in both religious and folk literature. The celebration marks the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who gave Hindus the guiding message of the Bhagwat Gita.

Wesak (Buddhist, Hindu)
Mahayana Buddhists celebrate the birth of the Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in the full moon of the Taurus constellation. Followers of Buddha come together to celebrate his birth, death and achievement of Nirvana. Though there are multiple schools of Buddhist thought, the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Paths to Nirvana are the core of the tradition.