Festivals in India where Bamboo plays a significant cultural, ritualistic, or artistic role

 

January

1. Khautsauhsie (Nagaland)

  • Date: January (exact date varies)
  • Region: Noklak District, Nagaland
  • Bamboo Connection: The festival’s name derives from “Khautsau,” meaning a bamboo container with a straw pipe. Bamboo is central to the rituals and feasting traditions. (en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)

2. Uttarayani Fair (Uttarakhand)

  • Date: Starts around January 14
  • Region: Kumaon Division, Uttarakhand
  • Bamboo Connection: Features exhibitions of bamboo articles, including handcrafted baskets and other items by local artisans. (en.wikipedia.org)

3. Magh Bihu (Assam)

  • Date: January 14
  • Region: Assam
  • Bamboo Connection: Celebrated with the construction of temporary huts called “Bhelaghar” made from bamboo and thatch, which are later burned in bonfires. (en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)

March–May

4. Ganga Puja (Tripura)

  • Date: March–May (date varies)
  • Region: Tripura
  • Bamboo Connection: Temporary temples made of bamboo are constructed in rivers or streams as part of the worship rituals. (tripuraindia.in, en.wikipedia.org)

5. Bamboo Dance Festival (Jharkhand)

  • Date: May 1
  • Region: Jharkhand
  • Bamboo Connection: Features the traditional “Cheraw” dance, where participants perform intricate steps between clapping bamboo poles. (hinduvism.com)

September

6. Hennur Bamboo Ultra 2025 (Bengaluru)

  • Date: September 12–14
  • Region: Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • Bamboo Connection: An ultramarathon event held in the Hennur Bamboo Forest, integrating the natural bamboo landscape into the race experience. (townscript.com)

October

7. Kati Bihu (Assam)

  • Date: October 19
  • Region: Assam
  • Bamboo Connection: Involves the lighting of lamps atop tall bamboo poles and the use of bamboo in rituals to protect crops from pests. (en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)

November–December

8. Mohoho Festival (Assam)

  • Date: November–December (full moon night)
  • Region: Lower Assam
  • Bamboo Connection: Celebrated by creating and burning bamboo effigies of mosquitoes to symbolize the driving away of pests. (en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)

Other Notable Mentions

9. Behdienkhlam Festival (Meghalaya)

  • Date: July (date varies)
  • Region: Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya
  • Bamboo Connection: Involves rituals where men beat the tops of their houses with bamboo poles to drive away evil spirits. (bankbazaar.com)

10. Gowri-Ganesha Festival (Karnataka)

  • Date: September 18
  • Region: Karnataka
  • Bamboo Connection: Traditional bamboo soops (winnowing baskets) are used in rituals and exchanged among married women. (en.wikipedia.org, starofmysore.com)

 

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