India's calendar is jam-packed with festivals and celebrations throughout the year. There will not be a single month when there is no celebration.
The best ones are primarily dated in the winter. Among them are Diwali, Navratri, and Christmas. Other national and regional festivals keep the year going. Festivals are essential parts of Indian culture because they are times of celebration.
They are a way to bring zest and excitement to life. Every faith and society has its own holidays and celebrations. Here are a few Festivals that take place in the winters nationally and regionally.
Banks have various state-specific regional holidays throughout December, whereas the second and fourth Saturdays of the month are always bank holidays.
Winter makes it difficult to get up early on a chilly morning, so people enjoy taking some time off with their families.
Here is the Government holidays in December.
Government holidays in December 2022
1. Christmas
The name "Christmas" stems from Christ's Mass. Christians celebrate Jesus Christ's birth on Christmas Day, which falls on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar.
Christmas tree decoration is one of the most amusing parts of the Christmas celebration. India's population exceeds one billion, implying that there are around 28 million Christians in the country!
Christmas is a big deal in Kerala, where Christians account for 22% of the population. Christmas is traditionally observed in India by attending Midnight Mass.
When it comes to Christmas celebrations, Goans are noted for their extravagant displays. Because of its historical relationship with the Portuguese, Goa practices western culture rather than the traditional Indian culture.
2. Indigenous Faith Day
Arunachal Pradesh commemorates Indigenous Faith Day. The day is commemorated to maintain and promote indigenous faith and tribal culture in order to preserve local tribes' ethnic identities.
It highlights the state's distinctive culture and tradition, with a focus on its promotion and preservation.
3. World Disabled Day
It is celebrated in Goa and Tripura. The goal of the day is to increase awareness of the status of people with disabilities in all elements of political, social, economic, and cultural life,
As well as to promote their rights and well-being at all levels of society and development. It is particularly crucial in ensuring a decent standard of life and basic economic security, hence lowering vulnerability and poverty levels.
4. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Jayanti
It is commemorated in honour of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, a Kashmiri politician who played a critical role in Jammu and Kashmir politics.
He founded the National Conference and served as President of the Republic three times during his career. Abdullah pioneered the idea of challenging feudalism.
And hosted the quit Kashmir movement against the then king of Kashmir, Maharaja Harisingh.
5. Pa Togan Nengminza Sangma
It is a regional festival of Meghalaya. This holiday honours a Garo tribe chief who fought against the British On the anniversary of his death in 1872.
Pa Togan Nengminza was a Garo (A-chick) warrior who refused to surrender his territory to British forces seeking to take it.a
Pa Togan Sangma's name is engraved on the martyr's column in Shillong, Meghalaya's capital, alongside U Tirot Sing and U Kiang Nongbah, two other heroes of the local tribes and kingdoms' resistance to the British.
6. Goa Liberation Day
The Goa Liberation Day commemorates the day of December 19, 1961, when Indian armed forces liberated Goa from Portuguese domination.
Portuguese ruled over goa for a long period of 400 years. The Indian Armed Forces' tri-services carried out Campaign Vijay, a 36-hour military operation that liberated Goa.
This was also the time when the Portuguese, the last European colonizers to quit India, left. Even though Daman and Diu remain Union Territories, Goa became India's 25th state.
7. Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti
It is celebrated in the state of Haryana. Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti is also known as Shaheed-E-Azam in India. Udham Singh became a revolutionary at a young age and travelled to numerous nations to fulfil his life's objective.
In 1921, he travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, and Africa in 1920, before returning to India in 1924. Singh was involved in revolutionary actions for long years.
He assassinated the lieutenant governor of Punjab, Michael O'Dwye, who commanded the Jillian Wala Bagh Massacre. Britishers acknowledged him as an assassinator,
But the people of India recall him as a freedom fighter and celebrate his bravery and sacrifice.
8. Tamu Losar/U Kiang Nangbah
It is celebrated in the states of Sikkim and Meghalaya. The Gurung community in India's Northeastern states celebrates a big Nepali-Buddhist festival. This is the start of the Gurung New Year.
It is also a memorial to a well-known freedom warrior who died in the Indian independence movement against the British. Every year, U Kiang Nangbah is observed on December 30.
Kiang Nangbah was a farmer who ascended to become a leader in the anti-British resistance movement. He was eventually arrested by the British after being betrayed by one of his own people.
The Indian government has honoured U Kiang Nangbah by proclaiming a holiday on the anniversary of his martyrdom.
9. Boxing Day
Boxing Day is observed in a few countries the day after Christmas. Banks are closed across the country. People spend precious time with their loved ones while enjoying the extended Christmas delicacies.
10. New Year's Eve
It is the evening of the last day of the year. It is celebrated all over the World, remembering all the good that happened all along the year and welcoming the new year with gratitude and new hopes.
People take up new years resolutions to maintain good health and reach their desired goals. Gatherings of friends and relatives have long been crucial because of the concept that what a person does on the first day of the year
foreshadows what he will do for the rest of the year. People wait for the clock to strike 12 and welcome the new year together.
Conclusion
Gatherings of friends and relatives have long been crucial because of the concept that what a person does on the first day of the year foreshadows what he will do for the rest of the year.
Somehow and somewhere, basically, every day is a public holiday because every community can set its own day.
Family holidays can improve relationships between family members with improved communication, relaxed time together, and the joy of shared experiences.
It also reduces your stress, Improves mental health. Vacations have a significant favourable impact on people's health and well-being.
One of the most significant advantages of celebrating holidays with family is the strengthening of relations.
FAQs
1. Is there a Nationwide holiday on Christmas Day?
Yes, Christmas is celebrated as one of the huge festivals celebrated all across India. Not just that, with Christmas festival, also follows the winter holiday and the new year holiday.
2. Is December 19 Holiday in Goa?
Yes, December 19 is celebrated as the goa liberation day. It is a state holiday accommodated to the people of Goa only.
3. How many holidays are there in the month of September?
Leaving the state's individual holidays, there are only two holidays in the month of December on the occasion of Christmas day and new years eve.
4. Is World disabled day holiday in India?
Only Tripura and Goa experience holiday on World disable day. The rest of the country acknowledges this day, but only Goa and Tripura take the day off.
In this Article, We have covered list of government holidays in december.