A joyful Festival of Colour - Holi is one of the most vibrant festival of India. The festival is celebrated with extreme joy and enthusiasm by Hindus located anywhere in the world. The two-days-long Holi festival comes in the bloom of spring and falls on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun which is the month of March according to Gregorian calendar. While there is a tradition of holding a puja ceremony on the first day, the second and the most important day of the festival is full of fun and frolic. People go wild playing with colours and enjoy to the hilt.

Delhi's festival calendar begins with the Republic Day parade on 26th January. It is the most colorful of the city's festivals events and also the biggest crowd-puller. Hundreds of thousands people line the route from Rajpath to the Red Fort to watch the pageant of solders, camel crops, armored regiments, brass bands, folk dancers, school children, war veterans and elaborate floats representing the cultural diversity of India. The two hour long parade is usually rounded off with a much-awaited spectacular fly - passed presented by Air Force squadrons. A special display of folk dances also takes place at the Talkatora Stadium. Three days later the Beating of the Retreat takes place at Vijay Chowk. Various bands of the armed forces set the pace for marching troops against the grand backdrop of Rashtrapati Bhawan.

In a much lighter vein, winter also witnesses the Vintage Car Rally when the 'grand old ladies', sprucedup for the occasion, make the long haul from Delhi to Sohna. Winter is also the time for the popular Balloon Mela, the Surajkund Crafts Mela on the outskirts of Delhi, and Delhi Tourism's Gardens Festivals. The latter is a visual feast, for Delhi a blaze with flowers in the month of February Delhi Tourism also organizes cultural performances during the Garden Festivals.

Phulwalon - Ki - Sair
In early October, a festival specific to Mehrauli, in Delhi, takes place. This the Phulwalon - Ki - Sair or the Flower sellers Procession, which originated in the 16th century. The highlight is a prossional of people carrying decorated floral fans, which are blessed at the shrine of the 13th -century Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtyar Kaki and at the hindu temple of Jogmaya, both in Mehrauli. The procession ends with a formal ceremony at the Jahaz Mahal, a 16th - century pleasure resort by the side of a lake.


Dussehra :
Also in October is Dussehra, commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana. A month - long Ram Lila dance festival is organized by the Bhartiya Kala Kendra, depicting seens from the epic Ramayana, while on Dussehara evening itself, gigantic effigies of Ravana are set a fire. The biggest venue for this event is the Ram Lila ground, of Asaf Ali Road. Delhi Tourism organizes the popular Qutab Festival in October. Musicians and dancers performs at night by the city's 12th -century land mark, the Qutab Minar.