Tradition and extensive rituals make up a significant portion of India’s culture. These practices oftentimes find their way into the habits, practices and subsequently a lifestyle that we lead. In recent times, the idea of festivities and rituals has crept its way into lifestyle and eco-tourism sectors where states and rural towns devise their own festivals to mark the significance of nature and its innumerable offerings.
Here’s a Homegrown guide to Eco-Tourism festivals that happen across the country.
I. Hakki Habba
When: Every January
Where: Karnataka’s National Parks or Mysore’s Tiger Reserves
This initiative launched by the Karnataka Forest Department was aimed at attracting larger crowds to its national parks, more specifically its bird parks. The unique activities initiated during the festival include birdwatching sessions, short films, nature documentary screenings and more.
II. Dahanu Festival
When: Every March
Where: Dahanu, Maharashtra
Amongst the more popular eco-tourism festivals, the coastal town of Dahanu breaks out into a festive fervour right before the onset of every summer. Alternately viewed as a harvest festival, Dahanu is a colourful and vibrant tribute to the bio-diversity that surrounds the region. The festival has sustainability as its core theme and witnesses extravagant carnivals that showcase the products of local sustainable entrepreneurs from the region and its neighbouring towns.
III. Velas Turtle Festival
When: February-April
Where: Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
A treat for ocean lovers, the Velas Turtle Festival, as the name suggests, attracts marine life enthusiasts and photographers who come to capture the hatching of a rare breed of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. The festival is complemented by guided beach walks, screenings and more.
IV. Hornbill festival
When: December
Where: Nagaland
To celebrate the diversity and heritage that exists within the multiple tribal groups and subcultures that exist in the state of Nagaland and Assam, the state’s tourism department launched a large-scale eco-tourism festival that showcases the culture, traditions, and heritage of these indigenous communities by also facilitating trade and commerce for the local harvests of that particular season.
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