1. Kashmiri Ancient Basket Fishing Festival Men, women and children of the land, line up along the river banks; wicker baskets at the ready.

The baskets are dunked and pulled out from the water with numerous fish along with weeds, hence cleansing the water in the process. Where: Kashmir When: Third week of May

2. Shoonya Festival The festival invites artists, healers, meditators, travellers, gypsies, professionals, shamans, explorers, and those looking for magic in silence. Where: Jibhi, Himachal Pradesh When: June

3. Madai Festival The festival comprises various folk activities that are dedicated to Goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi, one of the tribal deities, in an attempt to please her. Where: Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada, Madhya Pradesh When: December to March

4. Bani Festival As the legend goes, two demons — Mani and Mallasura — would trouble the noblemen in the Devaragattu region.

To honour the act of driving away the demons, locals hit each other lightly on the head during the festivities. Where: Andhra Pradesh When: October/November

5. Made Snana People roll on banana leaves on which food had previously been served to ‘Brahmins’. Some go through the rolling practice to cure a skin condition, whereas others do it to purify themselves of sins. Where: Karnataka When: November

6. Theyyam Several daring stunts are performed during the festival. These include dancing while wearing a crown of hair of length 10-12 metres, walking on fire embers and more. Where: Kerala When: April

7. Sufi Festival As the sun goes down in Rajasthan, and the palaces and heritage homes are bathed in a  wonderful orange glow, the air seems almost electric with the harmony of Sufi music. Where: Rajasthan When: February

8. Holla Mohalla Anandpur Sahib Initiated by the 10th Sikh leader Guru Gobind Singh in the 10th century, this festival is celebrated by the Sikh warrior order in Punjab

Numerous campsites are set up across the state and community kitchens are organised, wherein large batches of food are prepared. Where: Punjab When: March

9. Tarnetar Mela Resembling a fair, the festival is a tribute to Draupadi’s swayamvar, and in fact, a wonderful opportunity for young men and women who are looking for partners. Where: Gujarat When: August to September

10. Agni Keli A daring celebration, the agni keli or firefight is commemorated by bare-bodied devotees hurling flaming palms at each other. The one to get burnt first is then sprayed with water. Where: Mangaluru When: April

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