Processions and dancing kick off Indian festivals

Today sees two major religious festivals taking place across several regions of India.

Culture vultures catching flights to India should take note – today (April 13th) marks the start of Baisakhi, a major Sikh festival that is celebrated throughout the country.

This day is widely celebrated throughout India, with devotees visiting temples to thank god for the harvest and take part in celebratory processions and traditional performances.

Local men will perform the bhangra dance, which tells the story of the agricultural process, from tilling the soil through to harvesting.

Baisakhi is the commemoration of the day in the 17th century when the Khalsa (Sikh brotherhood) was founded by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

It’s not just Sikhs who have something to celebrate today either, as April 13th also marks the new solar year in the Hindu calendar.

Crowds gather at the banks of the sacred River Ganges to wash themselves and pay respect to the goddess Ganga.

Visitors to Kerala, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal can expect to see this ritual being carried out, while in Kerala spectacular firework displays will take place tonight.

Written by Ruth Norris