Kurukshetra Magazine April 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Rural Fairs
& 
Festivals
With tourism sector recovering back to 
pre-pandemic levels, both nationally 
and internationally, a tourist’s quest 
for authenticity can be quenched by 
capitalising on the fairs and festivals 
in India. Fairs and festivals are 
cultural tourism attractions. Pragmatic 
approach embedded with knowledge of 
tourism impacts, can transform fairs 
and festivals into a tourism product that 
will eventually deliver economic and 
socio-cultural benefits to the country.   
* Dr. Suyash Yadav
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow, India. 
E-mail id: yadav.suyash@gmail.com 
NWTO World Tourism Barometer 
2024 states that international tourism 
recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels. 
It is expected to fully recover by the 
end of 2024. India tourism statistics 
2023 mentions that bulk tourism activity in India came 
from domestic tourism with 1731.01 million domestic 
tourist visits in 2022, foreign tourist visits stood at 8.59 
million. Tourism sector is one of the big sources of foreign 
exchange earnings. Importance of tourism, particularly in 
rural and backward areas as an instrument for economic 
development and employment generation, has been 
well recognised. Fairs and festivals can be utilized both 
to attract more visitors and to convince them to stay 
for greater duration, because benefits of tourism get 
enhanced either by increasing the number of tourists or 
by increasing the duration of stay of tourists.
U
There can be no tourism without a destination. For 
a destination to develop and sustain itself, the following 
five ‘A’s are important: Attractions (features that pull 
Page 2


Rural Fairs
& 
Festivals
With tourism sector recovering back to 
pre-pandemic levels, both nationally 
and internationally, a tourist’s quest 
for authenticity can be quenched by 
capitalising on the fairs and festivals 
in India. Fairs and festivals are 
cultural tourism attractions. Pragmatic 
approach embedded with knowledge of 
tourism impacts, can transform fairs 
and festivals into a tourism product that 
will eventually deliver economic and 
socio-cultural benefits to the country.   
* Dr. Suyash Yadav
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow, India. 
E-mail id: yadav.suyash@gmail.com 
NWTO World Tourism Barometer 
2024 states that international tourism 
recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels. 
It is expected to fully recover by the 
end of 2024. India tourism statistics 
2023 mentions that bulk tourism activity in India came 
from domestic tourism with 1731.01 million domestic 
tourist visits in 2022, foreign tourist visits stood at 8.59 
million. Tourism sector is one of the big sources of foreign 
exchange earnings. Importance of tourism, particularly in 
rural and backward areas as an instrument for economic 
development and employment generation, has been 
well recognised. Fairs and festivals can be utilized both 
to attract more visitors and to convince them to stay 
for greater duration, because benefits of tourism get 
enhanced either by increasing the number of tourists or 
by increasing the duration of stay of tourists.
U
There can be no tourism without a destination. For 
a destination to develop and sustain itself, the following 
five ‘A’s are important: Attractions (features that pull 
41 Kurukshetra       April  2024
a tourist to a destination); Accessibility (modes of 
transport); Accommodation (place to stay); Amenities 
(facilities at the destination); Activities (various pursuits 
of a tourist). Attractions play profound role in marketing 
campaigns of destinations. Fairs and festivals are big pull 
factors in tourism; they are cultural attractions which 
depict the history. Hindi words like ‘mela’ or ‘mahotsav’ 
or ‘utsav’ are associated with fairs and festival in India. 
Launched in 2021, Utsav portal is a digital initiative of 
Union Ministry of Tourism which showcases all events, 
festivals , and live darshans across India to promote 
different regions of the country as popular tourist 
destinations worldwide, so that tourists can prepare 
their upcoming itinerary easily. 
Importance of Fairs and Festivals
In India, traditional fairs and festivals are connected 
with harvests, changing seasons, religious beliefs, local 
customs, etc. Apart from this, many fairs and festivals 
have been introduced by various stakeholders including 
government tourism departments, usually aimed at 
enhancing tourist footfall. An attempt has been made 
to focus more upon the significance of fairs and festivals 
from a tourism perspective.
Economic importance: Pro-poor approach to 
tourism management talks about enhancing linkage 
between tourism businesses and poor people so 
that tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction is 
increased and poor people are able to participate 
more effectively in product development. Celebrations 
during festivals in India create livelihood opportunities 
for many artisans. Since 2019, Ayodhya Deepotsav is 
being organized. In 2023, Ayodhya entered Guinness 
world records for lighting the highest number of 
lamps (over 2.2 million) simultaneously at a single 
location. Those who make diyas and firecrackers get 
work because of such an event. Idol makers getting 
work during Durga and Ganesha pooja festivity is 
another example. Other prominent platforms catering 
to economic opportunities include Bali yatra festival 
(open trade fair) of Cuttack, Odisha; Surajkund 
international crafts fair, Haryana; Pushkar fair (annual 
multi-day livestock fair) Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Socio-cultural importance: Traditional Indian 
festivals have socio-religious context. Religious festivals 
have some norms performed according to the tenets 
of religion, but they also offer an opportunity to 
encourage social bonding across religions. Familial 
bonds have come under stress due to effects of 
globalisation and westernisation; festivals provide a 
platform for maintaining them. Major harvest festivals 
(E.g. Wangala, Lohri, Nuakhai, etc.)  in India are aligned 
with two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif. Closely 
associated is change in season which is also celebrated 
in India with festivals like Makara Sankranti (Uttarayan/ 
Winter Solstice), Pongal, etc. Festivals have celestial and 
spiritual connotations to them as well. Makara Sankranti 
means the date when Sun transits into Capricorn sign 
thereby green signalling the auspicious ceremonies 
(E.g. marriage) in the hindu tradition.
Ayodhya Deepotsav, Uttar Pradesh
Page 3


Rural Fairs
& 
Festivals
With tourism sector recovering back to 
pre-pandemic levels, both nationally 
and internationally, a tourist’s quest 
for authenticity can be quenched by 
capitalising on the fairs and festivals 
in India. Fairs and festivals are 
cultural tourism attractions. Pragmatic 
approach embedded with knowledge of 
tourism impacts, can transform fairs 
and festivals into a tourism product that 
will eventually deliver economic and 
socio-cultural benefits to the country.   
* Dr. Suyash Yadav
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow, India. 
E-mail id: yadav.suyash@gmail.com 
NWTO World Tourism Barometer 
2024 states that international tourism 
recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels. 
It is expected to fully recover by the 
end of 2024. India tourism statistics 
2023 mentions that bulk tourism activity in India came 
from domestic tourism with 1731.01 million domestic 
tourist visits in 2022, foreign tourist visits stood at 8.59 
million. Tourism sector is one of the big sources of foreign 
exchange earnings. Importance of tourism, particularly in 
rural and backward areas as an instrument for economic 
development and employment generation, has been 
well recognised. Fairs and festivals can be utilized both 
to attract more visitors and to convince them to stay 
for greater duration, because benefits of tourism get 
enhanced either by increasing the number of tourists or 
by increasing the duration of stay of tourists.
U
There can be no tourism without a destination. For 
a destination to develop and sustain itself, the following 
five ‘A’s are important: Attractions (features that pull 
41 Kurukshetra       April  2024
a tourist to a destination); Accessibility (modes of 
transport); Accommodation (place to stay); Amenities 
(facilities at the destination); Activities (various pursuits 
of a tourist). Attractions play profound role in marketing 
campaigns of destinations. Fairs and festivals are big pull 
factors in tourism; they are cultural attractions which 
depict the history. Hindi words like ‘mela’ or ‘mahotsav’ 
or ‘utsav’ are associated with fairs and festival in India. 
Launched in 2021, Utsav portal is a digital initiative of 
Union Ministry of Tourism which showcases all events, 
festivals , and live darshans across India to promote 
different regions of the country as popular tourist 
destinations worldwide, so that tourists can prepare 
their upcoming itinerary easily. 
Importance of Fairs and Festivals
In India, traditional fairs and festivals are connected 
with harvests, changing seasons, religious beliefs, local 
customs, etc. Apart from this, many fairs and festivals 
have been introduced by various stakeholders including 
government tourism departments, usually aimed at 
enhancing tourist footfall. An attempt has been made 
to focus more upon the significance of fairs and festivals 
from a tourism perspective.
Economic importance: Pro-poor approach to 
tourism management talks about enhancing linkage 
between tourism businesses and poor people so 
that tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction is 
increased and poor people are able to participate 
more effectively in product development. Celebrations 
during festivals in India create livelihood opportunities 
for many artisans. Since 2019, Ayodhya Deepotsav is 
being organized. In 2023, Ayodhya entered Guinness 
world records for lighting the highest number of 
lamps (over 2.2 million) simultaneously at a single 
location. Those who make diyas and firecrackers get 
work because of such an event. Idol makers getting 
work during Durga and Ganesha pooja festivity is 
another example. Other prominent platforms catering 
to economic opportunities include Bali yatra festival 
(open trade fair) of Cuttack, Odisha; Surajkund 
international crafts fair, Haryana; Pushkar fair (annual 
multi-day livestock fair) Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Socio-cultural importance: Traditional Indian 
festivals have socio-religious context. Religious festivals 
have some norms performed according to the tenets 
of religion, but they also offer an opportunity to 
encourage social bonding across religions. Familial 
bonds have come under stress due to effects of 
globalisation and westernisation; festivals provide a 
platform for maintaining them. Major harvest festivals 
(E.g. Wangala, Lohri, Nuakhai, etc.)  in India are aligned 
with two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif. Closely 
associated is change in season which is also celebrated 
in India with festivals like Makara Sankranti (Uttarayan/ 
Winter Solstice), Pongal, etc. Festivals have celestial and 
spiritual connotations to them as well. Makara Sankranti 
means the date when Sun transits into Capricorn sign 
thereby green signalling the auspicious ceremonies 
(E.g. marriage) in the hindu tradition.
Ayodhya Deepotsav, Uttar Pradesh
42 Kurukshetra       April  2024
MICE and Roots tourism through festival : ‘MICE’ 
includes all forms of tourism that are related to work/
profession/business, i.e. when people are not primarily 
motivated by recreational pursuits but travel because 
of their work. Acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, 
Conferences and Exhibitions /Events) covers four 
core market areas. In tourism industry, destination 
weddings are treated under ‘events’ of MICE. Marriages 
are nothing less than festivals in India, more so with 
increase in aspirational class of India which is driving 
‘premiumisation’ . Uttarayan must have been celebrated 
in India since ages but according to the website of 
Gujarat tourism, since 1989, the city of Ahmedabad 
has been hosting an international kite festival as part 
of official celebration of Uttarayan. This is an example 
of how a traditional festival’s significance can be tapped 
to create a tourism product and receive tourist footfall, 
including NRI community. Heritage and Roots tourism 
are important for travellers who are seeking their family 
roots.
Lominé (2007) mentions that nostalgia is a longing 
for past which helps in understanding demand for 
heritage tourism and a subsequent number of events 
and attractions linked to social history. In few instances, 
nostalgia has also been associated with diaspora and 
migration with tourism being an opportunity to visit 
sites where one used to live.  Nostalgia tourism is directly 
linked to social identity, making tourism a powerful 
existential experience. Sindhu Darshan festival held at 
Leh, Ladakh (started in 1997) attracts large number of 
tourists. It is a celebration of river Sindhu, also known 
as the ‘Indus’ valley civilization (earliest known urban 
culture of Indian subcontinent).
Adventure and rural tourism through festival : 
To overcome ‘seasonality’ in tourism i.e. fluctuation 
in tourism demand, to promote India as a 365 days’ 
destination and to attract tourists with specific interest, 
‘adventure’ has been identified as a niche product for 
promotion and development. Adventure tourism is 
a type of niche tourism where travel involves some 
degree of risk (real or perceived) and may require special 
skills, and physical effort. It can be any tourism activity 
that includes physical activity, cultural exchange, and 
connection with nature. Keeping in view that adventure 
tourism activities are largely away from cities, strategy 
for rural tourism is also relevant for the promotion of 
adventure tourism.  In 2023, 8
th 
edition of Hanuwantiya 
Water Festival (which centres on adventure tourism) 
was organised by the Madhya Pradesh tourism board 
on Narmada river bank in district Khandwa, 230 km 
from Bhopal. It is an example of converting a tourism 
resource into a tourism product. Adventure tourism 
activities like rock climbing, rappelling, etc. are also 
offered in Kutch Rann Utsav, Gujarat.
Reinvigorating heritage through festivals: Heritage 
is legacy from previous generations. Heritage tourism, 
sometimes called historical tourism, particularly 
focuses on cultural heritage. It fulfils travellers’ interest 
in historical attractions such as monuments and sites of 
important past events, as well as in traditions. Nostalgia 
for this heritage is a motivation for many tourists. 
UNESCO World Heritage Convention talks about cultural 
and natural heritage. There are 42 UNESCO World 
Heritage Sites in India. Many cultural entities in India 
have been included in the ‘intangible’ cultural heritage 
list of UNESCO. Some of these intangible facets have 
a festivity associated with them. For example, Kumbh 
Mela, a major pilgrimage for Hindus, is UNESCO’s 
‘intangible’ cultural heritage. A huge gain in tourist 
footfall is seen when Kumbh is organised. Another 
entry in the intangible list is traditional performance 
of Ramayana, performed across North India associated 
with Dussehra festival. 
Pinjore heritage festival is organized to exhibit culture 
and tradition of Haryana. When Kerala established itself 
as a major centre for spice, Muziris was a port city, among 
earliest of its kind in world. Muziris heritage project is 
one of the biggest conservation projects in India, aimed 
to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years 
or more. Kochi-Muziris Biennale (organised at Kochi) is 
an art exhibition and festival that is largest of its kind in 
South Asia. Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland 
to preserve, protect and revive uniqueness and richness 
Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
Page 4


Rural Fairs
& 
Festivals
With tourism sector recovering back to 
pre-pandemic levels, both nationally 
and internationally, a tourist’s quest 
for authenticity can be quenched by 
capitalising on the fairs and festivals 
in India. Fairs and festivals are 
cultural tourism attractions. Pragmatic 
approach embedded with knowledge of 
tourism impacts, can transform fairs 
and festivals into a tourism product that 
will eventually deliver economic and 
socio-cultural benefits to the country.   
* Dr. Suyash Yadav
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow, India. 
E-mail id: yadav.suyash@gmail.com 
NWTO World Tourism Barometer 
2024 states that international tourism 
recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels. 
It is expected to fully recover by the 
end of 2024. India tourism statistics 
2023 mentions that bulk tourism activity in India came 
from domestic tourism with 1731.01 million domestic 
tourist visits in 2022, foreign tourist visits stood at 8.59 
million. Tourism sector is one of the big sources of foreign 
exchange earnings. Importance of tourism, particularly in 
rural and backward areas as an instrument for economic 
development and employment generation, has been 
well recognised. Fairs and festivals can be utilized both 
to attract more visitors and to convince them to stay 
for greater duration, because benefits of tourism get 
enhanced either by increasing the number of tourists or 
by increasing the duration of stay of tourists.
U
There can be no tourism without a destination. For 
a destination to develop and sustain itself, the following 
five ‘A’s are important: Attractions (features that pull 
41 Kurukshetra       April  2024
a tourist to a destination); Accessibility (modes of 
transport); Accommodation (place to stay); Amenities 
(facilities at the destination); Activities (various pursuits 
of a tourist). Attractions play profound role in marketing 
campaigns of destinations. Fairs and festivals are big pull 
factors in tourism; they are cultural attractions which 
depict the history. Hindi words like ‘mela’ or ‘mahotsav’ 
or ‘utsav’ are associated with fairs and festival in India. 
Launched in 2021, Utsav portal is a digital initiative of 
Union Ministry of Tourism which showcases all events, 
festivals , and live darshans across India to promote 
different regions of the country as popular tourist 
destinations worldwide, so that tourists can prepare 
their upcoming itinerary easily. 
Importance of Fairs and Festivals
In India, traditional fairs and festivals are connected 
with harvests, changing seasons, religious beliefs, local 
customs, etc. Apart from this, many fairs and festivals 
have been introduced by various stakeholders including 
government tourism departments, usually aimed at 
enhancing tourist footfall. An attempt has been made 
to focus more upon the significance of fairs and festivals 
from a tourism perspective.
Economic importance: Pro-poor approach to 
tourism management talks about enhancing linkage 
between tourism businesses and poor people so 
that tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction is 
increased and poor people are able to participate 
more effectively in product development. Celebrations 
during festivals in India create livelihood opportunities 
for many artisans. Since 2019, Ayodhya Deepotsav is 
being organized. In 2023, Ayodhya entered Guinness 
world records for lighting the highest number of 
lamps (over 2.2 million) simultaneously at a single 
location. Those who make diyas and firecrackers get 
work because of such an event. Idol makers getting 
work during Durga and Ganesha pooja festivity is 
another example. Other prominent platforms catering 
to economic opportunities include Bali yatra festival 
(open trade fair) of Cuttack, Odisha; Surajkund 
international crafts fair, Haryana; Pushkar fair (annual 
multi-day livestock fair) Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Socio-cultural importance: Traditional Indian 
festivals have socio-religious context. Religious festivals 
have some norms performed according to the tenets 
of religion, but they also offer an opportunity to 
encourage social bonding across religions. Familial 
bonds have come under stress due to effects of 
globalisation and westernisation; festivals provide a 
platform for maintaining them. Major harvest festivals 
(E.g. Wangala, Lohri, Nuakhai, etc.)  in India are aligned 
with two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif. Closely 
associated is change in season which is also celebrated 
in India with festivals like Makara Sankranti (Uttarayan/ 
Winter Solstice), Pongal, etc. Festivals have celestial and 
spiritual connotations to them as well. Makara Sankranti 
means the date when Sun transits into Capricorn sign 
thereby green signalling the auspicious ceremonies 
(E.g. marriage) in the hindu tradition.
Ayodhya Deepotsav, Uttar Pradesh
42 Kurukshetra       April  2024
MICE and Roots tourism through festival : ‘MICE’ 
includes all forms of tourism that are related to work/
profession/business, i.e. when people are not primarily 
motivated by recreational pursuits but travel because 
of their work. Acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, 
Conferences and Exhibitions /Events) covers four 
core market areas. In tourism industry, destination 
weddings are treated under ‘events’ of MICE. Marriages 
are nothing less than festivals in India, more so with 
increase in aspirational class of India which is driving 
‘premiumisation’ . Uttarayan must have been celebrated 
in India since ages but according to the website of 
Gujarat tourism, since 1989, the city of Ahmedabad 
has been hosting an international kite festival as part 
of official celebration of Uttarayan. This is an example 
of how a traditional festival’s significance can be tapped 
to create a tourism product and receive tourist footfall, 
including NRI community. Heritage and Roots tourism 
are important for travellers who are seeking their family 
roots.
Lominé (2007) mentions that nostalgia is a longing 
for past which helps in understanding demand for 
heritage tourism and a subsequent number of events 
and attractions linked to social history. In few instances, 
nostalgia has also been associated with diaspora and 
migration with tourism being an opportunity to visit 
sites where one used to live.  Nostalgia tourism is directly 
linked to social identity, making tourism a powerful 
existential experience. Sindhu Darshan festival held at 
Leh, Ladakh (started in 1997) attracts large number of 
tourists. It is a celebration of river Sindhu, also known 
as the ‘Indus’ valley civilization (earliest known urban 
culture of Indian subcontinent).
Adventure and rural tourism through festival : 
To overcome ‘seasonality’ in tourism i.e. fluctuation 
in tourism demand, to promote India as a 365 days’ 
destination and to attract tourists with specific interest, 
‘adventure’ has been identified as a niche product for 
promotion and development. Adventure tourism is 
a type of niche tourism where travel involves some 
degree of risk (real or perceived) and may require special 
skills, and physical effort. It can be any tourism activity 
that includes physical activity, cultural exchange, and 
connection with nature. Keeping in view that adventure 
tourism activities are largely away from cities, strategy 
for rural tourism is also relevant for the promotion of 
adventure tourism.  In 2023, 8
th 
edition of Hanuwantiya 
Water Festival (which centres on adventure tourism) 
was organised by the Madhya Pradesh tourism board 
on Narmada river bank in district Khandwa, 230 km 
from Bhopal. It is an example of converting a tourism 
resource into a tourism product. Adventure tourism 
activities like rock climbing, rappelling, etc. are also 
offered in Kutch Rann Utsav, Gujarat.
Reinvigorating heritage through festivals: Heritage 
is legacy from previous generations. Heritage tourism, 
sometimes called historical tourism, particularly 
focuses on cultural heritage. It fulfils travellers’ interest 
in historical attractions such as monuments and sites of 
important past events, as well as in traditions. Nostalgia 
for this heritage is a motivation for many tourists. 
UNESCO World Heritage Convention talks about cultural 
and natural heritage. There are 42 UNESCO World 
Heritage Sites in India. Many cultural entities in India 
have been included in the ‘intangible’ cultural heritage 
list of UNESCO. Some of these intangible facets have 
a festivity associated with them. For example, Kumbh 
Mela, a major pilgrimage for Hindus, is UNESCO’s 
‘intangible’ cultural heritage. A huge gain in tourist 
footfall is seen when Kumbh is organised. Another 
entry in the intangible list is traditional performance 
of Ramayana, performed across North India associated 
with Dussehra festival. 
Pinjore heritage festival is organized to exhibit culture 
and tradition of Haryana. When Kerala established itself 
as a major centre for spice, Muziris was a port city, among 
earliest of its kind in world. Muziris heritage project is 
one of the biggest conservation projects in India, aimed 
to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years 
or more. Kochi-Muziris Biennale (organised at Kochi) is 
an art exhibition and festival that is largest of its kind in 
South Asia. Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland 
to preserve, protect and revive uniqueness and richness 
Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
43 Kurukshetra       April  2024
of Naga heritage. Medaram Jatara, Telangana is Asia’s 
largest tribal fair and showcases tribal heritage. 
Facilitating rural produce through festivals: Farm 
produce and associated activities can be rural tourism 
attractions. U.P . produces a large variety of mangoes. 
Awadh mango growers association conceptualised 
and organised first UP Mango Festival in 2013. Wine 
tourism is identified as a growing area of special 
interest tourism throughout world. Maharashtra is 
capitalising on vineyard tourism. As per data from 
Maharashtra tourism department, Nashik (Indian 
Wine Capital) has 29 operating wineries. Started 
in 2008, Sulafest, organised by Sula Vineyards, is a 
popular wine and music festival in India where visitors 
see grape cultivation, wine manufacturing process, 
walk-in wineyards, etc.
Floriculture and tourism through festival: 
According to Srinagar district’s website, Indira Gandhi 
Memorial Tulip garden is the largest tulip garden 
in Asia, situated on foothills of Zabarwan range with 
an overview of Dal Lake. Garden was opened in 2007 
to boost floriculture and tourism in Kashmir valley. Tulip 
festival (organized during the onset of spring season) is 
an annual celebration that aims to showcase the range 
of flowers in the garden as a part of tourism efforts. 
Sustaining Indian arts and ‘authenticity’ through 
festivals: In his famous book ‘The Tourist’, Dean 
MacCannell says that tourism is a quest for authenticity. 
He stated that contemporary society is dominated by 
feelings of alienation, superficiality and disenchantment, 
and as a consequence many people go travelling and 
sightseeing in order to find some authentic experiences. 
They travel to rural areas to reconnect with past and 
with forgotten roots and heritage and to remote places 
where locals’ lifestyles have not been contaminated 
by modernity and western culture. Fairs and festivals 
are apt means thorough which tourist itinerary can 
have this element of authenticity. According to Utsav 
portal, Virasat is heritage and folklife festival, held 
annually at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. It is organised by 
REACH (Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural 
Heritage) for past 24 years. It presents arts and culture 
of India in a unique, educative format that allows 
young people and visitors to learn about their roots 
while also enjoying arts. It has been instrumental in 
revitalising several rural art forms (music, dance, crafts, 
painting, sculpture, theatre, storytelling, etc.) on the 
brink of extinction due to lack of audiences. Authentic 
dance form like Kathakali features as chief attraction 
in traditional festival Onam, emphasis on authentic 
Bhangra during Lohri is also well known.
Mango eating competition during Mango Festival, Uttar Pradesh
Page 5


Rural Fairs
& 
Festivals
With tourism sector recovering back to 
pre-pandemic levels, both nationally 
and internationally, a tourist’s quest 
for authenticity can be quenched by 
capitalising on the fairs and festivals 
in India. Fairs and festivals are 
cultural tourism attractions. Pragmatic 
approach embedded with knowledge of 
tourism impacts, can transform fairs 
and festivals into a tourism product that 
will eventually deliver economic and 
socio-cultural benefits to the country.   
* Dr. Suyash Yadav
* The author is Assistant Professor, Institute of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow, India. 
E-mail id: yadav.suyash@gmail.com 
NWTO World Tourism Barometer 
2024 states that international tourism 
recovered 88% of pre-pandemic levels. 
It is expected to fully recover by the 
end of 2024. India tourism statistics 
2023 mentions that bulk tourism activity in India came 
from domestic tourism with 1731.01 million domestic 
tourist visits in 2022, foreign tourist visits stood at 8.59 
million. Tourism sector is one of the big sources of foreign 
exchange earnings. Importance of tourism, particularly in 
rural and backward areas as an instrument for economic 
development and employment generation, has been 
well recognised. Fairs and festivals can be utilized both 
to attract more visitors and to convince them to stay 
for greater duration, because benefits of tourism get 
enhanced either by increasing the number of tourists or 
by increasing the duration of stay of tourists.
U
There can be no tourism without a destination. For 
a destination to develop and sustain itself, the following 
five ‘A’s are important: Attractions (features that pull 
41 Kurukshetra       April  2024
a tourist to a destination); Accessibility (modes of 
transport); Accommodation (place to stay); Amenities 
(facilities at the destination); Activities (various pursuits 
of a tourist). Attractions play profound role in marketing 
campaigns of destinations. Fairs and festivals are big pull 
factors in tourism; they are cultural attractions which 
depict the history. Hindi words like ‘mela’ or ‘mahotsav’ 
or ‘utsav’ are associated with fairs and festival in India. 
Launched in 2021, Utsav portal is a digital initiative of 
Union Ministry of Tourism which showcases all events, 
festivals , and live darshans across India to promote 
different regions of the country as popular tourist 
destinations worldwide, so that tourists can prepare 
their upcoming itinerary easily. 
Importance of Fairs and Festivals
In India, traditional fairs and festivals are connected 
with harvests, changing seasons, religious beliefs, local 
customs, etc. Apart from this, many fairs and festivals 
have been introduced by various stakeholders including 
government tourism departments, usually aimed at 
enhancing tourist footfall. An attempt has been made 
to focus more upon the significance of fairs and festivals 
from a tourism perspective.
Economic importance: Pro-poor approach to 
tourism management talks about enhancing linkage 
between tourism businesses and poor people so 
that tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction is 
increased and poor people are able to participate 
more effectively in product development. Celebrations 
during festivals in India create livelihood opportunities 
for many artisans. Since 2019, Ayodhya Deepotsav is 
being organized. In 2023, Ayodhya entered Guinness 
world records for lighting the highest number of 
lamps (over 2.2 million) simultaneously at a single 
location. Those who make diyas and firecrackers get 
work because of such an event. Idol makers getting 
work during Durga and Ganesha pooja festivity is 
another example. Other prominent platforms catering 
to economic opportunities include Bali yatra festival 
(open trade fair) of Cuttack, Odisha; Surajkund 
international crafts fair, Haryana; Pushkar fair (annual 
multi-day livestock fair) Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Socio-cultural importance: Traditional Indian 
festivals have socio-religious context. Religious festivals 
have some norms performed according to the tenets 
of religion, but they also offer an opportunity to 
encourage social bonding across religions. Familial 
bonds have come under stress due to effects of 
globalisation and westernisation; festivals provide a 
platform for maintaining them. Major harvest festivals 
(E.g. Wangala, Lohri, Nuakhai, etc.)  in India are aligned 
with two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif. Closely 
associated is change in season which is also celebrated 
in India with festivals like Makara Sankranti (Uttarayan/ 
Winter Solstice), Pongal, etc. Festivals have celestial and 
spiritual connotations to them as well. Makara Sankranti 
means the date when Sun transits into Capricorn sign 
thereby green signalling the auspicious ceremonies 
(E.g. marriage) in the hindu tradition.
Ayodhya Deepotsav, Uttar Pradesh
42 Kurukshetra       April  2024
MICE and Roots tourism through festival : ‘MICE’ 
includes all forms of tourism that are related to work/
profession/business, i.e. when people are not primarily 
motivated by recreational pursuits but travel because 
of their work. Acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, 
Conferences and Exhibitions /Events) covers four 
core market areas. In tourism industry, destination 
weddings are treated under ‘events’ of MICE. Marriages 
are nothing less than festivals in India, more so with 
increase in aspirational class of India which is driving 
‘premiumisation’ . Uttarayan must have been celebrated 
in India since ages but according to the website of 
Gujarat tourism, since 1989, the city of Ahmedabad 
has been hosting an international kite festival as part 
of official celebration of Uttarayan. This is an example 
of how a traditional festival’s significance can be tapped 
to create a tourism product and receive tourist footfall, 
including NRI community. Heritage and Roots tourism 
are important for travellers who are seeking their family 
roots.
Lominé (2007) mentions that nostalgia is a longing 
for past which helps in understanding demand for 
heritage tourism and a subsequent number of events 
and attractions linked to social history. In few instances, 
nostalgia has also been associated with diaspora and 
migration with tourism being an opportunity to visit 
sites where one used to live.  Nostalgia tourism is directly 
linked to social identity, making tourism a powerful 
existential experience. Sindhu Darshan festival held at 
Leh, Ladakh (started in 1997) attracts large number of 
tourists. It is a celebration of river Sindhu, also known 
as the ‘Indus’ valley civilization (earliest known urban 
culture of Indian subcontinent).
Adventure and rural tourism through festival : 
To overcome ‘seasonality’ in tourism i.e. fluctuation 
in tourism demand, to promote India as a 365 days’ 
destination and to attract tourists with specific interest, 
‘adventure’ has been identified as a niche product for 
promotion and development. Adventure tourism is 
a type of niche tourism where travel involves some 
degree of risk (real or perceived) and may require special 
skills, and physical effort. It can be any tourism activity 
that includes physical activity, cultural exchange, and 
connection with nature. Keeping in view that adventure 
tourism activities are largely away from cities, strategy 
for rural tourism is also relevant for the promotion of 
adventure tourism.  In 2023, 8
th 
edition of Hanuwantiya 
Water Festival (which centres on adventure tourism) 
was organised by the Madhya Pradesh tourism board 
on Narmada river bank in district Khandwa, 230 km 
from Bhopal. It is an example of converting a tourism 
resource into a tourism product. Adventure tourism 
activities like rock climbing, rappelling, etc. are also 
offered in Kutch Rann Utsav, Gujarat.
Reinvigorating heritage through festivals: Heritage 
is legacy from previous generations. Heritage tourism, 
sometimes called historical tourism, particularly 
focuses on cultural heritage. It fulfils travellers’ interest 
in historical attractions such as monuments and sites of 
important past events, as well as in traditions. Nostalgia 
for this heritage is a motivation for many tourists. 
UNESCO World Heritage Convention talks about cultural 
and natural heritage. There are 42 UNESCO World 
Heritage Sites in India. Many cultural entities in India 
have been included in the ‘intangible’ cultural heritage 
list of UNESCO. Some of these intangible facets have 
a festivity associated with them. For example, Kumbh 
Mela, a major pilgrimage for Hindus, is UNESCO’s 
‘intangible’ cultural heritage. A huge gain in tourist 
footfall is seen when Kumbh is organised. Another 
entry in the intangible list is traditional performance 
of Ramayana, performed across North India associated 
with Dussehra festival. 
Pinjore heritage festival is organized to exhibit culture 
and tradition of Haryana. When Kerala established itself 
as a major centre for spice, Muziris was a port city, among 
earliest of its kind in world. Muziris heritage project is 
one of the biggest conservation projects in India, aimed 
to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years 
or more. Kochi-Muziris Biennale (organised at Kochi) is 
an art exhibition and festival that is largest of its kind in 
South Asia. Hornbill Festival is celebrated in Nagaland 
to preserve, protect and revive uniqueness and richness 
Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
43 Kurukshetra       April  2024
of Naga heritage. Medaram Jatara, Telangana is Asia’s 
largest tribal fair and showcases tribal heritage. 
Facilitating rural produce through festivals: Farm 
produce and associated activities can be rural tourism 
attractions. U.P . produces a large variety of mangoes. 
Awadh mango growers association conceptualised 
and organised first UP Mango Festival in 2013. Wine 
tourism is identified as a growing area of special 
interest tourism throughout world. Maharashtra is 
capitalising on vineyard tourism. As per data from 
Maharashtra tourism department, Nashik (Indian 
Wine Capital) has 29 operating wineries. Started 
in 2008, Sulafest, organised by Sula Vineyards, is a 
popular wine and music festival in India where visitors 
see grape cultivation, wine manufacturing process, 
walk-in wineyards, etc.
Floriculture and tourism through festival: 
According to Srinagar district’s website, Indira Gandhi 
Memorial Tulip garden is the largest tulip garden 
in Asia, situated on foothills of Zabarwan range with 
an overview of Dal Lake. Garden was opened in 2007 
to boost floriculture and tourism in Kashmir valley. Tulip 
festival (organized during the onset of spring season) is 
an annual celebration that aims to showcase the range 
of flowers in the garden as a part of tourism efforts. 
Sustaining Indian arts and ‘authenticity’ through 
festivals: In his famous book ‘The Tourist’, Dean 
MacCannell says that tourism is a quest for authenticity. 
He stated that contemporary society is dominated by 
feelings of alienation, superficiality and disenchantment, 
and as a consequence many people go travelling and 
sightseeing in order to find some authentic experiences. 
They travel to rural areas to reconnect with past and 
with forgotten roots and heritage and to remote places 
where locals’ lifestyles have not been contaminated 
by modernity and western culture. Fairs and festivals 
are apt means thorough which tourist itinerary can 
have this element of authenticity. According to Utsav 
portal, Virasat is heritage and folklife festival, held 
annually at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. It is organised by 
REACH (Rural Entrepreneurship for Art and Cultural 
Heritage) for past 24 years. It presents arts and culture 
of India in a unique, educative format that allows 
young people and visitors to learn about their roots 
while also enjoying arts. It has been instrumental in 
revitalising several rural art forms (music, dance, crafts, 
painting, sculpture, theatre, storytelling, etc.) on the 
brink of extinction due to lack of audiences. Authentic 
dance form like Kathakali features as chief attraction 
in traditional festival Onam, emphasis on authentic 
Bhangra during Lohri is also well known.
Mango eating competition during Mango Festival, Uttar Pradesh
44 Kurukshetra       April  2024
  Wellness and sports tourism through festivals: 
Wellness tourism is travel associated with objective of 
maintaining or enhancing one’s personal well-being. 
International Yoga Festival (IYF), held every year in 
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, was started as a small festival in 
1999, which is now a sought-after international tourist 
attraction. ‘Yoga’ is an intangible cultural heritage 
of UNESCO. IYF celebrations usually involves ‘Vedic 
Chanting’ which is again an intangible cultural heritage 
of UNESCO. Physical fitness through sports as a medium 
is a popular means for attaining well-being. Organised 
since 1983, Kila Raipur sports festival, famously known 
as the Rural Olympics, is a celebrated event held 
annually in Kila Raipur village, Ludhiana, Punjab.
Conclusion
Festivals improve the lives of communities by 
bringing prosperity to the economy; they contribute 
to overall well-being and social harmony. Fairs and 
festivals are tourism products that create opportunities 
for tourists to spend time together, connect with 
an area, and experience the diversity of cultures. If 
managed well, they create a positive image of the place 
by attracting visitors, thereby aiding in destination 
promotion.                                                                           ?
References
1. India Tourism Statistics (2023). Ministry of Tourism, 
Government of India.
2. Lominé, L., Edmunds, J. (2017). Key Concepts in 
Tourism. Macmillan Education, UK.
3. MacCannell, D (2013). The Tourist. University of 
California Press.
4. National Strategy for Adventure Tourism (2022), 
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
5. UNWTO World Tourism Barometer (2024). Volume 
22. Issue 1. January 2024.
Sports Festival, Kila Raipur, Punjab