| Sl No. | Month | Festival | Dishes | Origin and Significance | Prominent states |
|
1
|
January
|
Lohri | Gur & Rewri / Tilgud sweets | Marks end of winter; sesame & jaggery provide warmth and energy during the cold. | Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh |
| Makar Sankranti | Tilkut, Undhiyu | Harvest festival marking sun’s northward journey; dishes use jaggery, sesame, and rice for prosperity. | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra | ||
| Pongal | Ven Pongal, Sweet Pongal | Harvest thanksgiving to the Sun God; symbolises abundance and prosperity. | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka | ||
|
2
|
February
|
Maha Shivratri | Thandai, Sabudana Khichdi | Fasting foods made without grains; milk-based drinks like thandai offered to Lord Shiva. | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Vasant Panchami | Kesari Halwa | Offered to Goddess Saraswati; yellow symbolizes knowledge and optimism. | North India, Bengal | ||
|
3
|
March
|
Holi | Gujiya, Thandai | Sweet dumplings and milk-based drinks symbolise festivity, joy, and color. | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal |
| Eid al-Fitr | Sheer Korma / Sevaiya / Biryani | Rich milk-and-vermicelli dessert to break the Ramadan fast; symbolizes abundance and community. | Pan India (esp. UP, Hyderabad, Kashmir, West Bengal) | ||
|
4
|
April
|
Baisakhi | Kada Prasad | Harvest festival marking prosperity and new beginnings. | Punjab, Haryana |
| Poila Baishakh | Pithe, Pulao | Bengali New Year; dishes denote joy, renewal, and celebration. | West Bengal | ||
| Vishu | Vishu Sadya | Kerala New Year feast symbolizing prosperity and harmony. | Kerala | ||
|
5
|
May
|
Akshay Tritiya | Pooran Poli, Shrikhand | Auspicious day for prosperity; sweets made from wheat and milk signify purity and abundance. | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan |
| Buddha Purnima | Kheer | Symbolizes simplicity and enlightenment, Buddha’s first meal after awakening. | Pan India, Sikkim, Ladakh | ||
| 6 | June | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Poda Pitha, Khaja, Khechudi, Dalma | Offered as bhog to Lord Jagannath; embodies purity and harvest gratitude. | Odisha |
| 7 | July | Guru Purnima | Kheer, Malpua, Puran Poli | Shared with teachers and elders to express gratitude and devotion. | Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar |
|
8
|
August
|
Onam | Onam Sadya (multi-course feast with Payasam) | Celebrates King Mahabali’s return and harvest bounty; payasam marks prosperity. | Kerala |
| Janmashtami | Makhan Mishri, Ghevar, Malpua | Krishna’s favorites; sweets symbolise innocence and divine love. | Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat | ||
| Raksha Bandhan | Malpua, Coconut Ladoo | Symbolises sibling love and celebration with sweets. | North India | ||
| 9 | September | Ganesh Chaturthi | Modak, Panchakajjaya, Pooran Poli | Offerings to Lord Ganesha; symbolize fulfillment and auspiciousness. | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh |
|
10
|
October
|
Navratri | Kuttu ki Poori, Pokharo, Sabudana Khichdi | Fasting foods denote purity and devotion during nine nights of worship. | Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh |
| Durga Puja | Bhog (Khichuri, Labra, Chutney, Payesh), Luchi-Alur Dom, Beguni, Mishti Doi, Sandesh | Offered to Goddess Durga; symbolizes unity, festivity, and blessings. | West Bengal | ||
| Dussehra | Jalebi, Poori-Aloo | Celebrates victory of good over evil; sweets mark triumph and joy. | Pan India | ||
|
11
|
November
|
Diwali | Laddoo, Kaju Katli, Faral, Nariyal Ladoo | Festival of Lights; sweets symbolize victory of good, prosperity, and togetherness. | Pan India (esp. UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu) |
| Chhath Puja | Thekua, Khichdi | Offered to the Sun God as gratitude for health and harvest. | gratitude for health and harvest. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand |
||
|
12
|
December
|
Christmas | Plum Cake, Mulled Wine | Celebration of joy, warmth, and togetherness. | Goa, Kerala, North-East India |
| Hornbill Festival | Bamboo Steamed Fish, Rice Beer | Showcases Naga culture; dishes celebrate tribal unity and harvest. | Nagaland |