Festivals Harvest Festivals for Class 1 EVS

In this concept, the students will learn about different harvest festivals of India with states.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

• Identify the list of harvest festivals of India.
• Understand how people celebrate these festivals in India and the timeline of crop harvesting in India.
• Remember the types of delicacies prepared during the harvest festivals like sweets for Pongal festival, makar sankranti special food, etc.

Each concept is explained to class 1 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.
Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept Harvest Festivals of India provided in PDF format.

What are Harvest Festivals?

• Harvest festivals are celebrated to mark the occasion of cutting crops and their collection from agricultural fields.
• Each state of India celebrates harvest festivals at various times of the year because the crops grown are different.

Harvest Festivals Celebrated in India:

• • Bihu is celebrated in Assam in the winter season.
  • This festival marks the end of the harvest season every year.
  • Many delicious food items are prepared with the newly harvested crops.
  • In the evening, people gather to participate in the community feast.

• • Makar Sankranti is celebrated mainly in the northern part of the country to mark the end of the harvest season.
  • During this time, Kumbh Mela is arranged in many states of the country.
  • People celebrate by dancing, singing, kite flying and organising processions.
  • During Makar Sankranti, several sweet dishes are prepared with jaggery.

• • Baisakhi is celebrated in Punjab and Haryana in April.
  • The farmers celebrate this festival after wheat is harvested.
  • People wear new clothes and perform folk dances like Bhangra and Gidda.
  • Baisakhi fairs are organised in many places.

• • Lohri is celebrated in north India to mark the end of shorter days and the arrival of the new harvest.
  • People enjoy this day by dancing and singing around a bonfire.
  • Many types of sweets like sweetened peanuts, chikkis, and rewri are made.

• • Gudi Padwa is celebrated in Maharashtra to mark the beginning of the Marathi New Year.
  • Many sweets like puran poli, modak and shrikhand are prepared.
  • People decorate their houses with rangoli.
  • The entrance of the houses is decorated with handmade dolls made of neem and mango leaves, bamboo and flowers.

• • Onam is celebrated in Kerala. It marks the New Year in Kerala.
  • The festival is celebrated for ten days.
  • The people enjoy colourful processions with decorated elephants, folk dances and boat races.
  • The house is decorated with colourful rangoli made from flower flowers.
  • Delicious food is cooked during Onam that is served on banana leaves.

• • Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu in January.
  • The entrance of the house is decorated with colourful rangolis.
  • Pongal, a sweet dish, is prepared with the newly harvested rice and jaggery.

• • Ugadi is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka in March or April to celebrate the arrival of the spring season.
  • The houses are decorated with flowers and colourful rangolis.
  • Festive foods and special mango pickles are prepared at home.
  • People buy gifts for the poor and distribute them.
  • Prayers are offered at the temples.

New Words:

Did You Know?

• During the Bihu festival, women wear Mekhela Chador, made with silk.

• Rangoli and Alpana are colourful patterns that are made on the floors during many festivals in India.