Utsavas
Utsava, plural utsavas, is a Sanskrit term meaning festival or celebration. In Hinduism, it denotes a religious festival organized by temples or communities, often featuring a procession, musical performances, ritual offerings, and communal feasting. The concept encompasses annual temple celebrations, monthly or seasonal observances, as well as milestone events such as temple consecrations and harvest festivals. Utsavas are typically centered on a deity's image, with the utsava murti—a processional form of the deity—taken out of the sanctum for worship and public display during the festival.
Common elements include alankara (ornamentation), puja and arati at the temple, bhajans and classical music or
Regionally, the term is widely used across India: in South India the festivals are frequently called utsavam
Historically, utsavas reflect the integration of temple worship, agrarian cycles, and community life, and continue to