Top 5 winter festivals in India

New Delhi: Are you looking to travel, want to go for a hangout to some beautiful place that you have never traveled before? Many of us though living in India are not aware what sort of places and how many types of festivals are popular in India and among them also winter festivals.As winter has almost arrived in India and vacations of your kids are soon going to start in early December- you must be planning for some place to visit. Why not enjoy the winter festivals with your kids? Don't worry if you are single. You can make out plans with your friends. The main motto is not to miss the exhilarating experience that will lift you up, right? Do spend the year with a meaningful note in your life!So, here are the places where winter festivals are waiting to welcome you in the month of December.1) International Sand Art Festival and Konark Festival, Odisha The festival in Odisha is going to start from 1-5 December, 2014.If you have ever been to Konark then you must be aware what konark is famous for. The seaside town of Konark is already known for its 13th-century Sun Temple- which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed as the cosmic chariot of the sun god Surya. The thing not to miss out at place is its most impressive features; stone wheels driven by galloping horses. Don't only fall for this as this place has also a lot more to offer you. Get a closer look of the intricate carvings of rulers, armies, animals, performers and mythological figures. It's rich in heritage.The International Sand Art Festival and Konark Festival is the perfect stage for two parallel festivals of dance and art. You will get to see shines of the spotlight on classical dance forms such as Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Manipuri. You will be enjoying this festival in an open-air auditorium under the night sky with the magnificent Sun Temple as the backdrop.There is also a great arrangememnt of crafts fair and food festival.2) Hornbill Festival, Nagaland The festival in Nagaland is going to start from: 1-10 December, 2014. Do you love to rock the floor, move your body with colourful fusion of perfect dance; are you adventures enough and love to eat mouthwatering food then this is the place to visit this December? You will yourself feel the thrill of this exciting place. This week-long Hornbill Festival celebrates the culture and traditions of Nagaland's 16 tribes. Named after the bird, it is held at the Kisama Heritage Village that lies near the capital Kohima.During the daytime, the village echoes with the sound of drum beats and folk songs, performances of war dances and head-hunting rituals, and local games.This festival has got everything from fashion shows to adventurous car and bike rallies. Not to forget they also have a competition called chilli eating contest; go for it if you can even dare yourself. The environment will give you a good feel. There is a carnival-like atmosphere all around. After sunset, Kohima Night Bazaar's food and handicraft stalls is worth watching for with region's best bands to give you good company.3) Rann Utsav, GujaratThis festival in Gujarat is going to start from 1 December to 7 March, 2015.Gujarat's Rann of Kutch is carpeted with salt marsh that's inhabited by tribal and nomadic communities. The festival is a celebration of the area's people, history and culture. This carnival will give you the best of the experience with a mix of folk music and dance performances, camel rides along with exciting adventure sports such as dirt biking and hot air ballooning.Don't miss the crafts bazaar that showcases local artisans working with colourful Kutchi embroidery, hand block printing, wood carving, seashells and sliver jewellery. Stay in desert tents on the outskirts of the Dhorad village. You can also enjoy the safari ride to the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch.4) Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014, Kerala This festival in Kerala will start from 12 December 2014 to 29 March 2015.You will enjoy the historic port town of Cochin that's waiting to welcome you into an open-air art gallery. It is also known as India's first contemporary art biennale, which is enjoyed for three-and-a-half months bringing together artists from over 30 counties. It's better known as “Whorled Explorations”, its inspiration is the city's history as a vital centre that has been flourishing trade, astronomy and mathematics over the centuries. The main venue, Aspinwall House, is a large sea-facing mansion that was originally the office of a trading company. Don't miss the exciting chance this December to get the awesome look of the past meet blending well with today's culture.5) Sunburn Festival, Goa This festival will start from 27 to 29 December, 2014.At the end of December, Sunburn, India's first and biggest EDM festival will be returning to north Goa's Vagator Beach for its eighth year. It is famous for having mix of Indian and international DJs.In 2014, the festival plans to increase the intensity to great extent with a line-up of 150 artists, with multiple stages for EDM genres such as dubstep, house and psy trance. You will also see stages huge enough, good acoustics with plenty of drinks and food. There will be things to enjoy after-parties too. So, you should be here, right?There are even flea markets, sunset cruises, and adventure sports such as zorbing, volleyball, bungee jumping and stunt biking if you want to get away from the crowd and loud music.