The Ganga Mahotsav, the Buddha Mahotsav and the Taj Mahotsav are celebrated in which state?

The Ganga Mahotsav, the Buddha Mahotsav and the Taj Mahotsav are cultural festivals organised by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department to celebrate the rich heritage of the state and to attract tourists.

The Ganga Mahotsav is a five-day festival held every year in Varanasi in October-November, ending on Kartik Purnima, the day of Dev Deepawali. It is held on the ghats of the river Ganga and celebrates the river, the ancient city and its culture. It features performances of classical music and dance by leading artists, the Ganga Aarti, boat races and other cultural events. On Dev Deepawali, the ghats are lit with lakhs of earthen lamps.

The Buddha Mahotsav is held at important Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh, such as Sarnath (where the Buddha gave his first sermon), Kushinagar (where he attained mahaparinirvana) and Shravasti (where he spent many rainy seasons). It celebrates the life and teachings of the Buddha, usually around Buddha Purnima, and includes prayers, exhibitions of Buddhist art and cultural programmes.

The Taj Mahotsav is a ten-day festival held every year in February at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal in Agra. It celebrates the arts, crafts, cuisine, music and dance of India, especially the Mughal heritage of Agra. Craftsmen from across India display and sell their products, and there are performances of folk and classical music and dance, food festivals and elephant and camel rides.

Uttar Pradesh is also home to the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, the Lathmar Holi of Barsana, the Ram Navami festival of Ayodhya and the Lucknow Mahotsav.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bihar holds the Bodh Gaya Mahotsav and the Rajgir Mahotsav.
• ✗Madhya Pradesh holds the Khajuraho Dance Festival and the Lokrang.
• ✗Uttarakhand holds the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar and the Nanda Devi Raj Jat.