How we celebrate Halloween in India

Where did Halloween come from?

Every country has its unique cultures, but they are all related somehow. One such festival is Halloween. A fun festival, rooted with a deeper meaning. It originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to return to earth.

Halloween is observed or celebrated on the 31st of October every year in Western countries.

Celebrations in India

In India, it has primarily been adopted by younger generations and in cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata. 
I am from Bangalore, a cosmopolitan and metropolitan city in India.

Though Halloween is not rooted in Indian culture, it has been embraced in a more commercial and social sense. Here are some ways it is celebrated:

Costume Parties: One of the most popular ways Halloween is observed in India is through themed parties. Clubs, restaurants, and hotels often organise Halloween events where attendees dress up in spooky costumes, often inspired by ghosts, witches, zombies, or popular movie characters.

Shopping and Decor: Major cities see stores selling Halloween-themed decorations, masks, costumes, and candy. I like to decorate my room with artificial spiders, webs and tiny bats. But that only lasts until midnight of October 31st as the following days are important days for Christians.

Children’s Activities: Trick-or-treating isn’t widespread, however, some upscale residential neighbourhoods and gated communities, organise Halloween events for children. These include pumpkin carving, face painting, and small-scale trick-or-treating.

Influence of Pop Culture: The growing popularity of American films, TV shows, and social media has made Halloween more familiar to Indians, especially among youth. I love watching horror and Halloween-y movies during this season and this day. My favourite movie is Trick ‘r’ Treat.

Events after Halloween

As a Christian, I primarily know what happens in my religion during this period and how it is intertwined with Halloween in India. 

All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are observed primarily by the Christian communities, particularly Catholics, and hold significant religious importance.

All Saints’ Day (November 1st)

All Saints’ Day is a day to honour all saints, known and unknown. It is a day for Christians to remember the holy men and women who have lived exemplary lives of faith. In my city Bangalore and particularly in states with large Christian populations like Goa, Kerala, and the North-Eastern regions (such as Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram), the day is observed with special masses in churches. My family and I attend a service in church, wherein the prayers are offered to seek the intercession of saints in the lives of believers.

All Souls’ Day (November 2nd)

All Souls’ Day follows on November 2nd. My family and I, like many other Christians visit our respective cemeteries where out loved ones are buried, clean and decorate the graves with flowers, candles, and crosses. Prayers and masses are offered for the souls of the deceased, and it is a time of reflection, remembrance, and mourning. These two days form a vital part of Christian traditions in India, blending deep faith with cultural practices of honouring both saints and deceased loved ones.

Although Halloween is fun, in India the concept of “Halloween” is very recent.

Looking forward

While a lot of younger people do enjoy the holiday and have fun, most people in India tend to accustom themselves to the deeper sentimental meaning of this period.
Ancestors in India are revered greatly with utmost formality. The practice of tradition is highly valued in all the religions in India. It’s only the younger generations and that to in recent years, who like to enjoy Halloween. Although, I’m not a huge fan of partying, I do like dressing up and having fun with with the costumes, décor and funky make-up.

I look forward to Halloween in the UK as the range of costumes and candies are immense. 

Happy Halloween everyone!!!