India is rightly known as the land of festivals, and many festivals in the country many a times align on the same day, making each of them more special. One such day is Makar Sankranti, which is celebrated differently by various communities. While Maharashtrians celebrate Makar Sankranti with sesame sweets, Punjabis celebrate it as Lohri with bonfires, and Tamilians celebrate it as Pongal, their harvest festival. Similarly, Jharkhand and West Bengal celebrate this day as Tusu Parab, which is basically a harvest festival.
But what is the significance of this festival?
How is it celebrated?
Here’s everything you need to know about Tusu Parab 2026.
All About Tusu Parab 2026
Tusu Parab 2026: Dates, Significance, And More
Tusu Parab is a harvest festival celebrated mainly in the rural areas of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and even some parts of Odisha.
This year, it will be celebrated on January 14 and is actually the last day of their month-long celebration. It is generally celebrated in the month of Paus (Bengali month), which marks the end of the farming year right after the harvesting season.
The festival is more centered on women, especially unmarried young girls. It focuses on showing gratitude toward the community, nature, and crops, with unmarried young girls leading the rituals.
It actually honors goddess Tusu, who is said to be the symbol of fertility and prosperity.
According to one folklore, Tusu was a princess who rejected a Mughal King who asked her to marry her. In order to protect her honor, she jumped into the river.
This act of bravery is actually why this festival is celebrated, which beautifully blends her as a daughter as well as a deity.
The other folklore mentions her as a potter’s daughter whose love for a prince ended tragically due to society. So this day is a symbol of purity, sacrifice, and renewal.
How Tusu Festival Is Celebrated In India?
The Tusu Parab is celebrated through folk rituals, which are led by unmarried girls in the tribal areas. Girls make small bamboo or clay idols of Goddess Tusu, decorate them with flowers, red cloth, rice stalks, and mirrors. This symbolizes prosperity and fertility.
Then they tie the last paddy sheaf in fields as Tusu’s embodiment, which is known as “dinimai”. It is then brought home for offerings of jaggery, cow dung balls, rice, and sesame during evening gatherings.
They sing traditional Tusu Parab ka gana or Tusu Geet, which are basically folk songs in Bengali or Kudmali about rural life, love, and hardships.
Then, they also perform a custom known as Phul Patano in which unmarried girls exchange flower garlands with friends to seal lifelong sisterhood. These girls also perform the tusu dance around a bonfire.
On the last day, that is on January 14, the girls parade these decorated idols to lakes or rivers. The idols are then immersed in the water while singing emotional farewell songs, marking the closure of harvest and signalling renewal.
You May Like Also: Tamilnadu Pongal 2026 | Festival Traditions, Events & Travel Guide
Summing Up
Tusu Parab, a harvest festival of Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha, is celebrated in the rural areas. The festival is actually a month-long, starting mid-December and then ending on January 14 or Makar Sankranti. It is a festival rooted in traditions and celebrates sacrifice and renewal.
