The biggest festival of Malwa is undoubtedly the [[Simhastha]] [[Kumbh]] mela held every 12 years, in which more than a million pilgrims take a holy dip in river [[Shipra.]] '''Gana-gour''' is celebrated in honour of Shiva and Parvati. The history of the festival goes back to '''Rano Bai''' whose parental house was in Malwa and she was married in Rajasthan. Rano Bai was so much attached to Malwa that she did not like staying in Rajasthan. After marriage she could come to Malwa only once a year, and Gana-Gour symbolizes the coming back of Rano Bai to Malwa. The festival is observed by the women of Malwa once in the month of Bhadra and again in the month of Chaitra. '''Ghadlya''' festival is celebrated by the girls of Malwa, who gather to visit every house of the village in the evenings, carrying earthen pots with holes for the light from oil lamps inside to come out. The girls recite songs connected with Ghadlya in front of every house, and in return get foodstuff or coins. The '''Gordhan''' festival is celebrated on the sixteenth day in the month of Kartika. The [[Bhil]]s of Malwa sing to the cattle some anecdotal songs, known as Heeda, while the women sing the '''Chandrawali''' song, associated with [[Krishna]]'s romance.
