Ganga Mahotsav

Celebrates India's rich classical music, dance, and Vedic traditions against the beautifully lit historic steps of Varanasi.

The festival gives thanks to the sacred Ganga for descending to earth for humanity's welfare, and celebrates the holy occasion of Dev Deepawali.

Classical musicians and dancers from across the country perform on the ghats. In the evenings thousands of lamps are floated on the river, and the ghats fill with people in traditional dress enjoying Banarasi delicacies.

The centrepiece is the grand Ganga Aarti with Vedic chants. On Dev Deepawali, lakhs of earthen lamps are lit across all the ghats of Kashi, watched by huge crowds from boats on the river.

It is believed that on these days the gods descend from heaven to celebrate Diwali on the ghats of Kashi, and that bathing in the river at this time washes away one's sins.

The festival was formally instituted by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism department to give Varanasi's classical music (the Banaras gharana) and crafts a global stage.

Five days of classical music on the Varanasi ghats, timed to the days after Kartik Purnima. The night everyone comes for is Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lined end to end with oil lamps and the river carries their reflection. Book a boat days ahead or watch from the steps.