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Festivals & events
Celebrate India
India's calendar bursts with religious, regional, musical, cultural and culinary celebrations. Filter by month, type or state to plan around the right moment.
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Indian festivals mostly follow lunar calendars, so the exact days shift each year. We name the month they fall in and leave the day to the panchang closer to the time.
Festival calendarFestival directory
217 festivals
Use the calendar when timing is the main decision, or browse the directory for context, location and meaning.
Drupka Tseshi
AugustReligiousThroughout Sikkim, with core monastic prayers at Deer Park in Gangtok, Muguthang in North Sikkim, and various major monasteries.
A sacred Buddhist holiday celebrating Buddha's first turning of the wheel of dharma and preaching at Sarnath.
Ker Puja
AugustReligiousTripura, centered heavily inside the royal palace compound in Agartala and expanding across designated traditional tribal village blocks.
A strict, secretive royal and tribal ritual in which the town's borders are sealed to ward off epidemics.
Mim Kut
AugustRegionalMizo villages across Mizoram, and among Kuki and wider Zo communities in Nagaland, Manipur and the adjoining Chin areas.
One of the three principal kuts of the Mizo year alongside Chapchar Kut and Pawl Kut — and the only one that faces the dead rather than the living.
Nanda Devi Mahotsav
AugustReligiousAlmora, at the seventeenth-century Nanda Devi temple in the Mall area, and Nainital at Mallital Flats beside the Naina Devi temple.
Kumaon's biggest annual urban festival, running at Almora since the Chand kings built the temple there in the seventeenth century.
Nanda Devi Raj Jat
AugustReligiousChamoli district, Garhwal. It sets out from Nauti village near Karnaprayag and from Kansuwa in Chandpur; the two processions join at Nandkeshar and walk to Homkund.
The largest and longest foot pilgrimage in the Indian Himalaya and the defining religious event of Garhwal. Because it comes round only about once a generation, most people who walk it do so once in their lives.
Narali Purnima
AugustReligiousCoastal Maharashtra, the Konkan belt, Mumbai, and Goa, heavily centered in historic fishing villages (Koliwadas).
The coconut festival of the Koli fishing community, who offer coconuts to the sea god Varuna to reopen the sailing season safely.
Neermahal Water Festival
AugustCulturalRudrasagar Lake and the Neermahal water palace at Melaghar, Sepahijala district, about 50 km from Agartala.
A modern government tourism festival rather than an inherited tradition, organised by the state departments.
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
AugustCulturalPunnamada Lake, Alappuzha district, Kerala.
High-adrenaline water regatta featuring the iconic snake boats (Chundan Vallams) powered by hundreds of synchronised oarsmen.
Onam
AugustRegionalCelebrated throughout the state of Kerala, observed universally across all religious communities.
Kerala's harvest festival welcoming the mythical King Mahabali. Celebrated with flower carpets (pookalam), the grand Onasadya feast, Vallamkali snake-boat races and Pulikali tiger dances.
Rakhi Purnima (Gamha Purnima)
AugustReligiousPan-India as Raksha Bandhan; celebrated with distinct cattle-centric and temple traditions as Gamha Purnima in Odisha.
Celebrates siblings alongside the worship of domestic cattle and agricultural instruments, marking Lord Balarama's birthday.
Raksha Bandhan
AugustReligiousCelebrated extensively across Northern, Western, and Central India, as well as by Hindu communities worldwide.
Celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, when sisters tie a protective thread (rakhi) on their brothers' wrists in exchange for a vow of protection.
Teej (Hariyali / Hartalika)
AugustRegionalPredominantly celebrated in Northern and Western India, particularly across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
A monsoon festival celebrating Goddess Parvati and marital bliss, observed by women with swings, henna, folk songs and fasting — especially in Rajasthan.
Teej at the Rock Garden
AugustRegionalThe Rock Garden of Chandigarh, Nek Chand's forty-acre sculpture garden in Sector 1, Chandigarh.
An old north Indian festival, but this particular event is a curated cultural programme organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre rather than a village observance.
Teeyan
AugustRegionalAcross the state of Punjab, heavily observed in rural courtyards, village common grounds, and institutional cultural arenas.
The swing-and-dance festival of Punjabi women, who welcome the rains with rounds of Giddha.
Tendong Lho Rum Faat
AugustRegionalTendong Hill above Damthang, near Namchi in South Sikkim, is the sacred centre.
One of the oldest festivals in Sikkim and the most important in the Lepcha calendar — the Lepchas are the state's indigenous people, and this is their own thanksgiving.
Anthurium Festival
SeptemberCulturalThe tourist resort at Reiek village, 29 km from Aizawl, Mizoram, on the slope of Reiek Tlang.
A modern government event rather than a traditional festival — launched by the Tourism Department with the Horticulture Department to build a market for a cash crop.
Dahi Handi
SeptemberCulturalMumbai, Thane, Pune, and towns across Maharashtra
Athletic troupes called Govindas build multi-tiered human pyramids to break clay curd pots suspended high in the air.
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Ganesh Chaturthi
SeptemberReligiousCelebrated with unparalleled grandeur in Maharashtra (especially Mumbai and Pune), Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
The birthday of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Marked by grand clay idols, public pandals and immersion processions, especially in Maharashtra.
Heikru Hidongba
SeptemberReligiousThe moat at Sagolband Bijoy Govinda Leikai, Imphal West district.
A royal-era socio-religious rite counted continuously for well over two centuries — 2025 was the 247th edition.
Karam Festival
SeptemberReligiousJharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh, heavily observed by the Munda, Oraon, Santhal, and Ho tribes.
An indigenous nature festival in which tribal youth plant and worship a branch of the Karam tree to protect the family.
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Krishna Janmashtami
SeptemberReligiousCelebrated throughout India, with its most vibrant spiritual centers in Mathura and Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh), and energetic public displays (Dahi Handi) in Mumbai and across Maharashtra.
Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Marked by midnight prayers, fasting, devotional singing, and the Dahi Handi human-pyramid tradition.
Nuakhai
SeptemberRegionalWestern Odisha districts, primarily Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, and Kalahandi.
A community harvest festival for eating the season's first freshly harvested rice.
Pang Lhabsol
SeptemberReligiousAcross Sikkim, with the absolute cultural and ritual centerpiece performed at the Tsuklakhang Royal Palace Monastery courtyard in Gangtok.
A grand historical festival honouring Mount Khangchendzonga as the active warrior guardian deity of Sikkim.
Phulaich Festival
SeptemberCulturalKinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, prominent across valleys like Sangla and Kalpa.
The festival of flowers, when tribal youth trek to the high ridges to gather wild blossoms in honour of the village spirits.
Pola Festival
SeptemberRegionalThroughout Maharashtra, particularly prominent in the Vidarbha region, as well as rural pockets of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
An agrarian festival given over entirely to decorating, feeding, and worshipping the working farm bulls.
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Solung
SeptemberCulturalAcross the Siang, East Siang, Upper Siang, and Lower Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, with major public events in Pasighat.
The principal harvest festival of the Adi tribe, celebrated with cattle sacrifices and rounds of the Ponung folk dance.
Tarnetar Mela
SeptemberFairTarnetar village, near Thangadh, Surendranagar district, Gujarat.
A legendary matchmaking and folk dance fair centred around the Trinetreshwar Mahadev Temple, famous for embroidered umbrellas.
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Ziro Festival of Music
SeptemberMusicHosted in the breathtaking Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, the ancestral home of the indigenous Apatani tribe.
India's leading outdoor independent music festival, held in a Himalayan valley among Apatani tribal lands, where indie music meets eco-tourism.
Chaitra Chaudas Mela, Pehowa
A three-day fair in spring, timed to the Chaturdashi and Amavasya at the end of the month of Chaitra, so the dates move each year.ReligiousThe Saraswati Tirtha ghats at Pehowa town, Kurukshetra district, Haryana.
One of very few tirthas in India where shradh and tarpan are performed specifically for those who died by accident or before their time.
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Display of the Moi-e-Muqaddas at Hazratbal
On several days in the Islamic calendar, including Shab-e-Miraj and Eid-e-Milad. The dates move with the Hijri calendar, roughly eleven days earlier each Gregorian year.ReligiousThe Hazratbal shrine on the western shore of Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
The most venerated Muslim shrine in Kashmir, and the display is the occasion on which the relic that gives it that standing is actually visible.
Eid ul-Adha in Lakshadweep
10 Dhu al-Hijjah, roughly seventy days after Eid ul-Fitr, coinciding with the close of the Hajj. Lunar, so it moves about eleven days earlier each Gregorian year.ReligiousAll ten inhabited islands, but observed under two names: Bakrid on the nine northern islands, Bodu Eid on Minicoy.
The second of the two canonical Eids, and in Lakshadweep the point at which Minicoy's Maldivian cultural inheritance becomes plainly visible.
Eid ul-Fitr in Lakshadweep
1 Shawwal, fixed by local moon-sighting at the end of Ramadan. The Hijri year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian one, so the date moves earlier each year.ReligiousAll ten inhabited islands — Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra and Minicoy.
The defining civic and religious occasion of the union territory, and the day the whole archipelago keeps at once.
Kumbh Mela
World's largest religious gathering. Rotates by planetary positions among Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. Maha Kumbh (Prayagraj) every 12 years — last was 2025. Ardh Kumbh at Haridwar in 2027; Kumbh at Nashik 2033. An annual Magh Mela is held at Prayagraj each winter. Region: Prayagraj / Haridwar / Ujjain / Nashik.ReligiousRotates between Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.
A mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith where devotees gather to bathe at sacred river confluences, believed to cleanse sins and grant liberation (moksha). Recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Mahamaham
Held once every 12 years when Jupiter enters Leo; next is 2032. Region: Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.ReligiousThe sacred Mahamaham Tank in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu.
A vast bathing pilgrimage at the holy tank, whose water is believed to gather the currents of nine sacred rivers and wash away sins.
Milad-un-Nabi and the Moulood
12 Rabi al-Awwal, the Prophet's birth anniversary. Lunar and moving. Moulood recitations are held at other times too.ReligiousAcross all ten inhabited islands, centred on the island mosques. Kavaratti's Jamath, Mohidden and Ujra mosques are the principal ones.
By local reckoning the territory's flagship religious festival rather than one entry among many — the administration's own culture page ranks it that way.
Nicobarese Ossuary Feast
No fixed calendar date. It is held when a village's leaders judge enough pigs and food have been accumulated — historically once every two to three years, and on Chowra annually with the hosting clan rotating.RegionalThe Nicobar group only — Car Nicobar, Chowra, Teressa, Nancowry and Kamorta. Chowra's version is the best documented.
Genuinely indigenous and pre-colonial, and the largest ceremonial event in Nicobarese life. It is not a tourist occasion and cannot be treated as one.