From Holi to Diwali: 17 incredible festivals in India

Nowhere does festivals quite like India. The most populous nation on earth is also one of the most spiritual, and the major celebrations for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims and other faiths raise the color and vibrancy of India to even higher levels. 

While some events are tied to fixed dates on the Gregorian calendar, many festivals are linked to the lunar calendars followed by the country’s varied religions, so many festival dates change from year to year. The India government website has a helpful calendar with the dates of major nationwide celebrations.

Note that the Islamic calendar moves forward by 11 days every year, and dates for Muslim celebrations may be dictated by physical sightings of the moon – always check dates before you make travel plans.

From vividly colorful Hindu celebrations to Islamic feasts and cultural extravaganzas, here are the Indian festivals you absolutely can’t miss – in calendar order, to help you plan your trip.

1. Gujarat Kite Festival, Ahmedabad

When:  January

Where: Ahmedabad 

Bringing the kite-flying traditions of the Hindu mid-winter harvest festival of Makar Sankranti into the modern age, the Gujarat Kite Festival fills the skies over Ahmedabad with vivid color in mid-January. Marking Uttarayan – the point in the year when the sun starts its northward transit, signaling that winter has passed its apex – this celebration of the skies attracts kite-flying troupes from at least 47 countries. 

Official teams launch giant constructions shaped like dragons, octopi, cobras, cartoon characters and more, while children battle on the rooftops of the city with penny-priced paper fighting kites, applying glue to the strings for added cutting power. You can join in the fun – just grab a kite and reel from the vendors in Ahmedabad’s bazaars – but be careful around the edges of roof terraces and watch out for powerlines and sharp kite strings.

2. Holi 

When: February/March

Where: India-wide, particularly in Mathura and Vrindavan

If you only see one Indian festival, make it Holi, the Festival of Colors, celebrated with gusto all over India, and with extra aplomb in places associated with the Hindu god Vishnu and his pipe-playing incarnation as Lord Krishna. 

Enjoyed countrywide, the festival sees any and everyone doused in colored powder and water, while ceremonial bonfires are lit to hail the demise of the demonness Holika – consumed by the funeral pyre in which she tried to murder her nephew, Prahlada, a committed devotee of Vishnu. 

The powder flies particularly enthusiastically in the towns of Mathura and Vrindavan between Delhi and Agra, where Krishna was born and where he cavorted with milkmaids according to the Bhagavata Purana. The week-long celebrations at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan are legendary, while women ceremonially "beat" their menfolk in the villages of Barsana and Nandgaon. 

Other top spots to celebrate Holi include Shantiniketan in West Bengal, where Holi coincides with the cultured Basanta Utsav fair initiated by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, and Udaipur in Rajasthan, where a royal bonfire is lit at the imposing City Palace.  

3. Losar

When: February/March

Where: Tibetan Buddhist areas in the Himalaya

India’s Tibetan Buddhist gompas (monasteries) hold annual celebrations known as tsechus, marked by processions, Buddhist rituals and fabulously colorful masked dances known as chaam, but timings vary from monastery to monastery. An easier festival to plan your trip around is Losar, marking the Tibetan New Year in February or March, celebrated by Tibetan Buddhist communities all over India. 

Good spots to watch monks swirling in masks depicting animals, mythical creatures, bodhisattvas (enlightened beings) and fearsome protector deities include Ladakh, Sikkim and nearby parts of West Bengal, the Tawang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, and Buddhist areas of Himachal Pradesh, such as Spiti and Dharamsala.

4. Maha Shivaratri 

When: February/March

Where: India-wide

The Hindu god Shiva is honored in the spring at Maha Shivaratri, celebrating Shiva's divine marriage to the goddess Parvati, a representation of female power, love and harmony. Parvati’s benevolent characteristics complement Shiva’s potent nature as the Destroyer of the Universe in the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity made up of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. 

Good places to join the celebrations include Haridwar, where the holy River Ganges exits the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, the town of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, and Varanasi, where temples host re-enactments of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati featuring devotees in elaborate costumes.

5. Eid al-Fitr 

When: March in 2026 and 2027

Where: India-wide, particularly in Muslim-majority areas

Many of India’s Islamic festivals are focused on gatherings at mosques and the tombs of saints, but Ramadan (Ramazan), the Muslim month of fasting, finishes with everyone dressing up for a fabulous feast at Eid al-Fitr, celebrating the end of the fast.  

Visitors can join in by visiting Muslim areas to enjoy popular Eid foods such as nihari, a rich meaty stew flavored with long pepper, and haleem, a thick meat stew made with pounded lentils and wheat. The eating is particularly good in the southern city of Hyderabad and in the Islamic quarters of Delhi and Lucknow. 

6. International Yoga Festival

When: March 

Where: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

As spring eases into the foothills of the Himalayas, the city of Rishikesh celebrates its position as India’s capital of yoga with a carnival of stretchiness by the Ganges. Organized by the Parmath Niketan yoga ashram, the International Yoga Festival draws practitioners from across the globe. 

It’s a great excuse to get together with like-minded aspiring yogis and improve your understanding of yoga, but you’ll need to reserve well ahead for accommodation, transport and yoga courses at this time. Be sure to visit nearby Haridwar, where Vishnu reputedly left a sacred footprint at the Har-ki-Pauri ghats.

7. Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) 

When: mid-April

Where: Punjab and areas with large Sikh communities 

Held on April 13 or April 14, the Punjab’s biggest festival marks the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Sikh faith in 1699 through the formation of the Khalsa brotherhood, as well as the annual harvest. Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) across Punjab and around the country are thronged by pilgrims offering prayers and reciting from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. 

As you might expect, Amritsar is a key hub for the celebrations, and Vaisakhi is a powerfully moving time to visit the Golden Temple, as thousands of pilgrims throng the sacred tank surrounding Sikhism’s most important shrine. 

Lively celebrations are also held at Delhi’s Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, in the town of Chandigarh and at Anandpur Sahib, where the Khalsa was created by Guru Gobind Singh. Book well ahead for travel and accommodation in the Punjab at this time. 

8. Buddha Purmina (Buddha Jayanti)

When: April/May

Where: Buddhist areas across India

The birthday of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is an important date for India’s 8.4 million Buddhists. Unsurprisingly, the Bihari city of Bodhgaya – where the Buddha attained enlightenment – is a major focus for celebrations, particularly at the Mahabodhi Temple, marking the exact spot where the Buddha grasped the Middle Way. 

The festival is also marked enthusiastically at other sites associated with the Buddha’s life, such as Sarnath near Varanasi, and in Tibetan Buddhist communities, including at Dharamsala, the official residence of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. 

9. Ganesh Chaturthi

When: August/September

Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra

No list of Hindu deities would be complete without a mention of Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of wisdom and remover of obstacles. Many festivals are held in India to honor Ganesh, but one of the most impressive is the annual Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Mumbai, marking the deity’s birthday.

Brightly painted statues of Ganesh – some so large they need to be lifted by cranes – are displayed, venerated and then immersed in tanks, streams and the sea at locations such as Girgaum Chowpatty and Juhu Beach, accompanied by huge fanfare. 

Ganesh Chaturthi is also a major celebration in the city of Pune, at Rajasthan’s Ranthambhore Fort, and in Goa, where plants and fruits are used to make decorations known as matoli to ornament Ganesh statues and images. 

10. Onam, Kerala

When: August/September

Where: Throughout Kerala

Don’t overlook the festivals of South India. Onam, Kerala's annual harvest festival, is celebrated by people of all faiths with vividly colorful processions, dragon boat races and feasting on onasadya, a glorious spread of Keralite vegetarian foods served on a banana leaf. 

Marking the homecoming of Mahabali – the grandson of Prahlada, whose escape from a fiery death was the inspiration for Holi – Onam is also marked by music and dances and the creation of patterns of flowers known as pookkalam at the entrance to homes and temples. 

If you’re exploring Kerala at this time, you might also catch the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race, with snake-boat races that draw thousands of spectators to the backwaters near Alappuzha (Alleppey) in mid-August. 

11. Dussehra 

When: September/October

Where: India-wide

As the monsoon winds down, Hindus in the north, center and west of India hold lively celebrations to commemorate Rama’s victory over demonic Ravana, the 10-headed demon king of Lanka, who kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita, leading to an epic rescue by Rama and Hanuman, the loyal monkey god. 

The Rajasthani city of Kota holds one of the liveliest celebrations, with huge processions, fireworks, and the public burning of enormous effigies of Ravana and his diabolical brother, Kumbhakaran, and son, Meghnada. Delhi also holds a famously spirited Ravan Dahan ceremony. 

During the festivities in Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, hundreds of colorful devtas (deities) are carried on palanquins from temples across the region to the city’s Dhalpur ground, where a chariot bearing an idol of Raghunath, a form of Ram, awaits to give his blessings. 

In the south and east, Dussehra is celebrated as the culmination of Durga Puja, hailing the victory of the goddess Durga over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. One of the best spots to celebrate is Mysuru, where an idol of Chamundeshwari is paraded in a golden carriage on the back of a decorated elephant. 

12. Durga Puja (Sharada Navratri)

When: September/October

Where: India-wide, particularly in West Bengal and the northeast

The annual celebrations honoring the tiger-riding goddess Durga are worth experiencing in their own right. In West Bengal and the Northeast States, elaborate pandals (tents) are erected and filled with dioramas featuring statues of the goddess with weapons held in her many hands, demonstrating her ability to triumph over evil.

Aligned with the autumn Navratri celebrations, the festivities are particularly vibrant in Kolkata – sculptors in the district of Kumartuli go into overdrive, producing intricate clay statues of Durga and other deities to be displayed and then ritually immersed in temple tanks and the Hooghly River. 

13. Diwali 

When: October/November

Where: India-wide, particularly in the north

The Hindu Festival of Light, Diwali is a riot of candles and fireworks, as Hindus illuminate the streets to mark the return of Rama and Sita from exile. Even by the standards of Indian festivals, Diwali is loud, thanks to the copious quantities of fireworks detonated by devotees – be careful of flying “crackers” and bring earplugs for the noise. 

However, the government is trying to clamp down on fireworks on account of noise and air pollution, returning the festival to its more contemplative origins. Wandering streets illuminated by flickering diyas (oil lamps) and seeing bodies of water illuminated by floating candles in cities such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi is one of the great pleasures of Diwali, and this is a great time to sample special festival sweets. 

In several areas, Diwali melds with other local celebrations. In the northeast, Diwali is eclipsed by Kali Puja, celebrating the Hindu goddess of destruction and rebirth. In the Sikh city of Amritsar, it coincides with the celebrations marking the release of Guru Hargobind from captivity. In Goa, vividly colorful effigies of the demon Narkasur are constructed and burned to hail the victory of good over evil.  

14. Pushkar Camel Fair

When: October/November

Where: Pushkar, Rajasthan

Before buses and trains revolutionized transport across India, livestock fairs were major events for bringing people together. Rural herders gathered in their thousands to trade camels, goats, buffalo and cattle, meet friends and relatives, celebrate religious ceremonies and arrange marriages. 

Some of this tradition lives on in Rajasthan’s most famous cultural festival, the Pushkar Camel Fair, which combines religious ceremonies at Pushkar's sacred lake with markets drawing traders and some 50,000 camels and cows, accompanied by acrobats, musicians and performers. It’s a remarkable spectacle, but not one for anyone who suffers from an animal hair allergy!

15. International Film Festival of India 

When: November

Where: Panaji, Goa

As the home of the world’s largest film industry, India holds many movie galas and festivals, often attended by the cream of Bollywood. Perhaps the most interesting for visitors is the International Film Festival of India, held in Panaji in Goa – a celebration of world cinema that has been running since 1952. 

Screenings, talks and other events showcase films from around the world, including entries from new, previously unscreened filmmakers and films that promote social understanding and cooperation between cultures.     

16. Urs

When: Varies with the lunar calendar

Where: Sufi tombs across India, particularly in Ajmer, Delhi and Fatehpur Sikri

Celebrations known as Urs are held to commemorate the deaths of many saints in Sufism – the mystical branch of Islam. Pilgrims gather in droves at the dargahs (tombs) of venerated saints, making offerings of flowers, food and money, praying, reciting the Quran, and singing rousing devotional hymns known as qawwalis. 

At the highly venerated Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan, huge crowds gather to honor the Sufi saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti, who provided spiritual inspiration for the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar, in the seventh lunar month. The crowds become an unstoppable throng; and music, singing, and the tangible energy of belief, fill the compound.

Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah holds its own Urs celebration to honor the Sufi saint Nizam-ud-din Auliya during the Muslim month of Rabi al-Awwal. Another important Urs festival is held at the dargah of the saint Shaikh Salim Chishti in the ruined city of Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. 

17. Kumbh Mela

When: Every 12 years in each of four sacred locations 

Where: Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain

The world’s largest human gathering, attracting up to 400 million pilgrims, the Kumbh Mela migrates between four sacred cities – Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain – located on India’s most sacred rivers, with each stop hosting the festival once every 12 years. 

The timing of the festival varies from location to location, but most auspicious event is the Prayagraj Maha (Great) Kumbh Mela, when the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers (and the mythical Saraswati River) overflows with an almost unimaginable tide of humanity, including thousands of sadhus (ascetics) practicing extreme acts of devotion. 

Less busy Ardh (Half) Kumbh Melas happen every six years, with smaller Magh Melas every three years. Attending the Kumbh Mela requires commitment, as you’ll need to join vast crowds navigating the mela grounds via complex crowd-control systems and floating pontoon bridges, staying in tent cities if hotels are full.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s India guidebook, published in November 2024.