Reference
India Festivals & Fairs Calendar
India's festivals can be the reason to time an entire journey — the colour of Holi, the lamps of Diwali, the camels of Pushkar, the art of Durga Puja. Below is a month-by-month reference. Most dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar and shift each year within the month shown, so treat these as the season to plan around rather than fixed dates. The great events fill their cities entirely and need booking many months ahead.
| Festival / Fair | When | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pongal / Makar Sankranti | Mid-January | Tamil Nadu; kite festival in Gujarat | Harvest festival; the south's biggest celebration. |
| Republic Day Parade | 26 January (fixed) | New Delhi | The nation's grand ceremonial parade — regiments, tableaux, fly-past. |
| Jaipur Literature Festival | Late January | Jaipur, Rajasthan | The world's largest free literary festival. |
| Jaisalmer Desert Festival | January–February | Jaisalmer, Rajasthan | Camel races, folk music and dance in the Thar dunes. |
| Rann Utsav | November–February | Kutch, Gujarat | A festival city on the white salt desert, under a full moon. |
| Holi | March | Nationwide; most intense around Mathura & Vrindavan | The festival of colour, marking the arrival of spring. |
| Mewar Festival | March–April | Udaipur, Rajasthan | Welcoming spring with processions and lake ceremonies. |
| Hemis Festival | June–July | Hemis Monastery, Ladakh | Masked cham dances at Ladakh's largest monastery. |
| Onam | August–September | Kerala | Harvest festival with snake-boat races and the sadya feast. |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | August–September | Mumbai & Maharashtra | Ten days of Ganesha worship, ending in seafront immersions. |
| Durga Puja | September–October | Kolkata & West Bengal | Kolkata's great festival — art pandals across the whole city. |
| Navratri & Dussehra | September–October | Nationwide; garba in Gujarat | Nine nights of dance, then the triumph of good over evil. |
| Diwali | October–November | Nationwide | The festival of lights — the year's most important celebration. |
| Pushkar Camel Fair | November | Pushkar, Rajasthan | The great livestock and camel fair beside the sacred lake. |
| Hornbill Festival | 1–10 December | Kohima, Nagaland | The 'festival of festivals' of the northeastern tribes. |
| Kumbh Mela | Cyclical (varies) | Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik in rotation | The largest human gathering on earth; held in cycles — ask us for the current schedule. |
Questions, answered
What is the best festival to plan a trip to India around?
Diwali (October–November) and Holi (March) are the two most iconic and align with the best travel weather. The Pushkar Camel Fair (November) and Durga Puja in Kolkata (September–October) are extraordinary for a more specific interest. All fill their cities and need booking well ahead.
Do Indian festival dates change every year?
Yes — most follow the Hindu lunar calendar, so the exact dates shift each year within a broadly consistent month or two. Republic Day (26 January) and the Hornbill Festival (1–10 December) are the main fixed-date exceptions.
When is the next Kumbh Mela?
The Kumbh Mela rotates on a cycle between Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik, so the timing depends on which is next. Contact us for the current schedule and how to attend it in comfort and safety.
We place guests inside the colour with private access and comfort, not lost in the crush. For the deeper story, read The Festivals & Fairs of India in our Journal, or speak with a curator to time a journey around one.