Religious festivals
Ratha Yatra in Puri
Puri's famous chariot festival, when Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are drawn through the city on massive wooden raths.
- When
- June/July
- Where
- Puri
- Days
- 9 days
Dev Deepawali
Varanasi's festival of a million lamps on Kartik Purnima, when the ghats of the Ganga are lit with earthen diyas and the grandest Ganga aarti of the year is performed.
- When
- November
- Where
- Dashashwamedh Ghat and the ghats of Varanasi
- Days
- 5 days
Hemis Tsechu
Ladakh's grandest monastery festival, when Hemis monks perform masked cham dances to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava.
- When
- June/July
- Where
- Hemis Monastery, near Leh, Ladakh
- Days
- 2 days
Kumbh Mela
The enormous river pilgrimage gathering that rotates among Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, centered on ritual bathing dates.
- When
- Varies by cycle
- Where
- Rotating: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik
Plan around festival season
Use the India guides to pair festivals, temple visits, treks, and regional travel timing.
Read guides →Sacred sites and pilgrimage places
Temples, shrines, gurdwaras, and pilgrimage places that frame many of India's festival traditions.
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