Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) · Kerala
The world's largest gathering of women. Over 3 million women cook payasam (rice pudding) simultaneously on portable hearths lining the streets around Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. Guinness World Record holder.
February-March (1 day)
Barmer · Rajasthan
Desert cultural festival featuring folk music, Kalbelia and Ghoomar dances, turban-tying competitions, and camel polo on the sand dunes near Barmer.
March (varies)
Shantiniketan · West Bengal
Spring festival celebrating the arrival of spring (Basanta = spring, Utsav = festival), established in 1923 at Visva-Bharati. Shantiniketan hosts the largest celebration, featuring Rabindra Sangeet (Tagore's compositions), group singing and dancing, coloured powder play (abir), traditional attire, and community processions. The festival blends Holi traditions with Bengali cultural elements.
March (first day of Bengali month Falgun; typically mid-March)
Bhoramdeo · Chhattisgarh
Annual festival dedicated to Lord Shiva at Bhoramdeo Temple. Features traditional folk dances, music, theatrical presentations, and tribal crafts. Local tribes and artisans participate, showcasing handwoven textiles, pottery, and tribal jewelry.
Krishna Paksha Teras of Chaitra (March)
Bharatpur · Rajasthan
Three-day pre-Holi celebration in the Brij region with Raslila performances, folk dances, and cultural programs near the Bharatpur bird sanctuary.
March (before Holi)
Aizawl · Mizoram
Mizo spring festival celebrating the end of jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation. The iconic Cheraw bamboo dance, traditional Mizo costumes, rice wine, and community feasting.
First week of March
Chikmagalur · Karnataka
Celebrating the coffee blossom season when plantations turn white with flowers. Plantation walks, cupping sessions, folk music, local Malnad cuisine stalls.
March (weekend event)
Jim Corbett National Park · Uttarakhand
Unique celebration where forest department elephants are decorated and visitors play Holi in the buffer zone, combined with nature walks and wildlife talks.
March (Phalguna Purnima)
Bhubaneswar · Odisha
Peace festival at the Kalinga War site. Classical dance performances at Dhauli Peace Pagoda. Celebrates Ashoka's transformation.
March/April
Jaipur · Rajasthan
Decorated elephants parade, play polo, and race through Jaipur. Holi celebrations follow.
March (on Holi)
Kinnaur · Himachal Pradesh
Traditional tribal festival in Yangpa village and Tirthan Valley marking the end of winter and victory of good over evil. Men in traditional masks dance in circles while locals gather. Arrow shooting at Ravana portraits occurs in some villages during Basant Panchami.
March (Amavasya/moonless night, aligned with Basant Panchami)
Bikaner · Rajasthan
Women worship Goddess Gauri (Parvati) for 18 days, carrying decorated clay idols in processions through the old city streets of Bikaner.
March-April (Chaitra Shukla Tritiya)
Anandpur Sahib · Punjab
Three-day Sikh martial arts festival founded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1701 at Anandpur Sahib, with Nihang warriors performing horseback stunts, gatka, and mock battles.
March (day after Holi)
Mathura · Uttar Pradesh
Holi celebrates the love between Krishna and Radha, central to Mathura and Braj region culture. The festival lasts a week, with Lathmar Holi at Barsana and Nandgaon featuring women playfully hitting men with sticks (symbolising Krishna's village pranks). Mathura's celebrations include colour throwing, bonfires (Holika Dahan), Dahi Handi (breaking pots of curd/butter), and Ras Leela dances depicting Krishna and Radha's love story.
Early March (lunar calendar; 2026: March 4-5)
Hyderabad · Telangana
During Ramadan, 600+ haleem outlets open across Old City. GI-tagged Hyderabadi haleem becomes the city obsession.
Ramadan month (varies)
Rishikesh · Uttarakhand
Hundreds of yoga teachers from 100+ countries at Parmarth Niketan. Free sessions, Ganga aarti.
March 1-7
Chittorgarh · Rajasthan
Annual fair at Chittorgarh Fort commemorating the three historic jauhars (mass self-immolation) performed by Rajput women to protect honor during sieges.
March 8
Mahabaleshwar · Maharashtra
The major festival at the Krishnabai Temple (also called Krishna Devi Temple) in Old Mahabaleshwar, celebrating the birthplace of the perennial Krishna River. The temple is the source of the sacred river, and the Utsav marks the spiritual bond between the goddess and the river's origin. The festival begins on Purnima Tithi (full moon) and attracts pilgrims from across the region.
March–April (Phalguna month, Purnima/full moon)
Vrindavan · Uttar Pradesh
Women from Barsana beat men from Nandgaon with sticks. The most chaotic, colorful Holi celebration in India.
March (7 days before Holi)
Rameswaram · Tamil Nadu
All-night vigil at Ramanathaswamy Temple. Devotees bathe in all 22 sacred wells inside the temple complex. Massive crowds. The island comes alive with processions and pujas through the night.
February-March
Srikalahasti · Andhra Pradesh
Grand night-long celebrations at this Pancha Bhuta Shiva temple. Thousands of devotees fast and pray through the night.
February/March (varies)
Varanasi · Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Temple sees a million devotees. Processions through the narrow galis. Night-long worship.
Late Feb / Early March
Khajuraho · Madhya Pradesh
Grand worship at the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, the largest in the Khajuraho complex, with night-long vigils and Shiva abhishekam.
February–March
Srisailam · Andhra Pradesh
Massive celebrations at the Jyotirlinga. Night-long puja with special abhishekam. One of 12 Jyotirlinga celebrations.
February/March
Somnath · Gujarat
Night-long Shiva worship at the eternally rebuilt Jyotirlinga. Thousands of devotees gather for the all-night vigil.
February/March
Tungnath · Uttarakhand
Devotees make the high-altitude trek to worship at the ancient shrine on Shivaratri, one of the Panch Kedar temples.
February–March
Murudeshwar · Karnataka
Massive celebration at the 123-foot Shiva statue. Night-long rituals, beach processions, illuminated temple gopuram visible from the sea.
February-March
Ranakpur Jain Temple · Rajasthan
Celebrates the birthday of Mahavir, founder of Jainism. Major festival at 15th-century Ranakpur Jain Temple with 1,000+ daily visitors (15,000 during festival). Temple idol adorned with silver crowns; 1,000 kilos of rice offered annually.
March–April (lunar calendar)
Shikharji · Jharkhand
Birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara. At Shikharji, devotees participate in processions, scripture recitations, and charitable meals. Pilgrimage to Shikharji is particularly significant during this festival.
March 31, 2026 (lunar calendar, Chaitra Shukla 13)
Barmer · Rajasthan
One of Rajasthan's largest cattle fairs held at Tilwara near Barmer over two weeks, with livestock trading, folk performances, and rural sports.
March-April (Chaitra)
Mandi · Himachal Pradesh
Himachal's biggest cattle trading fair held alongside the Shivaratri festivities, with thousands of livestock and agricultural implements traded.
March (post-Shivaratri)
Udaipur · Rajasthan
Women carry brass pots in procession. Boat procession on Lake Pichola. Cultural performances at City Palace.
March / April (coincides with Gangaur)
Morni Hills · Haryana
Spring festival in Haryana's only hill station with nature walks through mango orchards, bird-watching at Tikkar Taal lake, and Haryanvi folk performances.
March (varies)
Turtuk · Ladakh
Balti New Year celebration marked by special dishes, egg painting, egg fights, singing, dancing around fires, and traditional music. Believed that the winner of the egg fight will have good luck during the year.
March (Spring equinox)
Orchha · Madhya Pradesh
Annual cultural festival featuring classical music, folk dance, light-and-sound shows at the historic palaces and cenotaphs.
March
Coimbatore · Tamil Nadu
Annual festival at Perur Patteeswarar Temple featuring temple chariot procession through the surrounding neighbourhood, with traditional religious ceremonies and rituals.
March/April (Panguni month)
Palani · Tamil Nadu
Ten-day major festival at Palani Murugan Temple marking the celestial marriage of Lord Muruga with Devasena. Estimated 500,000+ devotees ascend the hill for darshan and religious celebrations at one of the six sacred Murugan abodes.
March/April (Panguni month, full moon/Purnami)
Tiruparankundram · Tamil Nadu
Major festival celebrated with great pomp. Brahmotsavam conducted in the month of Panguni features processions where deities are carried through the temple. This festival celebrates the divine marriage and is observed with elaborate rituals and public participation.
March-April (Tamil month Panguni)
Pazhamudircholai · Tamil Nadu
Festival at Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple (one of six sacred Murugan abodes) celebrating the celestial marriage of Lord Muruga. Major pilgrimage occasion at this temple.
March (Panguni month)
Koraput · Odisha
Dongria Kondh harvest celebration in Niyamgiri Hills. Traditional dance, music, community feasting. Sacred Niyam Raja worship.
March (harvest season)
Dhanaulti · Uttarakhand
Children go door-to-door placing flower patterns on thresholds with rice paste, singing Phool Dei songs to welcome spring in the Garhwal hills around Dhanaulti.
March 14-15 (Chaitra Sankranti)
Shirdi · Maharashtra
Celebrated as Lord Rama's birth. Sai Baba encouraged its celebration in 1911, uniting Hindu and Muslim communities. Processions, puja, music, and public parayana.
Ranchi · Jharkhand
Spring festival marking the tribal new year, celebrated primarily by Oraon, Munda, and Ho tribes. Involves worship of the Sal tree (abode of Sarna Maa) with offerings of flowers, fruits, vermilion, and rooster. Processions organized in Ranchi since 1961; features traditional dances with Sal flowers.
March–April (Chaitra Shukla Paksha, 3rd day to Purnima)
Palampur · Himachal Pradesh
A major regional fair at the Bundla Devi Temple with folk dances, local handicraft stalls, and Gaddi tribal celebrations.
March–April (Chaitra Navratri)
Panaji · Goa
Goa's version of Holi — massive street parades with traditional folk dances (fugdi, dhalo, goff), elaborate floats, and colour play. Bigger in Panaji and Margao.
March (full moon)
Spice Plantations (Ponda) · Goa
Ponda marks the official start of Shigmotsav on March 5, 2026. Local Hindu temples including Shantadurga Temple, Mangeshi Temple (in nearby Priol), and Mahalsa Temple (in Mardol) host celebrations with folk artists performing traditional dances and farmers gathering for rituals, folk songs, and community feasts.
March 5-18 (March 5 in Ponda)
Margao · Goa
Goa's major spring harvest festival with large parade in Margao on March 14. Hundreds of folk artists perform traditional dances like Ghode Mhodni and Romtamel while massive Chitrarath floats depicting scenes from Hindu epics roll through the city centre.
March 5-18 (March 14 in Margao)
Gokarna · Karnataka
All-night vigil at the ancient Mahabaleshwar Temple housing the Atmalinga. Beach bonfires, temple rituals, pilgrims from across Karnataka.
February-March (1 night)
Sravasti · Uttar Pradesh
Buddhist gathering at Jetavana Monastery ruins where Buddha spent 24 rainy seasons, with meditation retreats, Dharma talks, and archaeological tours.
March (varies)
Tehri Lake · Uttarakhand
Adventure sports festival on Tehri Dam reservoir featuring kayaking, jet skiing, paragliding, and cultural performances on Asia's highest dam lake.
March (varies)
Tirthan Valley · Himachal Pradesh
Official opening of the catch-and-release trout fishing season in the Tirthan River within the Great Himalayan National Park buffer zone.
March 1 (annual)
Uttarkashi · Uttarakhand
Grand Shivaratri celebrations at the ancient Vishwanath Temple with night-long vigils, abhishekam, and devotional singing.
February–March
Vaishali · Bihar
A significant Jain festival celebrated at Vaishali, the birthplace of Lord Mahavira, featuring grand chariot processions with Mahavir images, religious ceremonies in temples, fasting, charitable donations, and devotional scripture readings. Both Digambara and Shwetambara Jain communities participate in this major pilgrimage festival.
March-April (Chaithra Purnima, Mahavir Jayanti)