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FESTIVAL CALENDAR · ANDHRA PRADESH · 018

Festivals in Andhra Pradesh.

18 festivals across Andhra Pradesh — organised by month.

January

Belum Caves Festival

Belum Caves

Kandanavolu Sambaralu—a two-day festival hosted by the Andhra Pradesh Government at India's second-longest open cave system. Features competitions (bullock-cart races, rangoli, cooking), traditional tribal dances, and cultural exhibitions celebrating the historic Buddhist/Jain cave heritage.

Flamingo Festival

Pulicat Lake

Annual festival celebrating the arrival of migratory flamingos. Includes boat rides, birding tours, cultural programs, and photography exhibitions.

Gandikota Festival

Gandikota

Annual celebration at the 1000-year-old Gandikota Fort showcasing the 300-foot Pennar Gorge. Features historical dramas, folk performances, magic shows, paragliding, helicopter rides (360° aerial views), boating, and local craft/food stalls celebrating Kandanavolu heritage.

Sankranti / Pongal

Vijayawada

Three-day harvest festival with kite flying, rangoli competitions, and traditional food. Kanuma day celebrates cattle.

Kalamkari Utsav

Machilipatnam

Festival showcasing Kalamkari art heritage. Live demonstrations, exhibitions, workshops, and sales of authentic Kalamkari textiles.

February

Shivratri Tribal Dance Mela

Maredumilli

Annual tribal dance festival organized at this Eastern Ghats eco-tourism site where indigenous communities of the Maredumilli forest region celebrate with traditional Mela performances. Showcases tribal biodiversity and cultural heritage alongside forest conservation efforts.

Maha Shivaratri

Amaravati

One of the major festivals at Amareswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, drawing thousands of pilgrims to this Pancharama Kshetra on the Krishna River. Commemorates the cosmic dance and meditation of Lord Shiva.

Lepakshi Brahmotsavam (Maha Shivaratri)

Lepakshi

10-day annual Masi Brahmotsavam at the 16th-century Veerabhadra temple, climaxing with the spectacular car festival (Rathotsavam) where the deity's chariot is drawn through Lepakshi streets. Attracts thousands to this Vijayanagara architectural masterpiece.

March

Maha Shivaratri

Srikalahasti

Grand night-long celebrations at this Pancha Bhuta Shiva temple. Thousands of devotees fast and pray through the night.

Maha Shivaratri at Mallikarjuna

Srisailam

Massive celebrations at the Jyotirlinga. Night-long puja with special abhishekam. One of 12 Jyotirlinga celebrations.

April

Narasimha Jayanthi

Ahobilam

Festival celebrating the birth of Lord Narasimha at the nine-shrine Ahobilam temple complex in Nandyal, where mythology places the site of the deity's emergence from a pillar. Attracts thousands of devotees to this sacred Kshetra dedicated to the fierce lion-man avatar.

July

Godavari Pushkaralu

Rajahmundry

12-yearly sacred river festival when Jupiter enters Simha Rashi. Millions bathe in the Godavari for spiritual cleansing.

September

Srivari Brahmotsavam

Tirumala

The largest and most significant annual festival at Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati. Nine-day celebration featuring daily processional vahanas (chariots) with the deity and consorts Sridevi/Bhudevi, culminating in spectacular chariot processions through temple streets. Attracts pilgrims globally.

October

Vijayawada Dussehra (Durga Navaratri)

Vijayawada

One of India grandest Dussehra celebrations. Kanaka Durga Temple lit up spectacularly. Millions gather for 10-day Navaratri.

Srivari Brahmotsavam

Tirupati

Nine-day grand festival at Tirumala with deity processions on different vahanas (vehicles) each day. Attracts millions of devotees.

December

Vizag Utsav / Deccan Festival

Visakhapatnam

Cultural festival with music, dance, art exhibitions, and food stalls on the beach. Celebrates Vizag diverse cultural heritage.

Vaikuntha Ekadasi

Tirupati

Devotees believe the gates of Vaikuntha (heaven) open on this day. 100,000+ pilgrims queue for darshan through the special Vaikuntha Dwaram.

Lumbini Festival

Nagarjuna Sagar

Three-day Buddhist cultural festival held at Nagarjuna Sagar Dam commemorating the significance of Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh (the state's dominant religion 2000 years ago). Features exhibitions of Buddhist art, local crafts, cultural shows, and spiritual activities celebrating the birthplace theme of Lord Buddha (Lumbini).

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