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FESTIVAL CALENDAR · MAHARASHTRA · 043

Festivals in Maharashtra.

43 festivals across Maharashtra — organised by month.

Dates vary

Kamala Devi Festival

Lonar Crater

A pilgrimage festival centered on the Kamalja (Kamala) Devi Temple near Lonar Crater Lake. The crater's sacred temples, dating back to the 6th century, draw devotees throughout the year. Large numbers of pilgrims visit during the festival, believing the lake to be sacred and that Lord Vishnu created it to preserve the universe. The Daitya Sudan Temple (built in Hemadpanti style) and Gomukh Temple (with a perennial stream flowing from a cow-shaped rock carving) are also active pilgrimage sites.

Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela

Trimbakeshwar

Held every 12 years when Jupiter is in Leo. One of four traditional Kumbha Melas. Dual centers: Ramkund (Panchavati, Vaishnava) and Kushavarta (Trimbakeshwar, Shaiva). Single dip during Shahi Snan (royal bath) believed to grant Moksha.

January

Maghi Ganesh (Maghi Chaturthi)

Ozar

Festival celebrating Lord Ganesha in the month of Magh (January-February) at Vighnahar Ganapati Temple.

Maghi Utsav (Magha Chaturthi)

Pali (Raigad)

Celebrated January-February at Ballaleshwar temple with rituals, devotional singing, bhajans, and kirtans.

Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi)

Ranjangaon

Festival celebrating rebirth of Lord Ganesha in Magha (January-February) with aartis, bhajans, and processions.

Maghi Chaturthi

Theur

Festival January-February at Chintamani Temple from Chaturthi to Ashtami with temple rituals and celebrations.

Ellora-Ajanta Festival

Ellora Caves

An annual cultural festival at the UNESCO World Heritage Ellora Caves site celebrating Indian classical art, music, and dance. Features Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, and Kuchipudi performances, along with Hindustani and Carnatic music concerts against the backdrop of the ancient rock-cut monuments.

Maghi Ganesh Jayanti

Lenyadri

A secondary but significant festival celebrating the rebirth/reappearance of Lord Ganesha in the Magh month. Marks another sacred occasion for the Ashtavinayak circuit, with special pujas and temple rituals.

Maghi Ganesh Jayanti

Morgaon

Celebrates the birth/reappearance of Lord Ganesha in the Magh month. The festival includes special pujas, recitation of Ganesh Stotras (hymns), and deepdan (lighting of sacred lamps) at the Mayureshwar temple, drawing devotees across the Ashtavinayak circuit.

Maghi Ganesh Jayanti

Mahad (Raigad — Ashtavinayak)

Honors the birth/reappearance of Ganesha in the Magh month with special pujas, havans (fire rituals), recitation of sacred hymns, and a grand maha-aarti at the Varadvinayak temple.

Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi Ganesh)

Siddhatek

Celebrated in Magha (January-February) at Siddhivinayak Temple, marking Ganesha's rebirth. Three-day palkhi (palanquin) procession with devotional singing.

February

Anganewadi Jatra (Bharadi Devi Yatra)

Tarkarli

Major annual fair at Bharadi Devi Temple in Anganewadi village (Masure, ~10-12 km from Malvan). Goddess Bharadi (Earth Goddess) renowned for wish-fulfilling power. Festival February or March with no fixed date (decided by consensus). Rituals 4am to 10pm with mass cooking and 'Taate Lawane' (prasad serving). Devotees from Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka participate.

Maha Shivaratri

Harihareshwar

A major festival at the Harihareshwar Temple (also called Dakshin Kashi), where Lord Shiva is worshipped with elaborate aarti ceremonies, processions, and sacred hymns. Attracts large crowds of devotees to this ancestral Peshwa temple on the Konkan coast.

SulaFest

Nashik

India's premier wine and music festival at Sula Vineyards. Live music, wine tasting, food, grape stomping, hot air balloons.

Elephanta Festival

Elephanta Caves

Classical music and dance at the ancient caves. MTDC organises performances at the cave entrance during sunset.

Maha Shivaratri

Trimbakeshwar

Most important festival for Shiva devotees at Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. Midnight Nishita Kaal puja draws massive crowds.

March

Ram Navami

Shirdi

Celebrated as Lord Rama's birth. Sai Baba encouraged its celebration in 1911, uniting Hindu and Muslim communities. Processions, puja, music, and public parayana.

Krishnabai Annual Utsav

Mahabaleshwar

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.

July

Pandharpur Wari

Pune

Hundreds of thousands walk 250km from Pune to Pandharpur carrying saints' palanquins. One of India's longest walking pilgrimages.

Guru Purnima

Shirdi

The only festival Sai Baba explicitly asked his devotees to celebrate. Honors spiritual gurus with puja, bhajan, parayana, and processions.

Monsoon Festival

Amboli

A festival celebrating Amboli's lush monsoon landscape in the Western Ghats. Features guided nature tours, butterfly watching, birding expeditions, amphibian and reptile exploration, and nature camps showcasing the region's rich biodiversity during peak rainfall season.

August

Nag Panchami (Battis Shirala)

Kolhapur

Battis Shirala near Kolhapur is famous for live cobra worship during Nag Panchami — deeply traditional and controversial.

Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav)

Pune

Pune is where public Ganesh Chaturthi began — Tilak started it in 1893. Dagdusheth, Kasba Ganpati are famous mandals. 5 Manache Ganpatis lead the procession.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Siddhatek

Grand celebration August-September at Siddhivinayak Temple for five days with elaborate rituals and ceremonies.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Theur

Celebrated August-September at Chintamani Temple for 10 days with temple ceremonies and processions honoring Chintamani Vinayaka.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ozar

Celebrated at Vighnahar Ganapati Temple, one of the eight Ashtavinayak temples. Birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha with temple decorations, processions, and devotional rituals.

Kumbh Mela

Nashik

Millions take holy dips in the Godavari at Ramkund. Transforms Nashik for months.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Pali (Raigad)

Grand celebration at Ballaleshwar Ganpati Temple, one of the eight Ashtavinayak temples.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ranjangaon

Grand celebration at Mahaganapati Temple, one of the eight Ashtavinayak temples believed to house the most powerful form of Ganesha.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Mumbai

India's largest public festival. 10 days of Ganesh idol worship culminating in immersion processions. Lalbaugcha Raja draws millions. Girgaon Chowpatty hosts the grand immersion.

September

Ganesh Chaturthi

Lenyadri

The primary festival at the Girijatmaj Ashtavinayak temple, celebrating Lord Ganesha's birth. Girijatmaj means 'son of Parvati' — legend holds the goddess meditated 12 years in Lenyadri for Ganesha's birth, and he grew there for 15 years. The temple, carved into the mountain cave, hosts elaborate pujas, abhishek (ritual bath), and aartis attracting pilgrims from across Maharashtra to this sacred Ashtavinayak shrine.

Kaas Plateau Wildflower Bloom

Satara

UNESCO-listed plateau erupts with hundreds of wildflower species. Daily visitors capped. Online permits required.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Astavinayak Circuit

The Astavinayak Circuit's signature festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha across eight sacred temples (Ojhar, Morgaon, Theur, Ranjangaon, Siddhatek, Lenyadri, Mahad, Pali). This ancient 8-temple pilgrimage is most crowded during this 10-day festival when devotees visit all temples for darshan and special pujas.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganpatipule

The grand celebration at the 400-year-old Swayambhu Ganapati Temple, one of Maharashtra's most sacred Ganpati shrines. Devotees perform pujas on the golden sands with the Arabian Sea as backdrop, attend aartis, and participate in the traditional Ganpati visarjan procession around the coastal town.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Morgaon

The signature festival at Morgaon's Mayureshwar (Moreshwar) temple, the first of the eight Ashtavinayak shrines. The festival features elaborate rituals, abhishek (ritual bathing of the idol), maha-aarti ceremonies, bhajans, and kirtans. Thousands of devotees throng the temple seeking Ganesha's blessings, and the atmosphere is filled with devotion and celebration. Morgaon village's name itself means 'village of peacocks,' reflecting its sacred status.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Mahad (Raigad — Ashtavinayak)

The major festival at the Varadvinayak Ashtavinayak temple in Mahad, celebrating Lord Ganesha's birth. The temple features elaborate ceremonies including pranpratistha (idol consecration), abhishek (ritual bathing), and special pujas. The temple's swayambhu (self-manifested) idol is said to have been discovered in an adjacent lake in 1690, and an oil lamp in the shrine has been burning continuously since 1892. Thousands of devotees visit during the 10-day festival.

October

Dhammachakra Pravartan Din

Nagpur

Annual observance commemorating the historic mass conversion to Buddhism led by B. R. Ambedkar on October 14-15, 1956 at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, when approximately 600,000 Dalits renounced Hinduism and embraced Buddhism. Celebrations feature processions with Ambedkar's blue flag and Buddha statues, conversion ceremonies, cultural programs, bhajans, and seminars.

Vijayadashami (Sai Baba Punyatithi)

Shirdi

Marks Sai Baba's Mahasamadhi (death) on October 15, 1918. Observed with puja, bhajan, parayana, and exuberant processions.

Navratri

Karla & Bhaja Caves

The major festival at the Ekvira Aai Devi temple at Karla Caves, celebrating the Goddess Durga. The Ekvira is the Kuladevi (clan deity) of the Koli fishing community and is also worshipped by the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu community. The festival features chaturdashi baths (ritual bathing), folk songs, processions, and grand celebrations. Every year, Kolis pay respect to Ekvira and celebrate the festival with traditional rituals.

Wildlife Week

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Nature walks, film screenings, photography exhibitions, and educational safaris for children at Tadoba.

Navratri at Mahalaxmi Temple

Kolhapur

Mahalaxmi Temple Shakti Peetha sees special pujas and massive crowds during Navratri. Goddess adorned differently each night.

Dussehra (Seemollanghan at Shami Tree)

Karla & Bhaja Caves

The Ekvira Devi temple at Karla is unique—it is the only temple in India with a shrine dedicated to the sacred Shami tree, attracting thousands of devotees for Seemollanghan (leaf-exchange ritual) on Dussehra. This ancient tradition involves exchanging Shami leaves as a symbol of victory and prosperity.

November

Kartik Purnima

Bhimashankar

A significant Shiva festival celebrated at the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple, commemorating the slaying of the demon Tripurasura by Lord Shiva. Celebrated on the full moon of the Kartik month with special rituals, prayers, and illuminations.

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