Events, Festivals and Exhibitions
The spectacular Hindu Ganesh Chaturthi festival involves colourful festivities, involving singing, dancing and theatre honouring the birth of the elephant-headed deity. The start of the festival sees huge, colourful statues
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is celebrated once a month on the full moon, and most significantly on the first full moon of the lunar new year. On these days the pretty little town of Hoi An...
Each autumn, the old streets of Kathmandu erupt in a riot of colour, music and devotion as Indra Jatra in Nepal takes over the capital. With towering chariots, masked dancers,
Dashain is the longest and most important Nepal Festival (Festival Nepali) before Tihar. Spread over September or October, depending on the lunar calendar, Dashain sees Nepalese from all around the
Vibrant Navratri Festival brings Garba and devotional celebrations to Ahmedabad from 11–20 October 2026. Gujarat Tourism hosts this celebration at GMDC Ground, where dance, music and worship share the programme.
Mysuru Dasara fills Karnataka's historic palace city with celebrations from 11–21 October 2026. The festival honours the goddess Chamundeshwari and the victory of good over evil. Its royal connections remain
Rann Utsav at the official Tent City in Dhordo runs from 1 November 2026–7 March 2027. The seasonal Tent City provides a base for experiencing the Great Rann of Kutch
What do you do when you return home after having been exiled for 14 years? You heave a sigh of relief and celebrate. That’s what happens during Diwali (also called Deepavali)
Chhath Puja brings four days of Sun worship to Patna from 13–16 November 2026. This important Bihar festival centres on offerings to both the setting and rising sun. The observance
The Pushkar Camel Fair in November is a fantastic, colourful madhouse where Hindu pilgrims, mystics, cattle traders, entertainers, tourists and camera crews mix with some 30,000...
Dev Deepawali lights the Ganga riverfront in Varanasi on 24 November 2026. Celebrated on Kartik Purnima, this festival is associated with the belief that the gods visit the sacred city.
Konark Dance Festival brings Indian classical performance to Konark from 1–5 December 2026. The open-air auditorium overlooks the Sun Temple, placing living performance beside one of Odisha's best-known monuments. Odissi
The biggest event of indigenous warrior tribes in India’s Nagaland state, the 10-day Hornbill Festival in December sees singing, dance and sports performances mix with traditional crafts...
The Serendipity Arts Festival is an exciting celebration of art, culture and wellness held annually in Panjim, Goa. This vibrant festival brings together local and international performers, artists and wellness
Experience the magic of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in February when thousands of glowing lights float up into the ink black sky above the small hillside village of Shifen
The Japan Penis Festival is arguably the country’s most amusing event when tens of thousands of revellers roam the streets of Kawasaki in April to pay tribute to fertility in an age-old ritual
