There are some fantastic religious festivals and cultural events in the Indian calendar that are well worth planning a trip to India around. While these times usually mean greater crowds and even more frenzy on the streets, in most cases it’s a great way to get under the skin of the Indian culture and have an even more memorable trip. Read below to learn more about some of the most popular festivals and events that take place in India…

By far the biggest holy festival in India is Diwali. Known as the festival of light, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil and welcomes prosperity for all entering the Hindu New Year.

The dates for Diwali fluctuate each year, so check ahead before you travel. This year’s Diwali lasts for five days commencing from October 18th 2017.

Diwali is celebrated throughout the country and by far the best way to enjoy it would be to stay with an Indian family. Check out homestay.com/india for some good options.

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Alternatively Jaipur (known as the pink city) in Rajasthan is a particularly good place to be, especially Johari Bazaar as the government hosts a competition for the best lit market stall. The whole city is brightly lit and beautiful.

Varanasi

Another good option for celebrating Diwali would be to visit Varanasi. Firecrackers are lit and launched over the holy river Ganges, while locals place lighted candles all along the riverbanks. If you stay in Varanasi then try to book a hotel that sits on the riverside, so you can enjoy all the fireworks.

Holi is another huge Hindu festival in India and definitely not one to be missed! Known as the festival of colours, Holi lasts for two days and welcomes the spring season. It’s also a celebration of love and fertility and the victory of good over evil. It’s a fun time to be in India as many people play Holi, which involves running a riot and throwing powdered colours and water at other people (think back to water-fights at school)! If you’re travelling in India during this period and don’t like to get messy then it might be best to stay indoors. If however you do decide to muck-in, then please move around with caution as I’ve seen how it can get quite rowdy in some places. The locals are known for getting drunk during Holi and for also drinking bhang, which is a lethal local drink concocted from yoghurt, opium and cannabis and leaves! It’s usually served up in the temples and will probably send you crazy for a few hours, so it’s probably best to only sample some if you’re in good company and safe hands.

The dates for Holi fluctuate each year, so check ahead before you travel. The next Holi festival begins on 1^st March 2018.

Holi is widely celebrated throughout India, but some places are definitely better than others. If you’re looking for bright colours and lots of fun then it’s best to be in the north of the country. The southern states usually offer a more serene version of the festival with more of a focus on the religious rituals, rather than a “let’s get smashed and have some fun” kind of vibe! Here are some of my favourite spots…

Delhi

Can be a bit raucous on the streets but a good fun place to be, especially if you can get tickets to the Holi Moo Festival. Here’s a link to their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/holimoofestival/). It’s a huge music festival with four stages showcasing both Indian and international performers.

Udaipur (Rajasthan)

Udaipur is a particularly good choice as they light a huge bonfire in the main city palace area. Beware not to get too close however as they throw firecrackers into the bonfire to ward off evil spirits!

Barsana (Uttar Pradesh)

This place is famous for Lathmar Holi, which takes place a week before the main date and involves women from the local village beating the local men with sticks!

Hampi

If you’re in the south of the country then by far the best place to be for Holi is Hampi. Most probably for the sake of the tourists, the locals take a great effort to play Holi in the morning and have some fun with splashing colours.

An ancient festival that traditionally (although sadly to a lesser extent nowadays) still operates as a pop-up trade-fair for all the surrounding camel and cattle herdsmen. In recent years the fair has become somewhat of a major tourist attraction (and rightfully so) as it’s quite a spectacular sight to see as many as 50,000 camels in one place.

The fair kicks-off usually around the end of October and lasts for approximately two weeks. It’s always best to arrive in the earlier days, as that’s when most of the camels and cattle are present. The next fair takes place from October 28^th 2017.

Pushkar Town, Rajasthan.

The Harballabh music festival (Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan) is the oldest music festival for Indian classical music. If you’re a fan of Indian classical music or indeed would like to learn more then this Mela is definitely worth a visit. The festival is free to attend and in between the performances free food and sleeping spaces are offered to those attending. For more information please visit the official website (https://www.harballabh.org).

The festival takes place during December.

You can find the festival in Jalandhar, Punjab. December is very cold in this region, so remember to take warm clothes if you intend to go.

The Kumbh Mela is one of the largest human congregations in the world. It’s quite an experience to take part in this amazing ritual, the main part of which involves bathing with hundreds of thousands of other worshippers! The event takes place every three years between four different holy sites throughout the country.

The Kumbh Mela takes place every three years at one of four different sites on rotation. The next event will be at Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha in 2019 (main bathing dates between January 15^th and March 4^th 2019).

The four sites that host the Kumbh Mela are Haridwar, Prayag, Nashik-Trimbak and Ujjain. They are considered to be the four most significant Hindu sights throughout India.

If you’re fortunate enough to be visiting Kerala between February and April then definitely check out the famous temple festivals. The main focus of these festivals is an elaborate procession of elephants that marks the beginning of any ritual, often accompanied to the reverberating beat played by the drummers. Among the temple festivals of Kerala, Thrissur Pooram is one of the most popular, held during April/May. Arattupuzha Pooram is another major festival and the most emphatic of all in India.

Between February and April every year.

Various Temples and sights throughout Kerala. Checkout the official Kerala tourist website for more information (https://www.keralatourism.org/event/)