There are countless fairs, celebrations and festivals in India each year and travelers planning a trip to India often have a difficult time deciding which festivals in India they should experience. All the major festivals of India are spectacular in their own right, but some are better to include on your tour of India.

Easy Tours of India has selected the best fairs, celebrations and festivals in India for travelers. These are the highest recommended festivals of India for tourists based not just on popularity but also on the cultural experience provided, timing, accessibility, safety, cost and other factors.

Festivals in India are known for their fascinating colors, pageantry, and ancient rituals. Visiting one of the many festivals of India adds to your vacation in India. Easy Tours of India allows you to experience your choice of the culturally rich festivals of India by adding an extension to a tour itinerary or by scheduling your tour of India around a festival date and location.

The following Celebrations receive our highest recommendation besides the ones we include in our Festival Series Tours -



Nehru Trophy Boat Race: The Nehru Trophy Boat Race or Snake Boat Race is the most popular of the many boat festivals in Kerala. It is held annually on Punnamda Lake, near Alappuzha, and is the most competitive boat race in India. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a commemoration of the visit to the Backwaters of Kerala by the late Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952.

The whole community comes out to cheer on the racers. The loud and rhythmic boat songs or “Vanchipattu” work the spectators to a state of frenzy. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a great opportunity for tourists to experience the real local culture of South India while seeing some of the most beautiful scenery Kerala has to offer.

The festival begins with a procession of the chundan vallams or snake boats. The locally made chundans (snake boats) are an impressive sight. They measure over 100 feet in length and have a raised prow. Propelled by 90-110 rowers, the chundans are an eye catching sight as they race like a snake through the channels of Punnamda Lake (hence the name snake boat).

On the day of this fiercely fought boat race, the tranquil lake front is transformed into a sea of humanity with an estimated two hundred thousand people coming to watch the event. Each village in the surrounding area enters a boat in the race and a victory is something to be celebrated for months to come.

Preparations for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race begin several weeks in advance. Floats giving glimpses of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage follow the race boats, with artists performing “kathakali” “theyyam” “panchavadyam” and “padayani”. Visitors will also have a chance to see elaborately caparisoned elephants during this festival.



Bikaner Camel Festival: This Indian festival is held annually in Bikaner to celebrate the contribution of the camel, known as the 'ship of the desert', in the lives of the people of Rajasthan. The Bikaner Camel Festival is organized by the Department of Tourism, Art & Culture of Rajasthan. It draws tourists in large numbers to experience this wonderful display of the culture of Rajasthan. Held in January in Northwest Rajasthan, the Bikaner Camel Festival inaugurates a host of colorful festivals in India that are held throughout the year.

The Bikaner Camel Festival starts with a procession of beautifully decorated camels set against the picturesque backdrop of the Royal Junagarh Fort. The procession heads towards its open desert location where the festivities begin. Visitors are treated to a spectacle of unusual camel performances, camel races, camel dances, and neck shaking camel rides. The Camel Pageant, held on the first day, allows camel owners to show off their Camels' decorations and jewelry. Camel dance performances are also held along with competitions for best decorated camel, fur cutting design, camel milking and the best camel hair cut.

The camels display amazing footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their riders. Colorful bridles, bejeweled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands all add up to an experience you will never forget. Tea and sweets prepared by camel's milk are made available to the visitors interested in enjoying them..

On the second day, the fleetest camels of the region take part in the camel races. The competition is fierce as the best camels vie for the honors. Thousands of excited tourists and locals cheer their favorites.

During the evenings, the campfires that light the grounds of the Bikaner Camel Festival lend a romantic feel to the festival. Adding beauty to the ambiance are the numerous folk musicians and dancers who charm the audience with their alluring performances. The mesmerizing spectacle of fire dancers and beautiful fireworks that light up the night sky is not to be missed.

Situated in the heart of the desert belt, Bikaner was always an inaccessible land. Before the advent of modern motor vehicles, the survival of the people of this region depended on the 'Ship of the desert' - the Camel. The camels of this region were famous for their endurance as well as their strength and beauty.

In fact, the Bikaner army had an elite camel corps, called the Ganga Risala, which took active part in both the World Wars. The Ganga Risala was a Camel unit in the army even after India’s independence and it took part in the Indo-Pak wars. Bikaner also boasts of the only camel breeding center in India.

Camels can still be seen pulling heavy loads on carts in this region. With such a long association with camels, it is but natural that the Department of Tourism, Art & Culture chose to hold the Camel Festival in Bikaner.



Chennai (Madras) Dance & Music Festival: This classical tradition is a display of ancient and sophisticated art forms that stretch back over thousands of years. Originating in the temples and performed by the Devdasi's, the classical styles have been associated with the mythology, philosophy, and spiritual beliefs of the Hindu culture and, in more recent times, the Islamic tradition. Classical dance has its roots in the Natya Shastra, the earliest known written text on Dramaturgy. Attributed to the Sage Bharat in the second century, this Sanskrit treatise defines drama by combining speech, mime, dance, and music. These dance styles and the principles governing the technique and aesthetics employed are ancient yet still manage to captivate the audience.

The Chennai Music and Dance Festival is a celebration of classical music and dance from South India. It occurs between mid December & mid January in Tamil Nadu’s capital city of Chennai (India’s 3^rd largest city). This Indian festival is held by various 'sabhas' (organizations) at a number of venues around the city, including auditoriums, well-known temples and some of the historic sites of Chennai. The month long dance and music extravaganza has performances by famous artists from all over India.

The Chennai Dance & Music Festival was originally organized as The 'Margazhi festival of dance and music'. It started back in 1927, to commemorate the anniversary of Madras Music Academy every December. The festival was later adopted by various organizations which held art festivals in different parts of the city.

The Chennai Dance & Music Festival is held in December because the Tamil month of 'Margazhi' (December) is a sacred month for Hindus. South Indian classical music (Carnatic Music), which has its roots in devotion to the Gods, has been a traditional form of worship for many millenniums.

This festival of India brings the city to life and has developed into a cultural extravaganza with more than 2000 participants. Performances include vocal and instrumental music along with solo and group dance, both by upcoming and established artists. This gives the newer talent artists an opportunity to perform alongside the famous artists. The music includes songs in various South Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu and Kannada played on traditional instruments such as; the flute, 'veena' (a large string instrument) 'goottuvadyam' (similar to veena but without frets), 'nagaswaram' (pipe), 'thavil' (percussion instrument), 'mridangam' (drum), and the 'ghatam' (a mud pot).

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Desert Festival::  A stop at the annual Desert Festival in Jaisalmer during a tour of India provides a glimpse of authentic desert culture at its best. The annual Desert Festival showcases the performing arts of the region and has become one of the more important festivals of India. Every year, it is thronged by thousands of visitors from all over India and abroad. Held either in the month of January or February the festival is a delight to be a part of. Colorful activities grip the land of golden sand dunes and for three days the city of Jaisalmer echoes with music, dance and laughter.

The Desert Festival is an astounding sight with its colorful stalls of Rajasthani handicrafts, authentic North Indian cuisine, camel rides and entertaining contests. The Desert Festival features a host of activities to keep travelers enthralled including; camel races, camel polo matches, camel dances and camel decorating competitions. The most unique events are the Mr. Desert competition, the tug of war, the turban tying competition and the contest for the longest mustache. The acrobats and folk dancers make for a terrific sight at the festival with their colorful costumes and artistic and daring maneuvers.

The festival brings out the best of Rajasthan’s culture; the local men and women of eagerly await the festival and dress in their finest traditional Rajasthani apparel. The local men display their puppeteer skills by telling tales with puppets and the true Rajasthani take part in the Mr. Desert competition. Set amidst the picturesque backdrop of golden desert sands and the Jaisalmer Fort, the Desert festival is a favorite among the visitors to Rajasthan.

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Elephant Festival:: The many entertaining events of the Elephant Festival and the wonderful sights of Jaipur make this Indian festival a can't miss stop on any spring tour of India. The present-day pageant that is the Elephant Festival of Jaipur originated only a decade ago and was devised especially with the tourist in mind. This festival of India gives tourists a glimpse of the royal heritage of Rajasthan and also provides an opportunity to take part in celebrating the Holi Festival (one of North India’s 3 major festivals).

The Elephant Festival in India is a unique event held annually in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. The festival begins with a procession of elephants, camels and horses, followed by lively folk dancers..

Elephants have been regarded as precious and majestic since the “Puranic” era in India. The importance of the elephant is well illustrated in Hindu Mythology. According to legends, at the time of ‘Samudra Manthan’, when the Demons and Gods were busy “churning the ocean”, the Gods were fortunate to receive an elephant called “Airavata” who became the Divine Vehicle (Vahana) of Indra. Since then, the elephant has become a symbol of royalty in Indian culture and there are many festivals in India that are associated with it.

Activities during the festival aree:-

Gaj Shringar: Where the ornaments, textiles and other ornaments & decorations relating to elephants are displayed. The Mahouts take great pride in to decorating their Elephants on this particular occasion.

Live Performances: Live performances of folk dancers that include the Daph and Gair dances, both of which depict the joy of the Holi Festival.

Catwalks of Elephants: Elephants form a procession in front of the guests to compete for the prize of ‘Best decorated Elephant’.

Elephant Polo Matches: Dressed in saffron and red turbans, teams of elephant riders try to score goals with long polo sticks and a soccerball.

Tug of War: The tug of War is a competition between Elephants and men.

Playing Holi: You have the option to join in the festivities and celebrate Holi with the other spectators and among yourselves.

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Float Festival: The Float Festival is one of the truly memorable festivals of India. It is celebrated in Madurai (generally in January) on the night of the full moon,. The Float Festival of India attracts large number of visitors and the entire city is involved in the festivities.

The Float Festival begins when the ornamented icons of the Goddess Meenakshi and her consort start out from the main temple in great pageantry. The deities are carried in golden palanquins escorted by elephants, horses, musicians and thousands of devotees. After reaching Lake Teppakolam (about two miles away) the deities are placed in a small temple on the banks of the lake, and the devotees are allowed to worship them. The idols are then taken in palanquins and placed on a great raft-like structure that is colorfully decorated with varieties of flower garlands, silken buntings, paper lanterns and masses of flowers.

Hundreds of devotees catch hold of the two big ropes by which the float is drawn and they await the signal to start. One rope is pulled by men standing on the central island and the second by those on the bank of the lake. After the final ritual of worship, the priests give the signal and the men strain at the ropes.

Slowly, the great float moves away from the shore and begins its tour around the lake. As the men holding the rope move along the banks of Lake Teppakolam, thousands of spectators celebrate by shouting the names of the deities in great joy. The float itself moves around the lake at a slow, steady pace. After a couple of rounds, which take more than three hours, the ornamental raft is moved to the central island and remains there till the evening. All through the day, a number of boats travel to the island bringing thousands of devotees to worship.

The scene in the evening is even more wonderful and over a thousand people gather to watch the procession. As dusk falls, all five towers of the island temple glow with colored lights. Thousands of little oil-lamps are lit in the niches of the walls at the edge of the lake. The lamps are brightly reflected in the water and it looks as if the lake is aglow with its own light. Then an old cannon is fired and the float is illuminated with strings of colored electric bulbs, banks of fluorescent tubes and a blaze of flood lights turning the ornamental raft into a dazzling sight.

Soon afterward, a display of fireworks starts on the shore and an answering bouquet of red and green flares soars up from the central island. The cannon is fired again and the float begins to move. The water ripples and the reflections of colored lights form ever changing patterns. As the raft makes its slow trip around the lake, the fireworks continue and the people cheer and fold their hands in prayer to the deities. After completing a full round, the float is brought to the shore and the divine idols are taken out with great ceremony. This is followed by a form of theatre that has not changed for centuries - the performers enact scenes from the legendary tales involving the deities. Finally, the idols are mounted on a beautifully decorated golden horse and returned to the main temple in a great procession.

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Great Elephant March: The Great Elephant March takes place every year from the 17th to the 20th of January and is one of the more spectacular festivals in India. The Great Elephant March begins in the Trichur Thekkinkadu grounds and ends in Thiruvananthapuram.

During the Great Elephant March, elephants are decorated for a trip around Kerala to be worshiped and pampered by devotees and onlookers. According to popular belief, keeping the elephants happy keeps Lord Ganesh (the Lord of Wealth and Wish Fulfillment) satisfied. Incidentally, Lord Ganesh has the head of an elephant.

The Great Elephant March begins with a magnificent array of elegantly dressed mahouts (elephant handlers) standing with their elephants. You can feed the elephants while the ‘Melam’ (Keralan orchestra) plays on traditional instruments. After the ritual feeding and folk dance performance, it is time for a sumptuous traditional Keralan lunch. Once you have finished lunch, you can enjoy an exciting ride atop the elephants at the Thekkinkadu grounds. The inaugural day usually comes to end with splendid safaris. On the second day of the march, the caravan reaches Cochin.

The next stop on the Great Elephant March is Alleppey, the major backwater destination in Kerala.

The grand finale of the Great Elephant March takes place at Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, the state capital of Kerala. In the evening experience the Great Elephant Show that is arranged in an adjoining rural community. The show recreates the fabled Thrissur Pooram festival, a major temple festival in Kerala. Thrissur Pooram celebrates the friendly rivalry between two temple factions. A cultural program follows featuring martial arts, dances and the mesmerizing crescendo of the Panchavadyam (an orchestra of five instruments) and the festivities culminate with a fireworks display.

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Khajuraho Dance Festival: Khajuraho was once the religious capital of the Chandela dynasty, a powerful Rajput dynasty that ruled Central India from Khajuraho between the 10^th & 12^th centuries. It is now famous for its magnificent stone temples that are decorated with thousands of erotic sculptures.

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is a week-long festival of classical dances and is held every year in February/March against the spectacular backdrop of the Temples of Khajuraho.

This cultural festival of India highlights the richness of the various Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharathnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathakali and Modern Indian dance with performances by the best dancers in India. Along with the renowned performers, a number of craftsmen display their goods to visitors in an open market.

The dances are performed in an open-air auditorium, usually in front of the Chitragupta Temple (dedicated to Surya the Sun God) or the Vishwanath Temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva). These temples are part of the Western Group of temples; the largest, most well maintained and easily accessible temple group of Khajuraho. The temple are illuminated with unique lighting for this event, serving as an ancient and grand backdrop for the performances.

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is conducted as a celebration of the cultural heritage of the Khajuraho Temples and is dedicated to preserving them for the coming generations.

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Nagaur Cattle Fair: Nagaur, the city with the largest red chili market in India, is the host for the second largest cattle fair of Rajasthan. The eight day Nagaur Cattle Fair is held every year in the months of January or February. Approximately 70,000 livestock, including the famous Nagauri breed bullock, cows, oxen, horses and most of all camels are traded during the fair. The cattle are adorned by lavish and colorful accessories to catch the eye of potential buyers and even the villagers dress up in their finest for the occasion, with colorful turbans making their spectacular moustaches less imposing.

The Nagaur Fair is not just about trading in cattle. Visitors also buy and sell beautiful wood creations, exquisite iron crafts and camel leather accessories. For the adventurous there are numerous local competitions and activities, including a tug-of-war, a bullock cart race, a camel race and (unfortunately) many cock fights. The high spirited fair is a delight to attend and thousands of people throng to the Nagaur Cattle Fair.

Evenings at the Nagaur Cattle Fair are no less interesting and a number of activities take place after the sun sets. Many visitors feel that the best part of the Nagaur Cattle Fair is in the evenings when folk music fills the air and puppeteers and story tellers make their way through the various campfires.

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Rath Yatra (Carriage Festival) – Puri:  Rath Yatra is a major Hindu festival in reverence of Lord Jagannath (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu & Lord Krishna). It is held at Puri in the state of Orissa, during the months of June or July and hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotees travel to Puri from all over the world to participate. The word Rath means chariot; and Yatra means a journey or a pilgrimage.

Most of the city's society is based around the worship of Lord Jagannath and the ancient temple is by far the most important structure in the area. The festival commemorates Krishna's return to his home in Vrindavan after a long period of separation from the people there.

Throughout the rest of the year the Deities – Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra are worshipped within the temple where only Hindu’s of Indian origin are permitted. On the day of the Rath festival they are taken through the streets so that everyone (including tourists) can have the good fortune of viewing them.

Three massive (almost 50 feet high), richly decorated chariots, resembling temple structures, are pulled through the streets of Puri. This commemorates the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram, and their sister Subhadra to the Gundicha Temple which is situated about a mile from their temple. New chariots are built every year for this purpose.

The spectacle of thousands of Hindu’s pulling the ropes of these colorful chariots and the accompanying chanting and music has to be seen to be believed - the English word "juggernaut" originates from the Jagannath Rath Yatra.

The huge processions accompanying the chariots play devotional songs with drums, tambourines, trumpets and other musical instruments. Children line the streets through which the chariot will pass and add to the deafening chorus.

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Thrissur Pooram: Thrissur Pooram is the most colorful of all the temple festivals of Kerala and one of the most interesting festivals in India. It is celebrated in Thrissur at the Vadakkunnathan (dedicated to Lord Shiva) temple in the month of Medam (April/May). Situated on a hillock right in the center of the city, the spaciously laid out temple attracts thousands of devotees and tourists from around the world during the festival.

Thrissur Pooram is a magnificent spectacle with night long fireworks, colorful 'Kudamattom' (a parasol & peacock-fan performance), the famous 'Elanjithara Melam' (traditional Indian orchestra) and a splendid elephant procession. The best looking elephants from the various temples in Kerala are sent to Trichur to participate in the grand eight day Pooram Festival.

The 36 hour celebration at the end of Thrissur Pooram commences in the morning with a procession of fifteen elephants marching from the Thiruvambadi temple to the nearby Vadakkunnathan temple. The main elephant of the group carries the idol of Lord Krishna. At the same time another group of 15 elephants starts on the same journey from the Paramekavu Bhagavathy temple. The leader of this group carries the idol of Devi (Goddess). These thirty decorated elephants stand facing each other in two rows in the Tekkinkadu Maidan (the grounds surrounding the Vadakkunnathan temple) while a melam (orchestra) plays traditional music.

The melam includes about 80 drummers as well as many musicians playing nadaswarams (a flute like instrument) and other traditional instruments. In the early afternoon a crescendo of music starts from the area under an Elanchi tree called the 'Elanchithara Melam' that lasts for three hours. The artists competitive spirit with each other during this period. A fascinating sight to behold is the elephants when they seem to follow the music by shaking their ears along with the rhythm of the drums.

In the evening participants carrying beautifully embellished parasols and 'Venchamaramas' (peacock-fans) stand on the elephants and the parasol competition called 'Kudamattom' begins. A fascinating performance created by moving the parasols and fans in rhythm to the music is one of the highlights of the festival.

At the end of this performance the statues of Krishna and the Goddess are returned to their temples. When night falls there are lamps lit all over the grounds, creating a serene yet festive atmosphere. In the very early morning a spectacular display of fireworks begins and lasts for about three hours. The display of fireworks is a competition between the two groups representing the two divisions of Trichur, Paramekkavu and Tiruvuvampadi. Each year the display gets more spectacular as the two groups try to outdo each other.

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Teej Festival: Held during the monsoons in July/August, the Teej Festival is both a celebration of the coming of the monsoon rains after India’s hot summer as well as a celebration dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. During this festival of India married women pray for Goddess Parvati’s blessing to ensure marital bliss.

Though celebrations are held all over the North India, the city of Jaipur really puts on a show including a colorful procession that works its way through the old pink city for two days. The Teej Festival in Jaipur is known as the festival of swings because of the numerous Jhoolas (swings) that are decorated with flowers and hung from trees. Young girls and women dress in green clothes and sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon. Since Jaipur and the state of Rajasthan are India’s most arid area, it makes that the arrival of the monsoon be celebrated here with more passion than anywhere else.

The Teej Festival in Jaipur is celebrated enthusiastically by the women of Rajasthan who idolize Parvati for her devotion to her husband Shiva. The festivity revolves around singing and dancing in praise of Parvati and the rituals allow the women to look their stunning best. During this festival of India women pamper themselves, they dress up in their best clothes and jewelry and do traditional beauty treatments like elaborate henna applications.

All over Rajasthan, even in remote villages, Jhoolas (swings) are hung from trees and decorated with leaves and flowers. Women and young girls are seen swinging on these Jhoolas, singing traditional folk songs and playing various games with each other.

In Jaipur an idol of Goddess Parvati (Teej Mata) is taken out in a royal procession from the city palace so that the general public can have a chance to pay homage to the Goddess. The procession is quite a sight - antique gilt palanquins, bullock carts pulling cannons, horse drawn chariots, colorfully decorated elephants with silver haodas, horses, camels, walking bands, and many dancers are just some of the parts of this parade.

Eight men dressed all in red carry The Palanquin of Goddess Parvati during the long procession that winds its way through the lanes of the Old City. Local people come in huge numbers and dress in their best traditional clothes. Spaces is at a premium as people perch on top of buildings, in windows and even climb trees to catch a glimpse of the Goddess. Hundreds of children follow the Palanquin to take advantage of the offerings (showered in the wake of the Goddess) by spectators.

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Taj Mahotsav: The Taj Mahotsava Festival, also called the Taj Festival, is a ten-day celebration held in Agra usually in the month of February. It is a fantastic cultural introduction to India, with the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal serving as the backdrop for the celebrations.

The Taj Mahotsav is obviously a big draw for tourists traveling to Agra during that period. It began as an endeavor by the State Government’s Tourism Department to promote tourism in Uttar Pradesh and has grown to become a culturally vibrant platform that brings together the finest traditional Indian performing arts and crafts from all over the nation.

The atmosphere is that of a grand fair. There is high quality folk music, shayari (traditional recited poetry) and classical dance performances. There are elephant and camel rides, exhibitions of traditional Indian sports as well as an Indian cuisine festival.

The main events of Taj Mahal festival include classical dance performances by leading dance experts and musical recitals by maestros, other cultural shows such as puppetry, along with displays of various craft products.

The festivities commence with a spectacular procession inspired by Mughal splendor. Bedecked elephants and camels, folk artists, musicians and master craftsmen all help to recreate a visual delight reminiscent of the golden era of the Mughal Rulers.

The food festival of Taj Mahotsava is an experience to savor with samplings of the exotic cuisines of India. Delicacies are prepared by the top chefs of the region in the typical styles from the interiors of Uttar Pradesh.

The Craft Mela, held during the Taj Mahotsav festival, showcases the rich expertise of Indian craftsmen. Exquisite crafts like marble inlays, wood carvings from Saharanpur, brass and other metal-ware from Moradabad, handmade carpets from Badohi, the blue pottery of Khurja, the chikan (embroidery) work of Lucknow and the silk of Benares are exhibited during the Taj Festival in India.

The Taj Mahotsav enables one to experience in one location a very wide spectrum of India’s traditional creative arts. There is folk music and dance from many parts of the country, such as nautanki (India’s ancient version of theatre), the Sapera (snake) dance of Rajasthan, the Lavani performances of Maharashtra, and Shayari (poetry).

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