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Festival lamps and celebrations on the Varanasi ghats at night

Varanasi Festivals

The year in Kashi — India's richest festival calendar

Varanasi has no off-season for festivals. As Shiva's own city and one of the holiest tirthas in the Hindu world, it holds a sacred event of some significance virtually every month of the year. The three festivals that draw the largest numbers of visitors — Dev Deepawali, Mahashivratri, and Holi — are globally renowned and require planning well in advance.

Featured Festivals

Dev Deepawali at Varanasi — earthen diyas illuminate the Ganges ghats on Kartik Purnima

Dev Deepawali

One million lamps on every ghat — the Festival of Lights the gods celebrate

Mahashivratri celebrations at Varanasi — devotees gathered for the Great Night of Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Mahashivratri Varanasi

The Great Night of Shiva in the city Shiva himself calls home

Holi celebration in Banaras (Varanasi) — colours, drums, and festivity at the ghats

Holi in Varanasi

Rang Barse at Assi Ghat and Masan Holi with the sadhus — Holi, uniquely Banarasi

Kashi Vishwanath Temple during Shravan — the sacred month of maximum Shiva worship in Varanasi

Shravan in Varanasi

Four weeks when all roads lead to Kashi — the sacred month of Shiva

Durga Kund Mandir, Varanasi — the principal Navratri temple during nine nights of goddess worship

Navratri Varanasi

Nine nights — the goddess in nine forms — Kashi ablaze with Shakti

Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi — one of the main locations for Chhath Puja sunset offerings to Surya

Chhath Puja Varanasi

Chhath — the ancient sun festival where devotees stand in the Ganga and offer light to the sky

Varanasi Festival Calendar

January
  • •Makar Sankranti (Ganga snan, kite flying)
  • •Guru Nanak Jayanti
February–March
  • •Mahashivratri (all-night temple celebration)
  • •Holi (Rang Barse at Assi; Masan Holi)
March–April
  • •Chaitra Navratri (spring nine nights)
  • •Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh (5 nights of classical music)
April
  • •Ram Navami (Rama's birthday; processions)
July–August
  • •Shravan / Sawan (sacred month of Shiva; Sawan Somavar at Kashi Vishwanath)
  • •Kanwar Yatra (mass pilgrimage of Shiva devotees carrying Ganga water)
October
  • •Sharad Navratri (9 nights of Durga worship; Durga Kund Mandir)
  • •Dussehra (Ramnagar Ramleela, largest in India)
October–November
  • •Diwali (city-wide lamps)
  • •Chhath Puja (6 days after Diwali — Sun worship at the ghats; evening and morning arghya)
  • •Dev Deepawali (15 days after Diwali — million lamps on ghats)
November
  • •Guru Nanak Jayanti
  • •Kartik Purnima baths
December
  • •Kashi Mahotsav (classical arts festival)

Culture and Heritage

Banarasi Silk

India's most celebrated hand-woven textile — protected by geographical indication since 2009

Banaras Culture

The Banarasi masti — a philosophy of life that is uniquely, irreducibly from Kashi

History of Kashi

Older than history, older than tradition — the city that exists outside of time

Plan a Festival Visit

Spirit of Kashi specialises in festival visits — Dev Deepawali boat reservations, Mahashivratri temple access, Holi at Assi Ghat. Book early; accommodation fills months ahead.

Plan a Festival Visit