October

Marwar Festival (Jodhpur, Rajasthan) October 3 – 4

This festival is devoted to the music and dance of the Marwar region and offers a good opportunity to see the folk dancers carrying pots on their heads and singers who assemble here and provide hours of lively entertainment. These folk artistes provide a glimpse of the days of yore, of battles and valiant heroes who still live on in their songs…

Dussehra (Across India) October 17

Dussehra takes a different shape in West Bengal. They worship Goddess Durga who also destroys evil. Huge idols of Durga are adorned and amidst prayers, communal feasting, song and dance, they are drowned in flowing waters. In Himachal Pradesh, the town of Kullu celebrates Dussehra for a week. From little temples in the hills, idols are brought in processions to a sprawling ground in Kullu to pay homage to Raghunathji, Kullu‘s sovereign God.

The city of palaces, Mysore, plays royal on Dussehra. It’s a 10-day festivity with grand processions, a torch light parade and musical events. Don’t miss the Mysore Palace – it’s fully lit with thousands of bulbs.

Pushkar Fair (Pushkar, Rajasthan) October 25 – November 2

A sleepy town turns into an open air partying ground for a week. Nomads and villagers collect to trade camels, cattle and horses. Later, there is a colourful fair – there are handicrafts, jewellery, traditional garments on sale, magicians and fire-eaters, acrobats, dancers, games, contests and folk music too. The bash ends with a dip in the holy lake of Pushkar. Easily the most happening Indian fair of all!

Ganga Mahotsava (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh) October 29 – November 2

Thousands of Hindus converge on the banks of the Ganges to immerse themselves in the holy waters believing that they would be reprieved of all their sins. A colourful and well lit up affair with oil lamps floating on the flowing waters of the River Ganga.