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Festivals of Gujarat
Nine nights of garba, a white-desert carnival, kite-filled skies and hundreds of vivid village fairs — Gujarat celebrates like nowhere else.
Photo: Navratri garba · Wikimedia Commons
A year of celebration
Gujarat’s calendar is packed — from state-famous festivals to small fairs known only to the next village. Here are some of the biggest, plus a note on how to plan around dates that move each year. Every district also has its own festivals section.
Gujarat’s festival calendar is unusually dense, and timing a trip around one changes the experience completely. Navratri, nine nights of garba and dandiya in September or October, is the biggest — Vadodara and Ahmedabad hold the largest organised grounds, though village garba is often the more memorable version. Uttarayan, the kite festival on 14 January, fills the skies over Ahmedabad and is best watched from a rooftop.
The Rann Utsav is a tented seasonal festival on the white desert near Dhordo, running roughly November to March, and is the easiest way to experience the Great Rann. Beyond these, the state holds hundreds of village fairs — the Tarnetar fair in Surendranagar, the tribal haats of the eastern belt, Bhadarvi Poonam at Ambaji — that draw huge crowds but barely register outside Gujarat.
Most festival dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar and shift each year, so check the current year’s dates before booking. Accommodation around major festivals fills early and prices rise sharply; for Navratri and the Rann Utsav in particular, plan a month or more ahead.
All Festivals
Religious
Folk & Fairs
Cultural
Seasonal
Tribal
Adalaj Heritage
Five storeys sunk into the earth, cool even at noon — the…
Adivasi Culture
The forested hills of Narmada are Adivasi country — home to tribal…
Adivasi Museum
The story of a people, kept — the Adivasi museum and academy…
Agate Artistry
Ancient stones, skilled hands — Khambhat in Anand district has shaped and…
Akshardham Show
A dramatic after-dark water, light & sound spectacle.
Annakut
A mountain of food for the divine — Annakut, the day after…
Arya Samaj
The town of Tankara in Morbi gave India a giant of reform…
Aurangzeb’s Birthplace
An unexpected Mughal footnote — Dahod is the birthplace of Aurangzeb, the…
Ayurveda
Jamnagar is India’s capital of Ayurveda — home to the country’s premier…
Bahucharaji Mela
Bahucharaji is one of Gujarat’s three great Shakti shrines — a Mother-Goddess…
Bandhani Tie-Dye
Thousands of tiny knots, tied by hand and dyed in brilliant colour…
Beach Fairs
On the Valsad coast, Tithal beach draws crowds to its dark sand…
Bet Dwarka Yatra
A pilgrimage across the sea — the Bet Dwarka Yatra carries devotees…
Bhadarvi Poonam
Millions of pilgrims throng Ambaji each year.
Bhavai Theatre
Gujarat’s folk stage — Bhavai is the centuries-old folk theatre of the…
Bhavnath Mela
Sadhus, naga ascetics and all-night bhajans at Girnar’s foot.
Bhil Culture
The people of the Aravalli hills — the Bhils, one of India’s…
Bhil Folk Dance
The dancing spirit of the Bhils — the folk dances of Dahod,…
A quick word on dates
A quick word on dates
Many of Gujarat’s festivals follow the Hindu or regional lunar calendar, so the exact dates shift from year to year — Navratri, Mahashivratri, Janmashtami and most temple fairs included. We give you the usual month, but always check the precise date for the year you’re travelling before you book anything.
Find festivals near a district
Every district guide has its own festivals — see what’s happening where you’re headed.
Find festivals near a district
Every district guide has its own festivals — see what’s happening where you’re headed.
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