Festivals of Varanasi "Every day is a great festival day in Kashi"- so says the tradition. In the manuals of brahmins of Banaras, whose business it is to observe rites and, as priests, to officiate at rites for others, one finds elaborate confirmation and documentation of this popular saying. Everyday there are deities to be honoured, rites and observances to be attended to. It is not hard to believe that in traditional India being a brahmin was said to be a full time job. The traditional Hindu calendar for sale in the religious bookstores of Kachauri Lane in Banaras is called the 'pachang', the "five- limbs " of time. It is produced by the most erudite of Banarasi pandits. Printed in a large rectangular book of newsprint, the pachanga is not what most of us would recognize as a calendar. It looksmore like a newspaper. Absent are the simple, numbered days,the empty squares of as yet unlived time. This calendar is completely filled with astrological charts, auspicious dates and hours, instructions for religious performances, and countless other details of the months, fortnights, days and moments as they lie ahead. Time comes to Hindus not as a series of blank,unwritten days, but fully endowed with differentiating qualities and attributes.                     Please enquire for current dates
Festival 2001 2002 2003 Venue PAUSH PURNIMA (important bathing festival) 9/1 12/1 18/1 Ghats MAKAR SANKRANTI (popular customs of the day includes making sweets with sesame seeds, eating "Khichadi"- a staple  food of rice cooked with lentils; and above all flying kites.) 14/1 14/1 14/1 Ghats MAUNI AMAVASYA (important bathing festival) 24/1 12/2 1/2 Ghats BASANT PANCHMI Festival signifies onset of spring. The city is decked in yellow and the city celebrates goddess Saraswati- the goddess of learning. On this occasion, artisans make images of Saraswati both of clay and paper machie which are installed in class rooms, colleges and elaborately decorated make shift shrines. After a day and night of worship, these images are taken out in festive procession to be immersed in the Ganges. 29/1 16/2 1/2   BHISHMASHTAMI ('Bhisma' hero of epic Mahabharata also known as son of Ganges is worshipped on this day. Huge clay images can be seen on various Ghats on this occasion.) 2/2 20/2 4/2   GANGA BOAT RALLY (Largest boat marathon of India starts from Allahabad till Varanasi. Must for all those interested in adventure sports) 6-8/2 6-8/2 6-8/2 Ghats DHRUPAD MELA (Music festival of dhrupad style of classical Indian music) for three days) 19/2 11/2 24/3 Tulsighat MAHASHIVRATRI (festival of Shiva. Special bathing day in the Holy Ganges and special religious ceremonies in all Shiva temples. City's greatest holy day and a great night of Lord Shiva.) 21/2 13/3 1/3 Ghats RANGBHARI EKADASI (Special ceremony in Vishwanath temple and other temples and Gopal Mandir. Holi festival starts from this day and dry colour powder is thrown on deties and devotees. After Shivratri, this is the biggest festival day of the year at Vishwanath temple. On this day, the special silver four faced cap which sits upon the Linga is set in place and decorated with all the proper sandalwood paste, leaves and flowers. Worshippers sprinkle red coloured powder on the Linga. 6/3 22/3 14/3 Temples HOLIKA DAHAN (Piles of wood collected over weeks is burnt in every nook and corner symbolising burning of evil). 9/3 28/3 17/3 City HOLI (On the evening of Holi and throughout the next day, there is a mela at Chausatti Ghat, near Dasaswamedh, in honour of sixty four Yoginis. Respectable merchants from the city and people from different walks of life red faced due to the colour festival enjoy their madness and their songs) 10/3 29/3 18/3 City MUKKI (Boxing) (Can still be seen at Durga Ghat although the practice is becoming less & less)  10/3 29/3 18/3 Durghat BURHWA MANGAL (ancient festival depicting life style of rich in the bygone days. It is a festival of boats- hundreds of boats come out for the festival and their patrons would invite musicians and dances to provide cultural entertainment to their guests. In the olden days, the river front from Assi to Panchganga became a floating music festival. 13/3 2/3   R.P.Ghat CHAITI GULAB BARI (Signifies onset of Chaitra.Classical Homes music festivals held over a period of time at various locations during this period and a particular variety of 'Rose' popularly known as 'Chaiti Gulab' and rose water is profusely sprinkled on the audience).       Private Homes FOLK FESTIVAL Beginning of Navratra (It is a nine day festival starting Private on the first nine days and nine nights Homes of the Hindu calender. On each of the nine days and nights the particular Durgas (Gauris) are designated for decoration and darshan. The circuit of these temples of  goddesses will be made by the countless worshippers. During this period, special poojas (religious ceremonies) and havans (fire worship) are held.  26/3 13/4 2/4 Rajaghat Temples & Private Homes RAM NAVAMI (The day celebrates birth of Lord Rama and special festivals and rituals are organised in all the temples.) 2/4 21/4 10/4 Temples SANKAT MOCHAN MUSIC FESTIVAL (It's a five days classical music festival and renowned artists from all over the country participate in this music festival held within the premises of Sankat Mochan Temple. Highly recommended for all thos interested in Indian classical music.) 9/4 28/4   Sankatmochan AKSHAY TRITIYA (important bathing festival) 26/5 15/5 4/5 Ghats NARSIMHA CHATURDASHI (Festival in honour of 'Narsimha' an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Narsimha Leela held at Prahlad Ghat for five days starting from the first day shown in the calendar.) 6/6 25/5 14/5 Prahladghat BUDDHA PURNIMA (Most auspicious day for buddhists. Lord Buddha was born on this day and attained enlightment at Bodhgaya. Special ceremonies are organised at Sarnath, where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon and even Buddha's relics are displayed for worship.Celebrations include cultural programmes, craft bazar, seminars and exhibitions and several religious cremonies over a three day period at Sarnath). 6/6 26/5 15/5 Sarnath GAJI MIYAN KA MELA (Hindu and Muslim ladies participate in this festival at Bakriyakund)  13/5 2/6   Bakriyakund GANGA DASHAHARA (The day celebrates the descent of Ganges from Heaven to Earth. Ganga Dussehara literally means "destroys Ten" lifetimes of sins. Special bathing and fasting festival Worshippers will cross the river in boat trailing long garlands of flowers to decorate the Goddess waters) 1/6 20/6 10/6 Ghats NIRJALA EKADASI (bathing and fasting festival) 2/6 21/6 10/6 Ghats RATHYATRA (Popularly known as 'Chariot' festival- continues for three days)   22/6 12/7 1/7   GURU PURNIMA (All devout Hindus pay their respects to their Gurus (Teachers) 5/7 24/7 13/7   SHRAVAN MONTH (MONDAYS) (On every Monday devotees fast and worship Lord Shiva. Village fair at Sarnath. It is a great month of rainy season. Is famous for its religious fairs and its temple observances- Sarnath/ Durgakund /Mritunjaya Mahadev.   9/7 16/7 23/7 30/7 24/7 5/8 12/8 19/8   NAG PANCHMI (Folk festival involving serpents worship.On this day part of the city, not usually frequented by many, comes to life celebrated by everyone. Indian style wrestling competition held in various 'Akharas" in the city. 10/7 29/7 18/7   RAKSHA BANDHAN (tying of brightly coloured threads around someone who would be one's protector; sisters tie raakhi on their brothers wrists, priests upon their patrons and friends upon their friends.) 4/8 22/8 12/8   KAJALI  TIJ (Celebrated in dozen different ways Named after the rainy season songs('Kajli') which women sing at this time of the year. As many of the Teej rights throughout the year have to do with the health and welfare of husbands. This teej is especially for theell being of husbands. Yearly celebration of the Goddess Vishalakshi, also celebrated as the birth day of Vindhywasini Devi,dweller in the Vindhya mountains) 21/8 9/8 30/8   JANMASHTHAMI (Occasion to mark birth of Lord Krishna. Special Puja(religious ceremonies) in Vaishnavite temples.) 22/8 12/8 30/8 Temples GANESH CHATURTHI OR DHELA CHAUTH (On this day for Darshan of 'Bara Ganesh' the people come in thousands from the city and the street infront of this temple is filled with festivity. For weeks beforehand, the city's artisans are busy making thousands of painted clay Ganeshas of all sizes, which is sold to the worshippers during the festival.       Baraganes LOLARK SHASTHI (This annual mela at Lolark Kund attracts  tens of thousand of Hindus from the surrounding countryside. The purpose of the Mela is : the birth of sons. Couples without male progency bath in the kund and those who have succeeded in this effort bring their sons back for a celebratory bath.) 24/8 12/9   Lolark Kund VISHWAKARMA JAYANTI (Craftsmen and artisans worship installed clay image of the lord of crafts. These images subsequently immersed in the holy Ganges.) 23/8 11/9     SORAHIYA KA MELA (Two days after the annual mela at Lolark Kund 16 days mela in honour of Goddess Lakshmi takes place at Lakshmi Kund just west of Godowalia on Luxa Road.Every day of 16 days those who observe the 'Vrata'have the darshan of Mahalakshmi and honour her with sixteen kinds of grains and sixteen kinds of flowers. Fair invites potters from nearby villages who come to sell their clay utensils) 26/8 14/9   Lakshmikund START OF RAMLILA IN VARANASI REGION Birth of Ravana & Kshirsagar ki Jhanki (Gods and saints visit Lord Vishnu who resides in the milk ocean with the pray to rescue the mankind from the clutches of Ravana) 2/9 20-21/9   Ramnagar Ram's Birth (Vishnu incarnates as the prince of Ayodhya) 3/9 22/9   Ramnagar Vishwamitra Visit & Ahilya Uddhar (Saint Vishwamitra visit King Dashrath to send Rama,his younger brother Lakshman along with him to the forest for training and slaying the demons who were threat to the sages. Ram kills the demoness Tadka and salvages Ahilya, the wife of sage Gautam who was cheated by the King of Gods Indra and changed into stone by the curse of her husband. Ram by touching the stone by his foot salvaged her) 4/9 23/9   Ramnagar Phulvari & Ashta Sakhi (Ram and Lakshmana meet Sita at her father's garden who has come to worship Parvati for a suitable match in the Swayambar) 4/9 23/9 12/9 Ramnagar Dhanush yagya (King Janak organises a Swayambar for his adopted daughter Sita with the condition that the prince or king who lifts Shiva's bow will marry Sita.) 6/9 24/9 12/9 Ramnagar Rama's marriage (All Kings & Princes gathered at Swayambar to marry Sita, but failed to lift shiva's bow. Rama easily lifts the bow and puts the string on and thus fulfilling Janak's condition. Lord Rama marries Sita and his three younger brothers marry Sita's sisters) 7/9 25/9 14/9 Ramnagar Rajyabhisheka (Rama's father King Dasrath decides to  appoint his eldest son Ram as his successor to the throne and orders for the coronotion ceremony) 9/9 28/9 15/9 Ramnagar Kaikeyi Kopa (On hearing the news of Rama's coronotion, Rama's step mother Kaikeyi is upset and annoyed because she wants her son Bharata to the throne and 14 years exile for Rama) 9/9 26/9 16/9 Ramnagar Rama's departure to Forest (Against wishes of King and the public- Lord Ram proceeds to forest for 14 years) 10/9 29/9 16/9 Ramnagar Jivitputrika (Jiuta) (On the 16th day of Sorahiya ka Mela, the final day the great fast for Goddess Lakshmi is the Jivit Putrika Vrata observed by the women for the life of their children.) 11/9 30/9   Ghats Bharat's arrival at Ayodhya (Bharat returns to Ayodhya from his maternal grand father's house and learns about exile of Rama and his father's death) 12/9 1/10 20/9 Ramnagar Rajyabhisekha 13/9 2/10 22/9 Chitrakoot Kopa Bhavan 13/9 2/10 22/9 Chitrakoot Nakatiya (Lakshman cuts the nose of Ravan's sister Suparnakha, who wanted to marry Lord Rama) 15/9 4/10 24/9 Ramnagar Rama Gharnail (Lord Rama alongwith brother Lakshmana and wife Sita cross the river to enter the forest) 15/9 4/10 24/9 Chitrakoot Pitra Visarjan (Devout Hindus perform rites for their departed souls) 16/9 6/10 26/9 Ghats Bali Vadh (Lord Rama meets Hanumana and his patron Sugriva who lived in exile due to threat from his elder brother Bali. Rama accepts Sugriva's friendship and kills Bali) 17/9 6/10 26/9 Ramnagar Beginning of Navratra 18/9 7/10   Temples & Private Homes Bharata Manavan (Bharata visits eviled Rama to take him back to Ayodhya) 18/9 7/10   Chitrakoot Lanka Dahan (Hanuman reaches Lanka - the capital of Ravan in search of Sita who finds her and rescues her by burning the city) 18/9 7/10   Ramnagar Angada Vistar (Ram sends Bali's son Angada to Ravana  as his Ambassador to release Sita, but Ravana denies) 20/9 9/10   Ramnagar Rama crossing Ocean to attack Ravana 20/9 9/10   Ramnagar Lakshmana Shakti (Lakshmana fights with Ravana's son Meghnatha and faints) 21/9 10/10   Ramnagar Ashtabhuji Yatra 22/9 11/10   Vindhyachal Kumbhakarana Badh (Ravana's brother is killed) 22/9 11/10   Ramnagar Shabri Milan (Rama and Lakshman while roaming in jungles searching for Sita, meet a tribal  woman Shabri who offers them wild berries.) 23/9 12/10   Chitrakoot Pandal Darshan(Durga Puja) ( Human size or even larger clay images of Goddess Durga slaying demon are installed at various places of the city and worshipped) 23/9 24/9 12/10 13/10   City Suvel Parvat ki Jhanki (Rama,Lakshmana along with Sugriva,  Hanumana and the bears and monkeys gather at Suvel mountain 26/9 14/10   Chitrakoot Lakshmana Shakti 26/9 15/10   Chitrakoot Vijya Dashmi/Dassehara (The occasion signifies victory of good over evil. D.L.W. Ravana is killed by Lord Rama. The occasion Vidyapith also signifies worship of Arms) 26/9 15/10 5/10 Ramnagar Immersion Jhanki (Ganga) (Idols of Durga installed in various Pandals for the last three days are taken out in a procession and submerged in the River Ganges) 26/9 15/9 5/10   Sita's Agni Pariksha (Sita's fire ordeal) 28/9 17/10   Ramnagar Bharata Milap (One of the biggest festivals of the city where more than hundred thousand persons assemble at one time to witness the meeting of Ram, Lakshman & Sita with step brothers Bharat and Shatrughan) 28/9 17/10   Nati Imli Bharat Milap(same as above) 29/9 18/10   Ramnagar Krishna's Birth 29/9 15/10   Tulsighat Rajyabhisekh (Rama's Caronation on Ayodhya throne) 30/9 19/10   Ramnagar Sanaka (Sanaka and other saints preach Ram and his brothers) 1/10 20/10   Ramnagar Dashavataar (ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu) 2/10 21/10   Chitrakoot Kot Bidai (After the month long Ram Lila episodes are over the Maharaja of Benaras invites the actors and worships,feeds and bids them farewell Benaras) 2/10 21/10   Ramnagar Sharad Poornima (It's a full moon night and devotees worship Vishnu and lakshmi and spend lot of time boating and on the banks of River Ganges in the evening) 1/11 20/10   Ghats Kartik Maas Mahotsava (Month long festival starts on ( Month long ) Sharad Poornima and concludes with Dev Deepawali) 1/11 28/10   Panchganga Ghat Nakkataiya (Ravana's sister Suparnakha sees Rama in exile and falls love with him and proposes. Lakshman, brother of Lord Rama cuts her nose in anger. Also one of  the city's biggest festival) 4/11 24/10   Chetganj Karva Chauth (Married women fast and worship Lord Shiva and Parvati for the well being and prosperity of their husbands) 4/11 24/10     Bali Badh 6/11 26/10   Chetganj Lanka Dahan 7/11 27/10   Chetganj Suvel Giri Ki Jhanki 8/11 28/10   Chetganj Lakshmana Shakti,Kumbhkarana & Meghnath Vadh 11/11 30/10   Chetganj Ravan Vadh 12/11 31/10   Chetganj Makhanchori (Episode depics Lord Krishna stealing butter) 14/11 2/11   Tulsighat Diwali (Occasion signifies return of Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Sita to Ayodhya.The city is lit with the enumerable lamps and people celebrate it with fire works/sweets) 15/11 3/11