Specific events guide
Bangalore celebrates many, many holidays and festivals. Below is an overview of the major events you can expect.Pongal (mid-January)
A holy day celebrated each year in Bangalore at harvest time, with offerings of pumpkins and beans to the Gods of the Harvests and Goodwill, marking the changing seasons. People believe that the first rays of the sun on Sankranthi will bring them a good harvest.
Republic Day (January 26)
The anniversary of India being established as a republic.
Holi (mid-March)
A holiday on the full moon of March with plenty of live music, dancing and also the throwing of coloured powder. Locals also eat food containing ‘bhang’, from the Cannabis plant (considered to be an aphrodisiac).
Karaga Festival (March / April)
This festival involves a night parade where earthen pots, Karaga, are carried on people’s heads for more than 12 miles to the Sampangi tank, as a test of each devotees character.
Yugadi/Ugadi (March/April)
The Kanada New Year, regarded as the perfect time to start new ventures, and the start of Spring. Many people decorate their houses with mango leaves and the event is celebrated with food, using mango as the main ingredient.
Naga Panchami (late July / early August)
Hindu snake worshipping festival.
Independence Day (August 15)
A national holiday throughout the country in remembrance of independence from the Brits in 1947.
Varamahalakshmi (August)
A family day where married women throughout the state of Karnataka pray to Lakshmi for peace and prosperity.
Ganesh Chaturthi (September)
A joyous Indian festival celebrating the birth of Ganesh (the Hindu elephant-headed god). Celebrated widely across India, this is one of Bangalore’s biggest annual events and a major crowd puller.
Dussehra (early October)
A ten-day Hindu festival that represents the old glory and grandeur of the region. During the ancient times, the mighty ruler of the vast empire of Vijayanagra used to take out a huge procession of elephants to mark the celebration of Dusshera. In modern times, a procession of well-dressed elephants carrying an idol of Goddess Chamundi moves through the city streets.
Diwali/Deepavaali (mid-October)
A huge five-day religious event taking place all over India with worship of Lakshmi and Ganesh, decorations and fireworks.
Kadalekaye Parishe (November)
This festival involves worship at the famous Bull Temple, where farmers offer nuts to the gods for blessings, during the first crop of the season.
Bangalore Habba (December)
‘Habba’ in Kannada means ‘Festival’. The Bangalore Habba is a cultural program with participation of artists who come from all over India. Held in many places in Bangalore for around a week, events include music, dance, film panorama, street theatre, adventure sports, a golf tournament, tennis ball cricket tournament, pulling race, vintage car rally, eat outs and shopping, which attract thousands of visitors to Bangalore.
Also see the below websites for greater detail on the various ongoing festivals and related events:
