Plan your trip · Badami
What's on in Badami
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Badami — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Badami right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.
The year in Badami
Badami packs most of its outdoor calendar into the cooler months; the pre-monsoon peak is hot enough that daytime processions are genuinely hard going. Broadly, Oct – Mar is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.
Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.
Nationwide
Diwali
🗓️ October–NovemberThe biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.
Holi
🗓️ MarchColoured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.
Navratri and Dussehra
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.
Eid al-Fitr
🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each yearThe end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.
Makar Sankranti and Pongal
🗓️ mid-JanuaryThe harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Badami's biggest event is the Banashankari Jatre, the annual fair at the Banashankari Temple just outside the town. It begins around Banada Hunnime, the full moon usually in January, and runs for several weeks, with a chariot procession, cultural programmes and a large market that draws pilgrims from across north Karnataka and neighbouring states.
The cool months also bring cultural festivals to the Chalukya sites. The Chalukya Utsav is held in Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal in some years, and the Pattadakal Dance Festival puts classical dance on a stage in front of the temples, usually in January or February. Dates change every year and these events are not held every year, so check the latest schedule before you plan around them.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Badami
- Book your stay early if you are visiting during the Banashankari Jatre or a cultural festival.
- Expect heavy crowds and traffic on the road to the Banashankari Temple on the main fair days.
- Carry water, a hat and sunscreen, as most events are outdoors.
- Dress modestly for temple fairs and processions.
- Keep your phone and wallet secure in crowded areas.
- Carry cash for fair stalls and small vendors.
Questions
Badami — FAQ
What are the main festivals in Badami?
The Banashankari Jatre is the biggest. The Chalukya Utsav and the Pattadakal Dance Festival are held in some years, and Diwali, Makar Sankranti and Ugadi are celebrated across the town.
When is the Banashankari Jatre?
The fair usually begins around Banada Hunnime, the full moon in January, and continues for several weeks. The exact dates follow the lunar calendar, so check them for the year you plan to visit.
What happens at the Banashankari Jatre?
The goddess is taken out in a chariot procession, and the temple grounds fill with stalls, cultural programmes and pilgrims from across north Karnataka and neighbouring states.
When is the Pattadakal Dance Festival?
It is usually held in January or February, with classical dance performed in front of the temples at Pattadakal. It is not held on a fixed date every year, so check the Karnataka Tourism schedule before you go.