Plan your trip · Majuli
What's on in Majuli
Majuli's festivals come from its satras and its villages. The Raas Mahotsav in November is the one to plan a trip around.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Majuli 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 Majuli
Majuli 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.
Signature to Majuli
Raas Mahotsav
🗓️ NovemberThe satras — Vaishnavite monasteries — stage the Raas over several days on the world's largest river island.
Planning: Ferries are weather-dependent and the island shrinks every year to erosion; allow slack in the schedule.
Across Assam
Bihu
🗓️ mid-April, with smaller Bihus in January and OctoberThe Assamese new year — Rongali Bihu in spring is the big one, with dance, feasting and a week off.
Planning: Combine it with tea-garden season, which is just starting.
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.
Raas Mahotsav, November
The Raas Mahotsav marks Krishna's life, especially his childhood in Vrindavan, through theatre, dance and music. It begins around the full moon of the Assamese month of Kartik, usually in November, and runs for several days. Satras and villages across the island stage performances through the night, with painted masks, elaborate costumes and live music. Monks and villagers, including children, take the roles. Thousands of visitors come, so book rooms and ferries early and expect long queues at the ghat.
Paalnaam at Auniati
The Auniati Satra holds Paalnaam, a festival of continuous devotional chanting over several days, with the satra's Apsara dance performed during the season. Dates follow the satra's calendar, so ask locally before you plan a visit around it.
Magh Bihu, January
The harvest festival. Villages build meji, bonfire huts, and burn them at dawn after a night of feasting. Pitha are made fresh in every home. It is cold and often foggy.
Ali-Aye-Ligang, February
The Mishing spring festival marks the start of the sowing season. Villages celebrate with Gumrag dance, songs and feasts, and apong is shared. Visitors staying in a Mishing homestay are usually welcomed to watch. It is usually held on the first Wednesday of the Mishing month of Ginmur Polo, which falls in February.
Rongali Bihu, April
The Assamese new year, with Bihu dance and music in the villages and fields. It is hot by April, and the island is quieter than in winter.
Planning tips
Most dates follow lunar or local calendars, so confirm them each year. The ferry is the bottleneck on festival days: arrive early at Nimati Ghat and allow for delays. During the Raas, stay at least two nights, as performances run late. See the best time to visit page for weather.
Questions
Majuli — FAQ
When is the Raas Mahotsav on Majuli?
Around the full moon of the Assamese month of Kartik, usually in November, running for several days. The exact dates change each year, so check before booking.
Can visitors watch Raas performances in the satras?
Yes. Performances are open to the public, often with a small donation or ticket at larger venues. Arrive early for a seat, dress modestly and follow the satra's rules on photography.
What is Ali-Aye-Ligang?
The spring sowing festival of the Mishing people, usually in February, with dance, songs and community feasts in Mishing villages.