Plan your trip · Rajgir

What's on in Rajgir

Rajgir's calendar mixes a government-run cultural festival, one of Bihar's largest Hindu fairs and the quieter observances of Buddhists and Jains. Most dates follow the lunar calendar, so check them each year.

Nothing dated is confirmed for Rajgir 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 Rajgir

Rajgir's calendar runs through most of the year, with the busiest weeks in the clear, comfortable months and a quieter stretch in the heaviest rain. 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 Rajgir

Malmas Mela

🗓️ every third year

A month-long fair at the hot springs when the extra lunar month falls; Rajgir Mahotsav runs annually in the cool season.

Planning: Combine with Nalanda, half an hour away.

Across Bihar

Chhath Puja

🗓️ October–November

Four days of riverbank ritual at sunrise and sunset, the most important festival in the state.

Planning: Trains into Bihar are booked out weeks ahead — this is the largest annual migration in the region.

Nationwide

Diwali

🗓️ October–November

The biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.

Holi

🗓️ March

Coloured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.

Navratri and Dussehra

🗓️ September–October

Nine 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 year

The 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-January

The harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Rajgir Mahotsav

The Rajgir Mahotsav is a three-day festival of classical and folk music, dance, crafts and food, organised by the Bihar government. It has been held at different times in the cool season over the years; the 2025 edition ran from 19 to 21 December, with a food fair alongside. Evening performances are the main draw. Hotels fill up for those nights, so book early if your dates overlap.

Malmas Mela

About every three years the Hindu calendar adds an extra month, called malmas or adhik maas. For that whole month, tradition holds that the gods come to stay at Rajgir, and pilgrims pour in to bathe at the Brahmakund hot springs. The most recent mela ran from 17 May to 15 June 2026, with special bathing days during the month. It is one of the biggest gatherings in Bihar: colourful, loud and very crowded. Visitors who want quiet sightseeing should avoid those weeks; visitors who want to see a great Hindu fair should aim for them.

Chhath Puja

Chhath, in October or November after Diwali, is Bihar's most important festival. Families stand in water at sunset and again at sunrise to make offerings to the sun, with baskets of fruit and thekua. You can watch respectfully at local ponds and tanks. Trains are extremely full for days around it.

Buddhist dates

Buddha Purnima, in April or May, marks the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Monasteries hold prayers, and pilgrims climb Vulture Peak. International groups visit through the winter months, and you may see large chanting ceremonies at the top.

Jain dates

Mahavir Jayanti, in March or April, brings Jain pilgrims to the hill temples and to Pawapuri nearby. Deepavali is also important for Jains, as the day of Mahavira's nirvana at Pawapuri.

Planning around events

Confirm dates on the Bihar tourism or Nalanda district website; they change year to year.
The ropeways sometimes close for maintenance before big events, as happened in April 2026 before the Malmas Mela.
Pair a festival visit with Nalanda, a short drive north. See the best time to visit.

Questions

Rajgir — FAQ

When is the Rajgir Mahotsav held?

In the cool season, over three days. Recent years have ranged from late October to December; in 2025 it was 19 to 21 December. Check the Bihar tourism site for the current year.

What happens at the Malmas Mela?

For a whole lunar month, pilgrims bathe at the Brahmakund hot springs, attend prayers and visit the fair. The crowds are very large on the main bathing days.

Can tourists watch Chhath Puja in Rajgir?

Yes, respectfully and from a distance. Ask before photographing anyone at the water, especially women making offerings.

Are there Buddhist festivals in Rajgir?

Buddha Purnima in April or May is the main one. Through the winter, pilgrim groups also hold chanting ceremonies on Vulture Peak.