Plan your trip · Sanchi
What's on in Sanchi
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Sanchi — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Sanchi 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 Sanchi
Sanchi 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 Sanchi
Chetiyagiri Vihara festival
🗓️ NovemberThe relics of the Buddha's disciples are brought out for public viewing for one day each year.
Planning: The only day they are shown; the stupas themselves are open year-round and best in winter light.
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.
Sanchi is a quiet village for most of the year, and its biggest event is Buddhist. The Chetiyagiri Vihara festival is usually held on the last weekend of November. It is the one time each year when the relics of Sariputta and Mahamoggallana, two of the Buddha's chief disciples, are brought out for public viewing. The festival has been held every year since the relics were enshrined at Sanchi in 1952, and monks and pilgrims come from across India and from countries such as Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand and Korea.
Hindu festivals such as Diwali and Holi are celebrated in the village and in nearby Vidisha, as across Madhya Pradesh. Festival dates move a little from year to year, so confirm them before you book, and reserve a room early if you want to be here for the relic festival.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Sanchi
- Book a room early for the November festival, or stay in Bhopal or Vidisha and come for the day.
- Reach the hill early on festival days, before the crowds build.
- Dress modestly and take off your shoes where the relics are shown.
- Ask before photographing monks and pilgrims, and do not use flash during ceremonies.
- Carry a light jacket, as late-November mornings are cool.
- Keep water and snacks with you, as food near the monuments is limited.
- Check the year's dates with Madhya Pradesh Tourism or the Raisen district administration before you travel.
Questions
Sanchi — FAQ
What are the main festivals in Sanchi?
The biggest is the Chetiyagiri Vihara festival, usually on the last weekend of November, when relics of two of the Buddha's chief disciples are shown to the public. Diwali and Holi are also celebrated in Sanchi and nearby Vidisha.
When is the Chetiyagiri Vihara festival held?
It is usually held on the last Saturday and Sunday of November, and in some years it runs into the first day of December. Confirm the year's dates before you book.
Can visitors see the relics at Sanchi?
Yes, but only during the annual festival in late November. For the rest of the year the relics are kept inside the Chetiyagiri Vihara and are not on display.
Is Sanchi crowded during the November festival?
Yes. Thousands of monks and pilgrims come for the festival, and Sanchi has few places to stay, so book early or stay in Bhopal or Vidisha.