Plan your trip · Shravanabelagola
What's on in Shravanabelagola
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Shravanabelagola — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Shravanabelagola 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 Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola 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 Shravanabelagola
Mahamastakabhisheka
🗓️ every 12 yearsThe 17-metre Gomateshwara statue is anointed from a scaffold above — one of the largest Jain gatherings anywhere.
Planning: Between anointings the hill is quiet, and the 600-step climb is best made barefoot at dawn before the stone heats.
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.
Shravanabelagola's calendar is shaped by the Jain faith. The great event is the Mahamastakabhisheka, when the Gomateshwara statue is bathed from a scaffold with water, milk, sugarcane juice, saffron paste and other offerings. It is held about once every 12 years and draws huge numbers of pilgrims. The last one was in February 2018, and the next is expected in 2030.
Between these years the town is quieter, but Jain festivals such as Mahavir Jayanti, usually in March or April, and Diwali, which Jains also mark as the day of Mahavira's liberation, bring pilgrims to the basadis. Dates follow the lunar calendar and change each year, so check before you plan a trip around them.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Shravanabelagola
- Book your stay months ahead for the Mahamastakabhisheka, as the town and nearby Channarayapatna fill up.
- Expect road closures, shuttle buses and controlled entry to Vindhyagiri during the biggest events.
- Start early, as the hilltop courtyard fills up quickly on festival days.
- Dress modestly and be ready to climb barefoot.
- Carry water and a cap, especially if the event falls in the warmer months.
- Keep your belongings secure in large crowds.
Questions
Shravanabelagola — FAQ
What is the Mahamastakabhisheka?
It is the head-anointing ceremony of the Gomateshwara statue. Priests on a scaffold pour water, milk, sugarcane juice, saffron paste and other offerings over the statue while pilgrims watch from below.
How often is the Mahamastakabhisheka held?
About once every 12 years. The last one was held in February 2018, and the next is expected in 2030, with dates set by the Jain calendar.
Can tourists attend the Mahamastakabhisheka?
Yes. Visitors of all faiths can watch, but crowds are huge and entry to the hill is controlled. Book accommodation early and check the official schedule before you go.
Is Shravanabelagola worth visiting outside festival time?
Yes. Between festivals the town is calm, the climbs are easier and you can spend time at the statue and the basadis without large crowds.