Plan your trip · Somnath
What's on in Somnath
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Somnath — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Somnath 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 Somnath
Somnath's calendar works around the monsoon — the big outdoor events sit either side of it, and the wettest weeks are the quietest ones for anything held in the open. 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 Somnath
Kartik Purnima and Mahashivaratri
🗓️ November, and February–MarchTwo peaks at a temple rebuilt more times than any other in India, on the Arabian Sea.
Planning: The evening sound-and-light show runs most of the year, though not in the monsoon; the sea-facing aarti is the thing to time.
Across Gujarat
Navratri garba
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of garba and dandiya, from neighbourhood squares to grounds holding thousands. Gujarat does this more seriously than anywhere else.
Planning: Large venues ticket in advance; the state is dry, so do not expect a bar.
Uttarayan kite festival
🗓️ 14–15 JanuaryGujarat takes to its rooftops to fly kites for two days straight — most intensely in the old quarters of Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Planning: Coated kite string injures people on two-wheelers every year — avoid riding on those days.
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.
Somnath's calendar follows Shiva. The holy month of Shravan brings pilgrims from across India, especially on Mondays, and on Mahashivratri (February or March) the temple stays open through the night for special worship. In November, the Shree Somnath Trust holds the five-day Kartik Purnima fair, a tradition going back to the 1950s, with stalls, rides, cultural programmes and a special midnight aarti at the temple on the full-moon night. Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, is celebrated at Bhalka Tirth.
Most festivals follow the Hindu lunar calendar, so their dates move from year to year. Check the dates before you travel, and book rooms early if you plan your trip around one; the best time to visit Somnath shows how they fit with the weather. On ordinary evenings, the Jay Somnath light-and-sound show tells the story of the temple after the 7 pm aarti, every night except during the monsoon.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Somnath
- Book rooms early for Shravan Mondays, Mahashivratri and the Kartik Purnima fair.
- Carry as little as possible on festival days, as phones and bags must be left at the cloakroom.
- Reach the temple early in the morning or late at night to avoid the longest queues.
- Wear light, modest clothing and slip-on sandals, as you may queue for a long time.
- Carry water, as even November afternoons can be hot.
- Keep your belongings secure in crowds, and follow the barriers and police instructions.
- Check the year's dates before you travel, as lunar festivals move by weeks.
Questions
Somnath — FAQ
What are the main festivals and events in Somnath?
The biggest are Shravan month, Mahashivratri and the Kartik Purnima fair. Janmashtami is celebrated at Bhalka Tirth, Navratri brings garba evenings, and 11 May marks the anniversary of the temple's consecration in 1951.
When is the Kartik Purnima fair in Somnath?
The fair runs for five days around Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartik, which usually falls in November. The Shree Somnath Trust organises it near the temple, and the temple stays open later than usual during the fair. Check the year's dates before you go.
What happens at Somnath on Mahashivratri?
Mahashivratri, in February or March, is the biggest day of the year at the temple. It stays open through the night, often for around 40 hours, with special pujas and very long queues, so go early and carry as little as possible.
Why is Shravan month special in Somnath?
Shravan is the holiest month of the year for Shiva's devotees, and it falls between late July and mid-September, depending on the year. Pilgrims come to Somnath in large numbers, especially on Mondays, so expect long queues and book rooms early.