Plan your trip · Varanasi
What's on in Varanasi
Varanasi's calendar follows the Hindu lunar months, so dates move every year. Autumn is the peak, from Ramlila in Ramnagar through Diwali to Dev Deepawali on the ghats.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Varanasi 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 Varanasi
Varanasi 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 Varanasi
Ganga Mahotsav
🗓️ NovemberMusic and dance on the ghats in the run-up to Dev Deepawali.
Planning: Combine the two — the lamp-lighting is the spectacle.
Across Uttar Pradesh
Dev Deepawali, Varanasi
🗓️ NovemberEvery ghat step lit with oil lamps, fifteen days after Diwali.
Planning: Book a boat in advance and agree the price before boarding.
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.
Ramnagar Ramlila (September–October)
Across the river from the ghats, the town of Ramnagar stages the story of Rama over about a month, in the open air, with different parts of the town standing in for different places in the epic. Much of it is lit by torches rather than electric light, and the Maharaja of Kashi traditionally attends. In 2026 it began on 25 September and runs to the end of October, with Dussehra on 20 October. Bring patience: the crowds walk with the actors from scene to scene. See Ramnagar Fort.
Bharat Milap and Nag Nathaiya
Bharat Milap, the reunion of Rama and his brother, is performed at Nati Imli soon after Dussehra and draws huge crowds. Later in Kartik, Nag Nathaiya at Tulsi Ghat re-enacts Krishna subduing the serpent Kaliya in the river.
Dev Deepawali (November)
On Kartik Purnima, the full moon after Diwali, the ghats are lined with oil lamps from end to end. It is expected on 24 November in 2026. Boats and rooftop spaces sell out weeks ahead; agree a boat price in writing. The Ganga Mahotsav, a cultural festival run by the state, is usually held in the days before it.
Chhath (October–November)
Families from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar stand in the river at sunset and sunrise to make offerings to the sun. Watch from the steps and keep out of the way of those offering.
Mahashivratri and Shravan
Mahashivratri, in February or March, is the biggest night at Kashi Vishwanath, with a procession for Shiva's wedding and queues that run for hours. In Shravan (July–August), Mondays bring kanwariyas carrying Ganga water to the Shiva temples.
Holi (March)
Holi in Varanasi starts early, on Rangbhari Ekadashi, a few days before the main day. The ghats and lanes get rowdy by mid-morning; wear old clothes and keep your phone in a sealed bag.
Sarnath and Sankat Mochan
Buddha Purnima, in April or May, brings processions and prayers to Sarnath. Around Hanuman Jayanti, the Sankat Mochan temple hosts a festival of classical music that runs through the night.
Questions
Varanasi — FAQ
Is the Ramnagar Ramlila on now?
Yes, in 2026 it began on 25 September and runs for about a month, until late October. Each evening covers a different episode, in a different part of Ramnagar, so ask locally where that night's scene is.
How do I watch Dev Deepawali?
From a boat on the river, or from a rooftop above the ghats. Book both weeks ahead, agree the price and timings in writing, and expect the roads to the ghats to close to traffic.
Is Holi in Varanasi safe for tourists?
It can be rough in the old-city lanes, especially for women on their own. Join a group or a hotel celebration, finish by early afternoon and keep valuables at your hotel.
When is the Sankat Mochan music festival?
Around Hanuman Jayanti, usually in April. It runs over several nights, with free concerts inside the temple until dawn; check the year's dates locally.