Plan your trip · Wayanad
What's on in Wayanad
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Wayanad — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Wayanad 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 Wayanad
Wayanad'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 and Apr – Jun 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.
Across Kerala
Onam
🗓️ August–SeptemberTen days of flower carpets, feasting on a banana-leaf sadya, and snake-boat races on the backwaters.
Planning: The state effectively stops for it; book houseboats and trains well ahead.
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.
Wayanad's festivals are mostly local and religious rather than big public shows. The largest is the annual festival at Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathi Temple near Mananthavady, usually in March, which draws people from across the district, including its tribal communities. In July or August, pilgrims gather at Thirunelli Temple for Karkidaka Vavu, when rites for ancestors are performed at dawn by the Papanasini stream.
Kerala-wide festivals are celebrated here too: Onam in August or September, Vishu in April, and Christmas, which is widely marked in this district with a large Christian community. Most dates follow the Malayalam calendar and change each year, so check them before you plan a trip around one.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Wayanad
- Check festival dates for the year, as most follow the Malayalam calendar.
- Book stays early for Onam, Christmas and New Year.
- For Karkidaka Vavu at Thirunelli, arrive very early and expect large crowds and rain.
- Dress modestly for temple festivals and follow the rules at each temple.
- Ask before photographing rituals or people taking part.
- Keep your plans flexible in the monsoon, when roads and events can be affected by rain.
Questions
Wayanad — FAQ
What are the main festivals in Wayanad?
The main festivals are the Valliyoorkavu temple festival, Karkidaka Vavu at Thirunelli, Onam, Vishu and Christmas.
When is the Valliyoorkavu festival?
It is usually held in March, in the Malayalam month of Meenam, and lasts about two weeks. Check the exact dates for the year before you go.
What is Karkidaka Vavu at Thirunelli?
It is the day in the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, usually in July or August, when Hindus perform rites for their ancestors. Thirunelli is one of the main places in Kerala for this, and thousands of people come to the Papanasini stream at dawn.
Is Onam celebrated in Wayanad?
Yes. Onam is celebrated across Kerala, including Wayanad, with flower carpets and a sadya meal. It falls in August or September, during the monsoon, so plan for rain.