Gujarat's calendar is full of festivals, from Navratri and Uttarayan to the Rann Utsav and countless local fairs. This page collects festivals celebrated across Gujarat.
Gujaratipedia lists 119 festivals. The list includes Navratri & Garba, Uttarayan (International Kite Festival), Rann Utsav, Diwali & Bestu Varas, Janmashtami at Dwarka, Tarnetar Fair, among others. Entries span Religious, Fair, Statewide, Cultural. Every entry is compiled from public sources and verified. Where a detail is unknown, the field is left blank rather than guessed.
← Explore all of GujaratipediaGujarat's Navratri is famed for nights of Garba dance performed in circles around a central lamp or image of the goddess, and in 2023 UNESCO inscribed Garba of Gujarat on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
On Uttarayan the skies over Gujarat fill with kites, and since 1989 Ahmedabad has hosted the International Kite Festival where flyers from around the world gather along the Sabarmati riverfront.
Rann Utsav is a months-long festival set in a tent city near Dhordo in the Kutch salt desert, offering folk music, dance, crafts and full-moon views across the white Rann.
In Gujarat Diwali is immediately followed by Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year, when families exchange greetings of 'Saal Mubarak' and traders open new account books in a rite called Chopda Pujan.
Dwarka, revered as Krishna's ancient kingdom, draws large crowds for Janmashtami at the Dwarkadhish Temple where the deity's birth at midnight is marked with prayers, bhajans and festivities.
The Tarnetar Fair is known as a matchmaking gathering for the Koli and Bharwad communities, famous for its elaborately embroidered Tarnetar umbrellas and folk dancing.
The Bhavnath Fair at Girnar brings together Naga sadhus and pilgrims for Maha Shivratri, marked by a midnight procession (Maha-puja) and a ritual bath in the Mrigi Kund.
The Modhera Dance Festival, also called Uttarardh Mahotsav, showcases Indian classical dance forms against the backdrop of the 11th-century Sun Temple built by the Chaulukya dynasty.
The Shamlaji Fair gathers tribal and rural devotees, especially Bhil communities, for a fortnight around Kartik Purnima to worship the deity locally known as Kaliyo Dev.
The Vautha Fair is one of Gujarat's largest fairs, historically noted for the trading of donkeys and camels alongside a ritual bath at the sangam of seven rivers.
Kutch Mahotsav is a festival organised to showcase the distinctive folk dance, music, embroidery and handicrafts of the Kutch district of western Gujarat.
The Madhavpur Fair commemorates the marriage of Krishna and Rukmini and has, in recent years, been expanded into the Madhavpur Ghed festival celebrating cultural links between Gujarat and the North-Eastern states.
Dangs Darbar continues a tradition in which the Bhil and Kunbi rulers of the former Dang princely states receive political pensions, accompanied by tribal dance, music and a large fair.
The Chitra Vichitra Fair is one of the largest single-day tribal fairs, drawing Garasia and Bhil communities who gather at the confluence of three rivers to mourn ancestors and then celebrate with music and matchmaking.
The Bhadarvi Poonam Fair at Ambaji draws millions of pilgrims, many walking on foot, to one of the 51 Shakti Peethas dedicated to the goddess Amba.
Ahmedabad's Rath Yatra, one of the oldest and largest in India after Puri, sees the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra pulled through the old city on decorated chariots.
In Gujarat Holi begins with the lighting of the Holika bonfire and continues the next day as Dhuleti, when people smear each other with colours and, in some communities, break pots of buttermilk hung overhead.
Maha Shivratri draws large numbers of devotees to the Somnath Temple in Prabhas Patan, one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, for night-long worship.
Palitana's Shatrunjaya hill, crowned by hundreds of Jain temples, is a major pilgrimage centre where devotees climb thousands of steps, with Kartik Purnima marking the reopening of the pilgrimage route.
Vasant Panchami is observed in Gujarat as the arrival of spring and the worship of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, with yellow clothing and offerings associated with the season.
On Sharad Purnima Gujaratis prepare and offer 'doodh-pauva' left under the moonlight, and the night is associated with Krishna's Raas Leela and folk celebration.
The Kavant Fair, also called the Gol Gadhedo or Gher fair, sees Rathwa and Bhil tribal communities gather in elaborate face paint and costume to dance in circular Gher processions after Holi.
A five-day Mahashivratri fair at the Bhavnath Mahadev temple at the foot of Girnar, Junagadh, famed for its procession of Naga sadhus.
An annual Chaitra fair at Madhavpur, Porbandar, celebrating the legendary marriage of Krishna and Rukmini.
A two-day Kutch fair honouring the saint Mekran Dada, with camel and bullock-cart races.
An annual urs at the Mira Datar dargah in Unava, Mehsana, drawing pilgrims of all faiths.
A large fair at the Ravechi Mata temple in Rapar, Kutch, held on Bhadarva Sud Aatham.
A major fair at the Shamlaji Vishnu temple in Aravalli district on Kartik Purnima.
A months-long winter festival on the White Rann of Kutch with tent city, folk music and crafts.
On the ninth night of Navratri, the Palli of Vardayini Mata is drawn through Rupal village and drenched in rivers of donated ghee at 27 stops, drawing lakhs of devotees.
The Bahucharaji Chaitri Purnima fair draws lakhs of devotees to one of Gujarat's principal Shakti Peethas, revered especially by the transgender (kinnar) community.
The Lili Parikrama sees over a million pilgrims trek a roughly 36-kilometre forested circuit around Girnar after the monsoon, when the hills turn lush green.
Dakor's Ranchhodraiji temple holds major fairs on the Kartik, Falgun, Chaitra and Ashwin full-moon days, with the Falgun Purnima gathering drawing padyatri pilgrims on foot from across Gujarat.
At the Chul no Melo, Rathwa devotees walk across hot ash from the previous night's Holi bonfire as a rite of faith, part of the community's two-fair Holi celebration.
The Gol Feriyo Melo gathers the Rathwa community after Holi around a traditional wooden merry-go-round and days of dance, colour and matchmaking.
The Saputara Monsoon Festival turns Gujarat's lone hill station into a hub of cultural shows, adventure sports and folk performances during the rains.
The Mandvi Beach Festival brings performances, adventure zones, laser shows and craft stalls to one of Kutch's most popular stretches of golden sand.
Organised by Gujarat Tourism, the Somnath Mahashivratri Parv adds art and cultural performances to the Mahashivratri worship at the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas.
The Kawant Ger Mela gathers Rathwa men and women in elaborate costume and face paint for the circular Ger dance, one of eastern Gujarat's most colourful tribal fairs.
The Fagvel fair honours the folk-warrior deity Bhathiji Maharaj with a two-day gathering around Kartik Purnima, drawing devotees from across central Gujarat.
During Chaitra and Ashwin Navratri, thousands of pilgrims walk to the Ashapura Mata shrine at Mata no Madh, the patron goddess of Kutch and the former Jadeja rulers.
The Wondh Mela is one of several late-monsoon fairs of East Kutch, gathering rural communities for worship, trade and folk celebration.
The Sangwari Mela is among the Bhadarva-season fairs of eastern Kutch, drawing villagers for devotion, cattle trade and rural festivity.
The Haji Pir dargah near the India-Pakistan border in Kutch hosts an annual urs where Hindu and Muslim devotees gather in shared reverence for the Sufi saint.
Devotees wade nearly a kilometre into the sea at low tide to reach the Nishkalank Mahadev shrine, with the largest gathering on Bhadarva Amavasya.
The old Bileshwar Mahadev temple on the Bileshwar river draws heavy crowds on Shivratri night and during the Shravan Amavasya fair.
In Gujarat, Raksha Bandhan on Shravan Purnima celebrates the bond between siblings and, among coastal communities, coincides with Nariyeli Purnima offerings to the sea.
On Nag Panchami Gujaratis worship snake images and idols and, in many homes, prepare special offerings for the serpent gods.
Gujarat marks Krishna Janmashtami with night-long bhajans, fasting and celebrations at temples across the state, and grand observances at Dwarka.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across Gujarat, especially in Surat and other cities, with clay Ganesh idols installed at homes and pandals before immersion.
Tulsi Vivah marks the start of the Hindu wedding season in Gujarat, with households performing a symbolic marriage of the sacred Tulsi plant to Shaligram or Krishna.
Bhai Bij falls in the Diwali cluster in Gujarat, when sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' wellbeing, mirroring Raksha Bandhan.
Labh Pancham is considered the luckiest day to resume trade after Diwali in Gujarat, when merchants open their new ledgers and shops.
On Dev Diwali, Kartik Purnima, Gujaratis light lamps and many temple fairs such as Fagvel and Shamlaji reach their peak.
In Gujarat Makar Sankranti and the following day Vasi Uttarayan are spent on rooftops flying kites and eating undhiyu and chikki.
The Kalika Mata temple crowning Pavagadh hill, a Shakti Peeth within the Champaner-Pavagadh UNESCO site, draws large crowds during Navratri and Chaitra fairs.
Gujarat's large Jain community observes Paryushana with fasting, scripture recitation and the concluding Samvatsari, a day of universal forgiveness.
Mahavir Jayanti is marked across Gujarat's Jain centres with processions and worship, notably at Palitana, Taranga and Girnar.
The Taranga hill, with its Solanki-era Ajitnath temple and clustered Digambar and Shwetambar shrines, draws Jain pilgrims on key festival days.
On Kartik Purnima thousands of Jain pilgrims begin the climb up Shatrunjaya hill at Palitana as the sacred route reopens for the pilgrimage season.
The Siddi community of Gir performs the Goma or Dhamal, an African-rooted Sufi drumming and dance honouring the saint Bava Gor at their dargahs.
The Heritage Festival stages cultural performances at Gujarat's landmark monuments, spotlighting the state's Solanki and medieval architecture.
The National Mango Festival gathers growers and visitors in Gandhinagar to display and sample Gujarat's prized mango varieties, above all the Gir Kesar.
The Champaner-Pavagadh site combines Hindu, Jain and Islamic monuments and hosts pilgrim fairs at the Kalika Mata temple and cultural events at the fort complex.
On World Tribal Day, tribal-majority districts including Dahod, Chhota Udaipur and the Godhra region hold cultural gatherings celebrating Adivasi heritage.
Sharad Purnima at Dwarka commemorates Krishna's Raas Leela with special worship at the Dwarkadhish temple under the brightest moon of the year.
The Ravechi Mela gathers Kutchi communities including the Ahir and Rabari around the Ravechi Mata temple with folk music, horse and cattle trade.
The Koteshwar Mahadev temple beside the sacred Narayan Sarovar lake draws pilgrims, especially on Shivratri and Kartik Purnima, at Gujarat's far western coast.
Narayan Sarovar, counted among Hinduism's five holy lakes, hosts a large Kartik Purnima gathering of pilgrims at the western edge of Kutch.
The Sasan Festival pairs cultural programmes with the draw of Gir National Park, the last refuge of the Asiatic lion.
The Jamnagar Lok Mela brings together artisans, folk performers and food stalls celebrating the culture of the Halar region of Saurashtra.
Chaitri Purnima brings folk fairs and worship to numerous Gujarat shrines, most prominently the Bahucharaji temple in Mehsana.
Pilgrims climb the steps of Chotila hill in Surendranagar to the Chamunda Mata shrine, with the largest crowds during Navratri and on Sundays.
Khodaldham at Kagvad, a large modern temple of the Leuva Patidar community's goddess Khodiyar Mata, marks its Patotsav anniversary with mass gatherings.
The Khodiyar Mata temple at Rajpara draws large crowds on the goddess's appearance day, Maha Sud Aatham, a major date for her devotees in Saurashtra.
Beyond its famous donkey and camel trade, the Vautha fair centres on a Kartik Purnima holy dip at the confluence of the Sabarmati and Vatrak with other streams.
The Trinetreshwar (three-eyed Shiva) temple gives Tarnetar its name and is the ritual heart of the Bhadrapada fair renowned for embroidered umbrellas.
Chandod, at the sangam of the Narmada, Orsang and hidden Ganga, hosts ritual bathing and river festivals at its riverside ghats and Gangnath ashram.
Shuklatirth on the banks of the Narmada in Bharuch hosts a Kartik Purnima fair and ritual bathing, close to the legendary giant banyan of Kabirvad.
The Bhadarvi Poonam period at Ambaji brings a mass foot-pilgrimage and special rites such as the Bhaman jyot and Diwal Ghata to the Shakti Peeth.
Gadhada, where Swaminarayan spent much of his later life, holds major Swaminarayan festivals and anniversaries at its historic temple.
The Kashtabhanjan Hanuman temple at Salangpur, a major Swaminarayan pilgrimage site, draws crowds on Hanuman Jayanti and Kali Chaudas.
Hanuman Jayanti draws large crowds to Gujarat's Hanuman shrines such as Salangpur, Sarangpur and Camp Hanuman in Ahmedabad.
Ram Navami is observed statewide in Gujarat and coincides with the Madhavpur fair marking Krishna and Rukmini's marriage in Porbandar district.
Eid al-Fitr is marked across Gujarat's cities, with large congregational prayers and celebrations especially in Ahmedabad, Surat and Bharuch.
During Muharram, communities in Ahmedabad, Surat and other Gujarat towns hold tazia processions commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husain.
The Mira Datar dargah at Unava draws pilgrims of many faiths seeking relief from affliction, with its annual urs a major gathering.
The Sarkhej Roza, tomb complex of the saint Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh, hosts an annual urs and cultural events in the architectural ensemble near Ahmedabad.
The Uttarardh Mahotsav stages Indian classical dance against the backdrop of the eleventh-century Modhera Sun Temple after Uttarayan.
At Chitra Vichitra, Garasia and Bhil communities gather at the confluence of three rivers to mourn ancestors then celebrate with music and matchmaking.
Bhadreshwar in Kutch, with one of the oldest Jain temples in India, hosts pilgrimage gatherings drawing Jain devotees to its coastal tirth.
During the Rann season, full-moon nights on the salt desert near Dhordo and Dholavira are a highlight, with the white expanse glowing under moonlight.
On Shitala Satam Gujarati households eat only food cooked the previous day on Randhan Chhath, worshipping the goddess Shitala for protection from disease.
On Annakut, the day after Diwali, Gujarat's Vaishnav and Swaminarayan temples pile up elaborate food offerings before Krishna in the Govardhan tradition.
Ashadhi Beej is celebrated as the Kutchi New Year, welcoming the monsoon on which the arid Kutch region depends, and shares the day with Ahmedabad's Rath Yatra.
Bhuj hosts craft and cultural gatherings tied to the winter Rann season, spotlighting Kutch's celebrated embroidery, bandhani and metalwork.
Ekta Diwas marks Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary with ceremonies at the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, at Kevadia.
The Kankaria Carnival fills the lakefront in Ahmedabad with cultural shows, food and rides during the year-end week.
On Chandani Padvo, the night after Sharad Purnima, Surat's residents throng streets to buy and eat the city's famous ghari sweet under the full moon.
Tapi Jayanti celebrates the river that flows through Surat, with worship and cultural events along its banks.
Narmada Jayanti is marked with lamp offerings and ritual bathing at Narmada ghats in Gujarat towns such as Chandod, Bharuch and Shuklatirth.
Beyond the Dangs Darbar, the forested Dang district holds tribal Holi fairs where the Bhil, Kunbi and Gamit peoples perform traditional dances.
The Bhil-majority Dahod district celebrates Holi with tribal fairs, drums and dance in a manner distinct from urban Gujarat's Dhuleti.
Saurashtra's towns host lok melas and all-night dayro folk-storytelling and bhajan gatherings that are a hallmark of the region's culture.
During Navratri the Chachar Chowk courtyard of the Ambaji temple becomes a focal point of Garba and goddess worship at the Shakti Peeth.
On Ashadhi Beej communities across Kutch hold fairs and rituals praying for a good monsoon in the drought-prone district.
The Dhrang fair commemorates Mekan Dada, a Kutchi saint who aided desert travellers, with folk performances and animal races.
Ahmedabad, inscribed as India's first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017, marks heritage week with pol walks, cultural programmes and old-city events.
The Tana Riri Mahotsav at Vadnagar celebrates the legendary sisters credited with reviving Tansen through raga Malhar, with a festival of classical music.
On the night of Uttarayan and Vasi Uttarayan, Gujarat's skies glow with tukkal lanterns strung on kite lines above Ahmedabad, Surat and other cities.
Beyt Dwarka, the island temple town linked to Krishna, hosts pilgrim gatherings on Janmashtami and other festivals off the Okha coast.
The Ahmedabad Flower Show transforms the Sabarmati riverfront with themed floral sculptures and gardens, drawing large winter crowds.
Gujarat's Sindhi communities in Gandhidham, Ahmedabad and Kutch celebrate Cheti Chand, the Sindhi New Year honouring the river deity Jhulelal.
Gujarat's historic Parsi towns such as Navsari, Surat and the sacred fire-temple town of Udvada mark Navroz, the Zoroastrian New Year, with prayer and feasting.
Christian communities in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and coastal south Gujarat mark Christmas with church services and midnight mass.
Pilgrims at the Vautha fair take a holy dip where the Vatrak joins the Sabarmati and other streams on Kartik Purnima.
The Gol Gadhedo is a Rathwa and Bhil Holi contest where a young man braves a greased pole and blows from the women below to claim jaggery, tied to courtship.
The Girnar Mahashivratri Mela at Bhavnath gathers Naga sadhus and pilgrims for a midnight procession and ritual bath at Mrigi Kund during Mahashivratri.
The Bhadarva Sud fortnight is the busiest fair season in north Gujarat, peaking with the Ambaji Bhadarvi Poonam and the Shamlaji gathering.
Gujaratipedia lists 119 verified festivals in its Gujarat directory. The festivals, fairs and cultural traditions of Gujarat.
The listing includes entries such as Navratri & Garba, Uttarayan (International Kite Festival), Rann Utsav, Diwali & Bestu Varas, Janmashtami at Dwarka, Tarnetar Fair, among others.
Yes. Every entry is compiled from public sources and nothing is invented. Where a detail is unknown, the field is left blank rather than guessed.