Bangalore Events and Festivals
(Bangalore, Karnataka, India)
There are always plenty of things to do in Bangalore, whatever the time of year. Hindu festivals have long been an integral part of life in Bangalore and are often based at the city's many prominent temples, such as the historic and rather beautiful Bull Temple.
With snake charming, costumed processions, concerts and many public holidays, such as the Independence Day each August, look out for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in September, the Dussehra Festival (Durga Puja) and Diwali (Deepavaali) each October, and the Bangalore Habba each December, which are amongst the city's main events. Bangalore's most noteworthy annual events are shown below.
Bangalore National Seasons
- Magha (January / February)
- Phalguna (February / March)
- Chaitra (March / April)
- Vaisakha (April / May)
- Jyaistha (May / June)
- Asadha (June / July)
- Sravana (July / August)
- Bhadra (August / September)
- Asvina (September / October)
- Kartika (October / November)
- Aghan (November / December)
- Pausa (December / January)
Bangalore Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- Makara Sankranthi / Pongal - mid-January, holy day celebrated each year in Bangalore at harvest time, with offerings of pumpkins and beans to the Gods of the Harvests and Goodwill, marking the changing seasons
- Republic Day - January 26th, national holiday, celebrating the anniversary of India being established as an actual republic in the mid-20th century
February
- Mahashivratri - late February, a Hindi event honouring Lord Shiva, who was believed to marry the Goddess Parvati on this particular day
March
- Holi - mid-March, marking the full moon during the month of Phalgun, with plenty of live music, dancing and also the throwing of coloured powder. Locals also eat food containing 'bhang', a relation of the Cannabis plant considered to be an aphrodisiac
- Ugadi - late March, particularly popular with foodies, who come to Bangalore during the Ugadi festival to enjoy the tasty Indian dishes and cuisine on offer, which often include mango as a main ingredient
- Karaga Festival - March / April, involving a long parade where earthen pots are carried and balanced on heads
- Yugadi - March / April, regarded as the perfect time to start new ventures, with many houses decorating their exteriors with mango leaves. Yugadi also includes worshipping the god Brahma, at the time when blossoms signify the arrival of spring
April
- Eld-Milad-un-Nabi - late April / early May, a popular Islamic festival remembering the birthday of Prophet Mohammed
May
- Buddha Jayanti (Triple Blessed Festival) - early May, where the birth of Buddha is widely celebrated
June
- There are no significant festivals in Bangalore during the month of June
July
- Naga Panchami - late July / early August, Hindu festival dedicated to snake worshipping. Expect to see plenty of traditional snake charmers
August
- Krishna Janamasthami - mid-August, a religious Hindu festival, involving singing and praying to the Lord Krishna
- Raksha Bandhan - mid-August, an event where sisters bond with their brothers, by giving and receiving gifts
- Independence Day - August 15th, a national holiday in Bangalore and throughout the country, held to remember this important anniversary of India's Independence, which took place on this day in 1947
- Varamahalakshmi - August, a family day where married women throughout Bangalore and the state of Karnataka make a series of offers to the Mother Lakshmi, praying for peace and prosperity
September
- Ganesh Chaturthi - September, a joyous Indian festival held on the day prior to Swarna Gowri, celebrating the birth of Ganesh, one of India's most famous gods, known for its elephant head. This is one of Bangalore's biggest annual events and a major crowd puller
October
- Dussehra (Durga Puja) - early October, Hindi festivities in Bangalore, lasting around ten days and involving the burning of countless images of the demon king Ravana, symbolising the triumph of good over evil
- Diwali (Deepavaali) - mid-October, a huge religious event taking place all over India and lasting five days, with worshipping, decorations and fireworks
November
- Kadalekaye Parishe (Peanut Festival) - November, celebrations abound as the first crop of groundnuts arrives. This festival involves worshipping at the famous Bull Temple, where farmers offer their nuts to the gods
December
- Bangalore Habba - December, one of the city's most notable festivals which seems to get bigger every year, attracting literally thousands of visitors to Bangalore. Expect concerts, dancing, street entertainment, sporting events, outdoor theatrical performances and artists from all around the country