October is the end of monsoon season and the beginning of Festival season. It is very easy to find interesting religious celebrations throughout the country during October. Starting from patriotic celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti to the religious celebrations like Durga Pooja, the month is quite busy and colorful.
Indian festivals have a strong link to the agriculture cycle. October is the flourishing month right after monsoon and many regions consider it the last month of crop season before harvesting. You can also find numerous community-oriented harvest festivals during October. Some of these celebrations are rooted deep into the culture through mythologies and some are borrowed from other cultures around the world like Halloween (getting popular in numerous major cities). The type of celebrations you choose to enjoy depends on the type of activities you prefer.
For traditional rituals, local cuisine, colorful attire, and unique celebrations, it is best to choose indigenous celebrations and community based religious festivals. For those who love to enjoy cultural activities and artworks, historic event celebrations would be perfect.
These festivals move up and down in the Georgian calendar as they are based on the lunar cycle. Thus, every year, the dates of these celebrations vary considerably. Here is the complete list of festivals in India in October 2020:
Festival to Be Celebrated in October
1. Gandhi Jayanti
Date : 2nd Oct, 2020
Every year on 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti is observed to honor the Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It is celebrated in schools and colleges with great devotion.
It is the birth anniversary of Gandhiji. Therefore, Government offices remain closed on 2 October, as it is declared as national holiday throughout the country. See the Gandhi Jayanti Celebration on Rajghat, Delhi
Suggested Tour :
- Glimpses of Delhi – 2 Days Tour
- 4 Days – Delhi Agra Private Tour
2. India Art Festival, Mumbai
Date : 9th – 11th Oct, 2020
Mumbai Art Fest is a fair for contemporary art forms. This festival is conducted in Mumbai as a platform for budding arts to showcase their works. More than 140 booths with varying styles of exhibitions like sculptures, photography, painting, ceramics, and others take place. This exhibition takes place in the Nehru Center. The festival is participated by art buyers, art writers, fellow artists, gallery owners, distributors, and more. Thus, it gives a good platform for the budding artists to network.
Also Read : Top Festivals & Events in Mumbai
Popular Mumbai Tours
3. Ayilyam Festival, Vetticode
Date : 12th Oct, 2020
This is the annual temple festival, which takes place at the Nagaraja Swami Temple of Vetticode in the district of Allappuzha. This festival is famous for the ceremonial procession that takes place from the temple to an ancient still-preserved Brahmin house, Meppallil Illam. At the evening, Sarpabali ritual takes place, which is the highlight of the festival.
Also Read : Top Fairs and Festivals in Kerala
4. Marwar Festival
Date : 12th Oct – 13rd Oct, 2020
This annual dance and music festival is celebrated for two days in Jodhpur on the full moon days of the month. This festival is a tribute to the heroes of Rajput Princely State. Marwar festival centers on the tradition and culture of the bygone rulers of the land. Live entertainment, folk performances, turban tying competition, polo match, camel tattoo competition and other exotic activities are conducted during this festival. During the festival, a large fair is also conducted. You can find loads of shops selling souvenirs, artifacts, handicrafts, traditional attire, embroidery items and so on.
In 2020, Marwar festival is celebrated on 12th and 13th October.
Get Complete Guide : About Marwar Festival of Jodhpur
Popular Rajasthan Tours
5. Batukamma
Date : 15th – 23rd Oct, 2020
Batukamma is a floral festival of Telangana state. Some regions of Andhra Pradesh also celebrate this festival. This festival falls during the Navaratri celebration. During this festival, women arrange seasonal flowers of different medicinal value in the shape of a temple spire. For the nine days, rituals of varying style are conducted during evenings. Special offerings are prepared and served to the visitors and pilgrims.
In 2020, Bathukamma is celebrated from 15th to 23th October.
Also Read : 15 Famous Festivals in Andhra Pradesh
6. Navrathri Sangeetholsavam
Date : 17th – 26th Oct, 2020
This is a Kerala cultural festival, which takes place in Trivandrum’s Navrathri Mandapam. This is also called the Navratri Music Festival, which takes place for nine days. During this festival, musical performers from around the state take part and perform for the audience. The festival focuses on spreading the works of Swathi Thirunal, a music composer and Travancore’s former king.
Also Read : Top Fairs and Festivals in Kerala
Popular Kerala Tours
7. Karni Mata Festival
Date : 17th – 26th Oct, 2020
Karni Mata temple of Bikaner is one of the important and unique temples of Rajasthan. In this temple, people pray to rats, feed them and consider the remaining food as offering from God. The Karni Mata festival is celebrated twice a year. This festival is mostly celebrated inside the temple and areas around it. Special rituals and decorations are conducted and a small fair is conducted around the temple. This festival is also called as the Karni Mata fair. The fair is also celebrated in March-April month.
In 2020, Karni Mata festival starts on 17th October and ends on 26th October.
Suggested Bikaner Tours :
- 14 Days – Village Tours in Rajasthan
- 15 Days – Historical Rajasthan With Agra Tour
- 15 Days – Delhi Agra and Rajasthan Tour
- 18 Days – Rajasthan Tour
8. Navratri or Durga Puja
Date : 17th – 25th Oct, 2020
During Navaratri, Goddess of strength, Durga is worshiped with rituals and faith. This festival is celebrated in all parts of India with much enthusiasm. Navratri in Sanskrit means nine nights. This nine-day long festival has to come on top of the list with the grand celebration, joy and festivity it gets. Therefore, Goddess Durga is worshiped for nine nights in her nine different forms. Along with Goddess Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi are also worshipped. Worshiping, fasting, dancing and feasting, all of it covers the entire days with various culture celebrations.
During this time should not miss out of the grandness of this festival. Huge Durga idols installed on podiums and massive pandal decoration is done to cover the whole city in the excitement of the festival. The celebration drives the crowd to witness the shows, lights and picturesque idol view with aromatic food stalls.
This festival is celebrated in different region of India in between September and October in the month of Sharad (according to Hindu calendar). The festival is celebrated as Navaratri or Durga Puja. Kolkata is the city where Durga Puja mainly celebrated. The tenth day is
This year Navratri or Durga Puja will begin on 17th October and Ends on 25th October, 2020
Also Read : Why should you visit India during Durga Puja?
Suggested Tour : Kolkata Full Day Sightseeing Tour
9. Mysore Dasara
Date : 17th – 27th Oct, 2020
This Dussehra with a difference is celebrated on a grand scale and ensures a lavish cultural display with a carnival. In Mysore, Dussehra honors Goddess Chamundeswari, who killed the demon Mahishasur. This year the festival will be celebrated on 17 – 27th October 2020.
Read Here : Complete Info about Mysore Dasara
Suggested Tour : 3 Days – Karnataka Tour
10. Tithal Beach Festival, Gujarat
Date : 21st Oct – 4th Nov, 2020
Beach Festival is a beach celebration that takes place in Tithal Beach, which is a little away from Valsad town. During this festival, the beach becomes a hub for adventure and tourist activities. You can take part in water ball, volleyball, beach cricket, and other activities. By evening, a musical night performance takes place. Some people also take cruise to enjoy the shoreline.
11. Kota Dussehra
Date : 25th Oct, 2020
With cultural performances, the look of this festival is a rural one in Kota, Rajasthan. Artisans from different places come to sell their wares. It also see towering effigies of Ravana being burnt. Additionally, there is a captivating procession from the royal palace to the ground that features decorated elephants, camels and folk dancers. It will be begin from 25th October 2020.
Read More : How to Reach Kota
Suggested Tour : 13 Days – Taj Mahal and North India Tour
12. Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra
Date : 25th Oct, 2020
Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami is celebrated as the tenth day of Navratri or Durga Puja. It is celebrated all over India as the end of Navratri.
The victory of Rama over Ravana is celebrated on this day. In the northern part of India ‘Ramleela’ is observed by enacting plays from the heroic life of Lord Rama, recitations are held and music are also being played.
In the eastern part of India and in Bengal, Dussehra is celebrated as the immersion of goddess Durga’s Idol in a river or in the sea.
This year Vijaya Dashami or Dusshera will be observed on 25th October 2020.
India Tour Packages by Destinations
13. Kullu Dussehra
Date : 25th – 31st Oct, 2020
This dussehra is celebrated differently than the other cities as effigies of Ravana are not burnt. Goddess Hadimba is carried from the temple in Manali down to Kullu, and taken to the palace to have her blessing from the royal family. The fair ground is dipped in cultural performances and venders from all the countries. On the last day of the festival the chariot is carried to the Beas river and then a pile of bushes in burnt depicting the burning of Lanka. This year it will be celebrated on 25th – 31st October 2020.
Suggested Tour : 6 Days – Shimla Manali Tour Packages
14. Rajasthan International Folk Festival
Date : 29th Oct – 2nd Nov, 2020
Rajasthan International Folk Festival is also called as Jodhpur RIFF. This is an art and music festival which is celebrated to promote local traditional performance arts. This festival is held in the majestic Mehrangarh Fort. This festival is celebrated on the full moon night of the year in October or September (the brightest full moon of the year). This is tagged as one of the best 25 international festivals and UNESCO supports the festival as a platform of creativity and sustainable development. Concerts, music performances and other art forms are showcased during this festival.
In 2020, Rajasthan international folk festival is celebrated from 29th Oct to 2nd November.
Also Read : Famous Festivals and Events in Rajasthan
Suggested Tour : 17 Days – Rajasthan Cultural & Wildlife
15. Tawang Festival
Date : 28th – 31st Oct, 2020
Tawang Festival is a cultural extravaganza that takes place in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. The Tawang Festival takes place for three days starting with Sebang, a religious procession of the Tawang monks. The days are celebrated with traditional performances, tribal dance, exhibition, shopping for handloom products, painting and artwork hunting, and others. The Aji-Lhamu Dance is quite an eye-catching one. Every event and dance takes place on the streets, allowing the locals and tourists to walk around and enjoy multiple events.
16. Kabir Yatra
Date : To be announced
2020 will see the fifth Kabir Yatra festival. This is a religious festival of Sufism, which is conducted in Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur. During this evening, a group of traveling folk musicians from around the country conduct music performances in Sufi genre.
Kabir, Bulleh Shah, and Mira are some of the Sufi saints participating in this event. Apart from music, this festival also showcases local talents in sculpturing, painting, photography, and others. This is one of the unique traditional festivals to enjoy the aboriginal lifestyle of Rajasthan.
17. India Music Summit
Date : To be announced
In 2020, the 4th edition of India Music Summit takes place in Fairmount, Jaipur. This festival brings together the top music talents of the country. You can find numerous music performances from various musicians under different genres. The summit starts with baithaks in the morning. You can find concerts, masterclasses, professional conversations, and night sessions during this event.
18. Ramnagar Ramlila
Date : To be announced
This is the world’s oldest Ramlila, Varanasi that reenacts the Hindu epic Ramayana and commences with the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Rama to win over Ravana. Ramlila goes on for a month every year from Anant Chaturdashi and ends at full moon night.
Read More : Holy Places in Varanasi
Suggested Tour :
- Varanasi One Day Tour
- 2 Days – Varanasi Tour
- 3 Days – Varanasi Tour including Sarnath
19. Ashwa Poojan
This Rajasthani festival is grandly celebrated by the Mewar royal family of Udaipur on the last day of Navratri and marks the worshipping of Horse. It is dedicated to the special relationship of the warrior and the horse. Mouthwatering Rajasthani cuisines are the main highlight of the event.
Ashwa Poojan date is not announced yet.
Read More : How to Reach Udaipur
Suggested Tour : 9 Days – Taj Mahal Tour With Udaipur
20. Samsara Himalaya Edition
Bringing a new outlook to the wellness and connecting the music lovers from across the world is Samsara Himalaya edition is all about. It also features a range of wellness and natural health practitioners while encompassing the Bir international Yoga festival. The visitors will also be introduced to sound and vision healing.
Major Fairs and Festivals of India
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