Rajasthan festivals calendar

This table lists the festivals our guests ask about most, with their usual months. The lunar festivals can fall in either of the months shown.

January opens with Makar Sankranti on 14 January, when Jaipur's rooftops fill with people flying kites from morning to dusk, and the sky over the old city is crowded with paper. It is one of the most joyful days of the year in the city, and we arrange a rooftop with a local family. Later in the month, the Jaipur Literature Festival brings writers and readers from around the world for about five days of talks, and Bikaner holds its Camel Festival, with decorated camels, races and folk music.

February belongs to the desert. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival runs for three days around the Magh full moon, with a procession through the city, turban-tying and Mr Desert contests, camel races and polo, and evenings of Manganiyar music. The last evening is usually held on the Sam dunes under the full moon. It is a state-organised event rather than an old tradition, but it adds colour to an excellent month in the Thar.

Winter festivals coincide with the best weather of the year, which makes January and February the easiest months to combine a festival with a full circuit of the state. Pair the Literature Festival with Ranthambore, or the Desert Festival with Jodhpur and Udaipur.

Holi, the festival of colours, falls on the full moon of Phalgun, usually in March. The night before, bonfires mark Holika Dahan; in Udaipur, the Mewar royal family hosts a ceremonial Holika Dahan at the City Palace. On the day itself, people throw coloured powder and water in the streets. In cities it can be rowdy, and we usually arrange a private celebration at your hotel, with natural colours and music, followed by a quiet afternoon.

Jaipur's Elephant Festival, once held on the eve of Holi with painted elephants, polo and parades, has not been held in its traditional form for several years following concerns over animal welfare. Guests sometimes still see it advertised. Check current status before you travel; we do not plan journeys around it.

Gangaur follows Holi for 18 days, ending in March or April. Women pray to the goddess Gauri for marital happiness, and on the final two evenings Jaipur holds royal processions from the City Palace through Tripolia Bazaar. Udaipur marks Gangaur on the ghats of Lake Pichola, alongside the Mewar Festival, with processions and boats on the water.

Teej is the festival of the monsoon. Hariyali Teej, in the month of Shravan, usually falls in late July or August, when women dress in green and leheriya tie-dye, apply henna, sing on swings hung from trees and fast for their husbands' well-being. In Jaipur, the goddess Teej Mata is carried from the City Palace in a procession on two evenings. Sweet shops fill with ghewar, the honeycomb sweet of the season.

About two weeks later, Bundi celebrates Kajli Teej with its own procession and fair. Monsoon travel brings quieter palaces, green hills and lower rates, and these festivals give a reason to visit. Processions can be shortened by heavy rain, so check current status before you travel.

October brings Jodhpur's two music festivals around Sharad Purnima, the full moon of Ashwin. The Marwar Festival, run by Rajasthan Tourism over two days, celebrates the folk music and dance of the region. Jodhpur RIFF, the Rajasthan International Folk Festival, is a separate ticketed event held at Mehrangarh Fort, with Rajasthani and international musicians on the ramparts. Dussehra falls in the same season, with effigies of Ravana burned across the state.

Diwali, in October or November, lights up every city with lamps and fireworks. Palace hotels hold celebrations, families visit temples and markets are crowded with shoppers. It is a beautiful time, but hotels charge their highest rates and book out early.

The year ends with the Pushkar Camel Fair, in the days before Kartik Purnima in October or November. Herders bring camels, horses and cattle to the dunes for trading, and pilgrims arrive for the full-moon bath in the sacred lake. Arrive three or four days before the full moon to see the livestock trading at its peak.

Festivals raise demand for hotels, cars and guides, so book early. For the Pushkar Fair, the Desert Festival, Diwali and the Literature Festival, we suggest 6–9 months. Build the rest of the journey so the festival is one part of it, not the whole: crowds and long days are tiring, and quieter places before and after help.

Photographers should plan for early mornings, when light is best and crowds smaller. Families should pick the parts of a festival that suit children, such as the kites at Makar Sankranti, and avoid the busiest days. Everyone should carry small notes, wear comfortable shoes and keep valuables close.

Not every guest wants a festival, and that is fine. Many of the best moments in Rajasthan come on ordinary days: a temple bell at dusk in Pushkar, a wedding procession passing the hotel gates, women singing at a village well. If your dates fall outside the big festivals, ask us about local fairs and temple celebrations along your route. Smaller events, such as village fairs in Shekhawati or temple festivals in Udaipur's old city, are often more personal and less crowded than the famous ones, and your guide will know when they fall.

• Confirm festival dates before booking flights
• Book rooms on procession routes or rooftops in advance
• Plan a quiet day after each festival day
• Dress modestly and follow local customs at religious events