Festivals in October 2025 in India

Narvaratri is one of those festivals in Hindu tradition that goes on for an extended period of 9 days and is celebrated with great enthusiasm in various parts of India, particularly in western states like Kerala, Gujrat, and Madhya Pradesh, as well as in north Indian states. The festival is celebrated by fasting, prayer, and various other events. Garba is done in Gujrat and Mumbai. Navratri also holds a decent level of importance in Hindu tradition as it leads to Diwali, one of the biggest festivals in Indian tradition, and it celebrates victory over the darkness as light and prosperity. The Navratri festival brings a lot of positive experiences and preserves the culture and traditions of the Hindu people.

Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday in India, which is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Who is known as the father of our nation? Today, we celebrate the Jayanti by paying tribute to Gandhi’s legacy of non-violence, the moment of civil disobedience, and her commitment to India’s struggle for independence. Various ceremonies, prayers, and cultural events are organized to respect his life and teachings. The government also collects programs and initiatives promoting Gandhi’s peace, harmony, and social justice principles. Remembering his values, virtues, and life story was a great day. Also, the spirit of non-violence has an intense line of thought and the universal brotherhood.

Mysore Dushhera is a big festival for Karnataka, representing the state’s rich cultural heritage. This festival is celebrated on the occasion of celebrating the victory of the goddess Chamundeshwari over the demon Mahishasura. The celebration of this festival includes a grand procession, which features big, detailed decorated elephants, camels, and horses, as well as cultural performances and the illumination of the majestic Mysore place that is made to occur at the time of the festival. The Mysore festival powerfully represents how the region’s old legacy and deeply rooted traditions have been preserved for generations. It is a time of community experience, cultural presence, and celebrating the divine feminine.

Maha Navami is a festival of loads and deliberations about the final day of Durga Puja. It is mainly celebrated in states like West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam. On this, the goddess Durga is worshipped in her most potent form, and this experience is just great overall. On this day, the devotees offer their prayers to Ma Durga by performing different rituals and seeking the blessings of the divine mother. This festival is also celebrated as Ayudha Puja, where other people gather to worship the tools, vehicles, and instruments that provide them with livelihood. The festival gives us enough time to reflect, present gratitude, and acknowledge the divine feminine energy that sustains this universe.

Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. Also known as Vijayadashami, it celebrates the victory of good over evil, which is symbolized by the defeat of the demon king Ravana, along with sons Meghanath and Kumbakarna; it is burned as part of a carnival to relive the epic battle from the Ramayana. Various types of parades, fares, dance performances, and different cultural programs are organized, representing the rich cultural heritage and the diversity the country has to reflect. It also marks the end of the occasion of the Durga Puja Festival in the eastern and northern states, where people worship the goddess Durga and then are submerged in the water.

Kullu Dushera is a unique and exciting festival celebrated in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is a week-long celebration that begins on the day of Vijay dashi (the tenth day of the Hindu calendar ), and it celebrates and makes us remember the victory of lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. The festival includes gathering local deities brought to the procession to the Kullu Dushera as a part of the celebration. Various traditional dances happen, and music and beautiful patterns are also observed as part of it. The colorful activities all contribute to the festivities and celebrations. It reflects the great cultural legacy of the place; it is a place where the divine and earthly come together.

Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival primarily celebrated in northern India, mainly in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Har, Yana, and Punjab. It is the day of couples; the married women fast from sunrise to the moonrise for their husband's well-being and long life. The festival brings various rituals and customs, such as applying Henna, exchanging gifts, and breaking the fast only when seeing the moon. Karwa Chauth polishes the bond between a husband and wife and celebrates the bond between both. It showcases deep-rooted traditions and various cultural practices in different regions, which one has to do for one's whole life.

Bhondla is a unique festival celebrated by Maharashtrian women, specifically in Konkan. This festival celebrates the bond between mothers and daughters, where mothers celebrate this bond with their daughters by organizing various games, Anders. The festival is celebrated by creating multiple types of Rangoli designs that are beautiful and authentic, various traditional songs are sung, and different kinds of sweets and delicacies are shared. Bhondla is a traditional festival of Maharastra that successfully represents the strong matriarchal traditions of Maharastra, where the nurturing and empowering part of the feminine spirit is rooted in the foundational grounds of the state; it’s perfect to be a part of something like this.

Usually, on the day following Diwali Puja, Govardhan Puja commemorates the day that Lord Krishna defeated God Indra. In the Hindu month of Kartik (October–November), Govardhan Pooja is observed on the first day of Shukla Paksha. Diwali and Govardhan Puja may occasionally be separated by one day. Govardhan Puja is recommended in religious books to be celebrated on Pratipada Tithi in the month of Kartik. The Hindu calendar's Govardhan Puja day may fall one day ahead of Amavasya day, contingent on the commencement time of Pratipada. Another name for Gowardhan Puja is Annakut Puja. This day is dedicated to cooking and offering meals to Lord Krishna, including grains such as wheat, rice, gram flour curries, and green vegetables.

The love, feelings, and emotions shared among siblings are hard to interpret. However, affection between a brother and a sister might be strengthened on particular days or events. One such event that captures the enduring love between two siblings is Bhaiya Dooj. This lovely celebration is a significant time when sisters pray to God for their loving brother's longevity, health, and wealth. The event takes place two days following the Diwali celebration. Sisters apply tilak, put vermilion on their brothers' foreheads instead of tying a Rakhi, give their brothers gifts of sweets and dried coconuts, wish them luck and good health, and receive gifts in return. Bhai Dooj is similar to the Raksha Bandhan Festival, which simply reflects the special bond of brother and sister.

When Kartik Purnima falls in November, Pushkar hosts the annual Pushkar Fair, often called the Pushkar Camel Fair. Countless horses, oxen, and camels assemble for this age-old carnival. Numerous visitors from all over the world come to see this seven-day vibrant and distinctive display. Besides animal exchanges, the biggest draws of the fiesta are horse and camel races, cultural displays, exhibits, magic acts, a competition for the enormous moustache, a bridal competition, and much more. It is also well known that this fair is one of the biggest livestock fairs in the world. One should not pass on this event since it is an experience of a lifetime. Rajasthan Tourism has given recognition to the fair several times over the years.

The festival of Chhath Puja, also called Surya Sashthi, is held six days after Diwali and is dedicated to worshipping Surya, the Sun God, and his spouse Usha (Chhathi Maiya). Since Chhath Puja is one of the oldest Hindu holidays, it is essential to the Hindu community. This puja is conducted to thank the Sun God for keeping life on Earth alive. The four-day Chhath Puja is an upavas/vrat that falls on the night of Shashti tithi of Shukla Paksha. It is observed during the Hindu calendar month of Karthik, beginning on Shukla Chaturthi and ending on Shukla Satami. October or mid-November are the usual times for it on the English calendar. It is one of the most important festivals in winter in India.