The month of January in India feels festive from the very first day. With the winter settling in and the onset of the harvest season, various areas are filled with colourful festivals, rituals, music and community feasts. The festivals in January in India demonstrate the strong association that Indians have with nature, religion and changing of the seasons, which, in turn, is represented by skies filled with kites, sacred river baths, large cultural festivals and old-fashioned traditions. It is a month when villages, towns and cities are celebrating new beginnings in their own different styles. Plan a visit to India this January as it would be an opportunity to see India at its most colourful with all its festivals narrating a story that is based on history, belief and culture.
15 Best Festivals in January in India
January is packed with festivals that showcase India’s colours, rituals, music, and food. Be it harvest celebrations in the south or spiritual gatherings in the north, this month offers travellers a golden chance to experience authentic local culture at its liveliest through the festivals in January in India.
1. Lohri
Lohri is celebrated as a traditional mid-winter festival with remarkable enthusiasm in Punjab and neighbouring regions of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The festival marks the end of the winter solstice and longer days ahead, hence it is all about bonfires, folk songs and dancing around in groups. Families gather around the bonfires and throw sesame seeds, jaggery and popcorn into the fire. Traditional music, energetic bhangra and gidda performances and the sharing of festive foods like rewri and gur sweeten the night. For farmers and newlywed couples, the festival also holds special significance for seeking blessings.
Location: Punjab (major celebrations), also in Haryana & Himachal Pradesh
Date: 13 January (every year)
Festival Highlights: Bonfires, bhangra and gidda dances, sesame sweets (gur, rewri)
2. Pongal
Pongal is one of the biggest harvest celebrations among the festivals in January in South India and a major highlight among festivals in January in India. Celebrated over four days, it expresses gratitude to nature, the Sun God, cattle and agricultural bounty. Homes are decorated with colourful kolams, fresh sugarcane is shared, and families prepare the traditional Pongal dish using newly harvested rice, milk and jaggery. Temples, villages and city streets are alive with cultural performances, decorating bullocks and community feasts, offering travellers a real look into Tamil Nadu’s rural and cultural traditions.
Location: Tamil Nadu and parts of South India
Date: 14-17 January
Festival Highlights: Traditional Pongal cooking, kolams, cattle worship, folk dances
3. Magh Bihu / Bhogali Bihu
Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, is among the famous festivals in India in Assam and parts of the Northeast, marking the end of the harvesting season in the Assamese month of Magh. Community feasting (bhoj), bonfires (meji) and local games are intrinsic to the celebration. Villages erect ceremonial bonfires and create structures from bamboo and cane around which people sing folk songs and eat traditional sweets such as pitha and laru, along with rice dishes. The event celebrates plenty and gratitude, cementing the bonds between different communities.
Location: Assam and the Northeastern states
Date: 14-15 January (varies slightly by region)
Festival Highlights: Bonfire rituals, traditional food, folk music, community feasts
4. Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in January in India, marking the sun’s change into the zodiac sign Capricorn (Makara). This change represents longer days, the end of winter and the start of the harvest season. The festival features regional variations-kite flying in Gujarat, tilgul sweets in Maharashtra, khichdi offerings in Uttar Pradesh and harvest rituals in rural India. Despite the different customs, the main theme is gratitude towards nature, prosperity and renewal, making it a significant celebration across the country.
Location: Celebrated across India (notably Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan)
Date: 14 January (annually)
Festival Highlights: Kite flying, harvest rituals, sesame and jaggery sweets, river bathing ceremonies
5. Maha Kumbh Mela
The Maha Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious festivals in January in North India. It is held at Prayagraj, one of the best places to visit in North India, during important astrological times. In January, millions of devotees visit the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers to take ritual baths believed to cleanse sins and provide spiritual merit. The event includes some of the best things to do in Prayagraj, such as religious discussions, processions of ascetics, spiritual camps and devotional activities. Attending in January offers a powerful view into India’s spiritual traditions and the scale of faith.
Location: Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
Date: January to March (key bathing dates fall in January)
Festival Highlights: Holy river bathing, spiritual processions, religious gatherings
6. Rann Utsav
Rann Utsav is one of the most spectacular festivals in January in India, organised in the vast white salt desert of the Rann of Kutch. This long-running cultural extravaganza celebrates Gujarat's folk culture through music, dance, handicrafts and local cuisine. The weather in January is very pleasant and is considered ideal for visiting the moonlit white sand desert. Luxury tent cities, camel cart rides, cultural evenings and adventure activities make the festival a complete immersive experience of Kutch’s heritage.
Location: Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
Date: Ongoing in January (23 October 2026 - 4 March 2026)
Festival Highlights: White salt desert views, cultural performances, handicrafts, luxury tent stays
7. International Kite Flying Festival
The International Kite Flying Festival is among the most colourful festivals in January in India, which fills the skies with thousands of vibrant kites during Makar Sankranti. Celebrated with excitement, especially in Ahmedabad, the festival draws kite flyers from all over the world. From early morning to sunset, rooftops and riverfronts become lively gathering spots. Visitors can also enjoy kite-making workshops, aerial performances, cultural programs and local street food. The festival symbolises joy, abundance and the arrival of longer days.
Location: Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Date: 11-14 January 2026
Festival Highlights: Mass kite flying, international participants, workshops, cultural shows
8. Bikaner Camel Festival
The Bikaner Camel Festival stands out among Festivals in January in India for its unique focus on Rajasthan’s desert icon - the camel. The festival celebrates the animal’s importance in desert life through camel races, beauty contests and folk performances. Camels are decorated in colourful attire and showcased in lively parades across the city. Traditional Rajasthani music, dance performances and fireworks mark the grand finale. Being one of the best things to do in Bikaner, experiencing this festival offers a fascinating glimpse into desert culture and rural traditions of western India.
Location: Bikaner, Rajasthan
Date: January (dates announced annually)
Festival Highlights: Camel races, camel dance shows, folk music, fireworks
9. Madras Music Festival
The Madras Music Festival is one of the most culturally rich festivals in January in India, turning Chennai into a centre of classical arts. Known as the world’s largest Carnatic music festival, it features over a thousand performances by established and upcoming artists. In addition to music concerts, the festival includes Bharatanatyam performances, lecture demonstrations and discussions on classical arts. January sees peak performances, making it an ideal time for visitors interested in South Indian cultural traditions.
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Date: January (dates vary annually)
Festival Highlights: Carnatic music concerts, classical dance, cultural seminars
10. Republic Day Celebrations
Republic Day is one of the most important national festivals in January in India, marking the coming into force of the Constitution of India. The celebrations, nationwide, culminate in New Delhi with a magnificent parade showcasing military might, cultural diversity and technological advancements. The celebration includes tableaux representing the states, fly-pasts by the Indian Air Force and folk dances, forming a powerful national expression of pride, unity and patriotic sentiment on this day of January 26.
Location: Nationwide (main celebrations in New Delhi)
Date: 26 January (every year)
Festival Highlights: Republic Day parade, cultural tableaux, air shows
11. Araku Balloon Festival
The Araku Balloon Festival adds a modern adventure touch to festivals in January in India, combining tourism with scenic experiences. Organised by Andhra Pradesh Tourism, the festival features hot air balloon rides over the lush Araku Valley, offering stunning views of coffee plantations, waterfalls and forested hills. Visitors can also enjoy camping, cultural performances by tribal communities, plantation walks and local food tastings. The festival promotes eco-tourism while showcasing the area’s natural beauty and cultural richness.
Location: Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh
Date: January (dates announced annually)
Festival Highlights: Hot air balloon rides, cultural shows, coffee plantation tours
12. Ajanta-Ellora International Festival
Set against the dramatic backdrop of ancient caves, the Ajanta-Ellora International Festival is one of the most unique festivals of India in January, notable for its cultural significance. The festival stands out among festivals in January in India for its cultural depth. It celebrates Indian classical music and dance forms, with performances held near heritage monuments around Aurangabad. Alongside concerts, visitors can explore craft exhibitions, local art stalls and cultural contests like rangoli and mehndi. This mix of history, architecture and live performances creates a rich cultural atmosphere, making it a must-attend event for art and heritage lovers.
Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Date: Late January to early February
Festival Highlights: Classical dance, music performances, craft exhibitions
13. Jaipur Literature Festival
The Jaipur Literature Festival is one of Asia’s largest and most renowned cultural festivals in January in India, attracting authors, thinkers, poets and readers from around the world. Held annually in Jaipur, the festival features panel discussions, author talks, book launches, storytelling sessions and cultural performances. It creates a vibrant space for dialogue across different genres, languages and ideas. January’s pleasant winter weather makes it perfect for attending open-air sessions, and the festival’s friendly atmosphere welcomes both serious readers and casual visitors.
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Date: Usually held in late January to early February
Festival Highlights: Author interactions, literary debates, book launches, cultural programmes
14. Ganga Sagar Mela
The Ganga Sagar Mela represents one of the largest religious festivals in January in India and a major spiritual highlight among January festivals. Held at the sacred confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal, the mela attracts millions of pilgrims every year. Devotees take a dip at the crack of dawn, which is considered purifying and meritorious. The fair also features devotional music, spiritual discourses and temporary camps put up by saints and religious organisations, thereby creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere along the windswept shores of Sagar Island.
Location: Sagar Island, West Bengal
Date: 14 January (Makar Sankranti)
Festival Highlights: Holy dip, religious camps, spiritual gatherings
15. Paush Mela
Paush Mela is a lively cultural festival held in Santiniketan to celebrate rural life, folk traditions and the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore. The festival showcases Baul music, folk dances, tribal performances and a large handicrafts fair featuring locally made textiles, jewellery, terracotta art and handmade goods. Unlike religious festivals, Paush Mela highlights art, culture and community bonding. You can look up the best time to visit Kolkata and pair up a trip to the city of joy while you’re planning a visit to Santiniketan. January’s cool weather adds to the charm, making it a great time to experience Bengal’s artistic heritage in a festive setting.
Location: Santiniketan, West Bengal
Date: Late December to early January
Festival Highlights: Folk music, handicrafts fair, cultural performances
Conclusion
January is among the most vibrant months to experience the diversity of Indian culture, with festivals that highlight both harvest and spirituality, as well as regional art forms and modern celebrations. Starting with the deep-rooted agrarian celebrations such as Lohori, Pongal and Makar Sankranti, all the way to the massive cultural celebrations such as Jaipur Literature Festival and Ajanta-Ellora Festival, the festivals in January in India will have something to offer to all types of travellers.
Religious gatherings like the Kumbh Mela and Gangasagar Mela showcase India’s spiritual depth. Events such as Rann Utsav, Araku Balloon Festival and the International Kite Flying Festival add colour, adventure and creativity. All of these focus on the gratitude, renewal, unity and celebration, and thus this makes the month the best time to plan a trip to explore India, its diversity, Indian traditions, landscapes and living heritage like never before.
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