Pushkar Fair
The Pushkar Fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) or Pushkar Mela is an annual week‑long camel and livestock fair held in the holy town of Pushkar between the months of October and November.
Rajasthan Fairs and Festivals – Colours, Culture and Year‑Round Celebrations
Rajasthan is famous for its colourful fairs and festivals that turn desert towns, forts and village grounds into lively stages of music, dance, rituals and markets. From winter desert carnivals to monsoon swings and tribal gatherings, the state’s festival calendar offers something special in almost every season.
Signature events like the Pushkar Camel Fair, Bikaner Camel Festival, Desert Festival Jaisalmer, Nagaur Cattle Fair and Baneshwar tribal fair attract visitors from all over the world with their mix of animal trading, folk performances, religious ceremonies and local food. Alongside them, city‑based celebrations such as Teej, Gangaur, Dhulandi (Holi), Mewar Festival and Bundi Utsav showcase the royal and romantic side of Rajasthan’s culture.
In recent years, contemporary festivals like the Udaipur World Music Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival and heritage‑focused events at Abhaneri, Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur have added a modern creative layer to the state’s traditional calendar. Together they create a rich blend where age‑old customs, devotional gatherings, artists, writers and travellers meet in one unforgettable experience.
Use this page as your starting point to explore Rajasthan’s most famous fairs and festivals. Click on each festival card to open a dedicated guide with dates, highlights, local tips and travel ideas, and plan a Rajasthan itinerary that fits your interests, your travel month and the kind of celebration you want to be part of.
Abhaneri Festival
Abhaneri Festival is named after the village of Abhaneri in Dausa district, around 90 km from Jaipur on the Agra road. This two‑day festival celebrates the stepwell of Chand Baori with folk performances and traditional crafts.
Desert Festival
The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is an annual event held in February in the Golden City of Jaisalmer. It usually takes place in the Hindu month of Magh, three days before the full moon, with camel shows, folk music and dune‑side events.
Kolayat Fair
The Kolayat Fair of Bikaner holds great importance for locals, who gather on the ghats of Kolayat Lake for holy dips, aarti and evening lamp offerings. Tourists also enjoy the large fairground, stalls and cultural programmes.
Rajasthan Kabir Yatra
Rajasthan Kabir Yatra is a travelling folk music festival that follows the songs and spirit of Kabir and other Bhakti and Sufi poets, moving from village to village with satsangs, concerts and storytelling under the open sky.
Marwar Festival
The most popular festival in Jodhpur, the Marwar Festival is a two‑day event held every year in the month of Ashwin (September–October) in memory of the legendary heroes of Rajasthan, with Maand singing and folk dances.
Teej Festival Jaipur
Teej refers to the monsoon festivals when women pray for marital happiness and good harvests. In Jaipur, swings, processions, songs and traditional attire fill the streets and courtyards during this festival.
Kumbhalgarh Festival
The Kumbhalgarh Fort, nestled in the Aravalli ranges north of Udaipur, hosts the vibrant Kumbhalgarh Festival – a three‑day celebration of classical and folk performances, heritage walks and light shows along the fort walls.
Udaipur World Music Festival
During the Udaipur World Music Festival, world‑class musicians from India and abroad perform across multiple stages in the city, turning Udaipur into a lake‑side hub of global sounds every February.
Jaipur Literature Festival
Jaipur Literature Festival brings together acclaimed writers, thinkers, journalists and readers from India and across the world, and has grown into one of the largest free literature festivals globally.
Rajasthan Dussehra Festival
Dussehra in Rajasthan marks the victory of good over evil with fairs, Ramlila performances and the burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran, especially in places like Kota and other major towns.
Kite Festival
The Kite Festival on Makar Sankranti sees the skies of Jaipur, Jodhpur and other cities filled with colourful kites. Competitions, rooftop parties and music make it one of the most cheerful winter festivals.
Bundi Festival
The Bundi Festival, celebrated in the month of Kartik (October–November), brings together spiritual rituals, cultural performances and craft displays against the backdrop of Bundi’s forts and stepwells.
Chandrabhaga Fair
Chandrabhaga Fair at Jhalrapatan near Jhalawar is known for its holy dip in the Chandrabhaga River on Kartik Purnima and a large cattle fair where farmers trade cows, buffaloes, bullocks and camels.
Dhulandi Festival
Dhulandi, the festival of colours, is celebrated a day after Holika Dahan and marks the arrival of spring. In Jaipur and across Rajasthan, people celebrate by playing with dry colours, water and music.
Mount Abu Summer Festival
Mount Abu Summer Festival is a two‑day celebration at Rajasthan’s only hill station, featuring boat races, folk performances and fireworks that offer a cool break from the desert heat.
Mount Abu Winter Festival
The annual Winter Festival at Mount Abu in December pays homage to the culture of Rajasthan with a blend of folk performances, handicraft stalls and food, set around Nakki Lake and the hill town’s viewpoints.
Kajli Teej Festival Bundi
Kajli Teej is unique to Bundi and is celebrated in the month of Bhadra (July–August) with processions, songs and rituals in honour of Goddess Uma, drawing devotees seeking marital happiness and love.
Mewar Festival
Mewar Festival in Udaipur marks the advent of spring with decorated idols of Gauri and Isar, cultural performances and a procession ending with idol immersion in Lake Pichola.
Baneshwar Fair
Baneshwar Fair is a major tribal fair held at the confluence of rivers near Baneshwar Temple in Dungarpur district, usually around Magh Shukla Purnima, and is known for Bhil tribal gatherings and rituals.
Ranakpur Festival
Ranakpur Festival in Pali district highlights the serene Jain temples and surrounding hills with a mix of classical dance, folk performances, heritage walks and hot‑air balloon rides.
Braj Holi Festival
Braj Holi around Bharatpur and Deeg reflects the Braj region’s Krishna traditions with rang, raslila, songs and temple rituals that start days before the main Holi date.
Matsya Festival
Matsya Festival in Alwar district is known for cultural shows, sports, exhibitions and food, and is often used to promote the heritage and natural attractions of the wider Matsya region.
Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan, dedicated to Gauri and Shiva. Married and unmarried women worship Gauri for marital happiness and processions are held in cities like Jaipur and Udaipur.
