Festivals And Events In India Happening In February-May 2026

February and March are India's most festive months, marking the transition from winter to spring. Across the country, from Gujarat's salt deserts to Mizoram's bamboo forests, festivals and fairs are in full swing. The weather is ideal for travel, and the variety of celebrations is astounding. In six weeks, you can experience everything from craft melas and Holi in Vrindavan to Bharatanatyam performances at ancient temples. Witness 1.46 lakh tulips in Delhi or the Mahashivaratri frenzy. For an authentic glimpse of India's vibrant culture, February and March 2026 are the perfect months. Here's your guide.

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Rann Utsav, Kutch, Gujarat

Running Until: 4 March 2026

Set in the vast Great Rann of Kutch, the Rann Utsav transforms the salt desert into a cultural haven, running from October 23, 2025 until March 4, 2026. The festival is India's most visually spectacular cultural event. The most visited period extends from November to February, when the weather remains pleasant and full-moon nights offer spectacular views across the glowing white desert. Camel safaris, folk music, handicraft villages, and traditional Kutchi dance performances run every evening. The white landscape under a full moon looks surreal, almost lunar. For anyone who hasn't experienced the Great Rann of Kutch by night, this is the most beautiful few weeks to do it.

Where: Dhordo Village, Kutch, Gujarat | Entry: Package-based via Gujarat Tourism

Delhi Tulip Festival, New Delhi

Dates: 11 February – 22 February 2026

Inaugurated on 11 February 2026 at Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri, by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Delhi Tulip Festival runs for 12 days, showcasing a vibrant display of tulips across the capital. More than 1.46 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted across the grounds, featuring amazing varieties in multiple colours. Most tulips are imported from the Netherlands, making it a celebration that strengthens international solidarity between India and the Netherlands, with officials from the Netherlands embassy participating. The festival is free. The best time to visit is early morning for photographs. The nearest metro station is Shanti Path on the Yellow Line, making it very accessible.

Where: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi | Entry: Free | Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM

Nagaur Cattle Fair, Rajasthan

Dates: 17 – 21 February 2026

The Nagaur Cattle Fair, scheduled from February 17 to 21, 2026, is the second-largest livestock fair in India, where traders gather to buy and sell camels, horses, and bulls. The festival goes beyond commerce—visitors are treated to folk music, puppet shows, camel races, and even a lively Mirchi Bazaar. This is one of those festivals where you watch actual Rajasthani rural commerce happening in real time—not a staged cultural performance, but genuine trade alongside genuine celebration. The camels are decorated with elaborate gear, the horses are groomed and displayed proudly, and the traders are extraordinarily photogenic in their turbans and kurtas. Rajasthan at its most authentic.

Where: Nagaur, Rajasthan | Best for: Photography, rural Rajasthan experience

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Khajuraho Dance Festival, Madhya Pradesh

Dates: 20 – 26 February 2026

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is conducted from the 20th to the 26th of February and highlights the richness of Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Gaudiya Nritya, and Kathakali. Performances are set against the backdrop of the historic Khajuraho temples, blending art with spirituality under starlit skies, with renowned artists showcasing India's finest classical traditions. This is open-air classical dance at its most cinematic. The 11th-century Chandela temples glow with lighting while performers dance in front of intricate stone carvings that are themselves celebrations of the human body in movement. It's a genuinely magical combination of architecture, art, and performance.

Where: Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh | Entry: ₹250 onwards | Best for: Classical arts, heritage

Taj Mahotsav, Agra

Dates: 18 – 27 February 2026

Taj Mahotsav has been a fixture since 1992, held at Shilpgram just outside the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. Organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism, the festival brings together 400 legendary artists from across the country to display their exquisite works of art alongside food from across India and fun fair rides that make it a family destination. The ten-day fair creates a bazaar of arts, crafts, music, food, and performances against the backdrop of the most famous building in the world. Evening cultural programmes showcase North Indian classical and folk traditions. You can spend a morning at the Taj Mahal itself and an afternoon at the Mahotsav for one of India's most satisfying one-two cultural combinations.

Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival

Dates: 18 – 21 February 2026

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The Dibrugarh University International Literature Festival (DUILF) returns for its third edition from February 18-21, 2026, at Dibrugarh University, Assam. Building on two successful years, it draws over 150 authors from 25 countries for 52 lively sessions in English, plus some in Hindi, Urdu, and Assamese. Expect talks on literature, business, music, cinema, sports, politics, and history, blending global views with regional stories. Highlights include British author Anna Morgan (Relearning to Read), South Korean author Shin Kyung-sook (Please Look After Mom), Indian journalist Ghazala Wahab (Born a Muslim), and Syrian writer Shahla Ujayli (A Bed for the King's Daughter). Don't miss this vibrant literary meet!

Equal Ground Comes To Travancore Palace, Delhi, With An Immersive Wellness Gathering Rooted In Indic Wisdom

Amid Delhi's hustle, Equal Ground offers a deliberate pause—a wellness gathering on March 7-8 at Travancore Palace, blending yoga, philosophy, breathwork, and Ayurveda rooted in Indic traditions. Founded by Eddie Stern, Sonakshi Dhamija, and Aishwarya Sahu, it's for teachers, seekers, and pros alike, ditching hierarchy for shared practice over spectatorship. Expect sessions with Eddie Stern, Prasad Rangnekar, Dimple Jangda, Bani Singh, and Sonali Bendre, plus workshops, a conscious brand showcase (Tego, Boheco), healthy eats from Hearth and I, and House Holi festivities. Limited spots foster intimacy, turning urban rush into rooted presence.

Timings: -
7th March 2026: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
House Holi (7th March ): 7:15 PM onwards
8th March 2026: 9:00 AM – 3:45 PM

Pugdundee Safaris Announces Second Edition Of Mahua Festival, Across Five Of Its Lodges In Central India 

Pugdundee Safaris is hosting the second edition of its enchanting Mahua Festival from April 1–8, 2026, across five jungle lodges: Kings Lodge and Tree House Hideaway in Bandhavgarh, Kanha Earth Lodge in Kanha, Pench Tree Lodge in Pench, and Denwa Backwater Escape in Satpura. This tribute to the sacred Mahua tree celebrates its vital role in Central India's indigenous communities, blending ecology, culture, and traditions through spring foraging walks, Holi colour-making with forest flowers, forest-to-table meals, storytelling, and Mahua-infused beverages. Curated by naturalists and Chef Harshita Kakwani, it highlights respectful uses of Mahua flowers gathered by Adivasi women, fostering responsible tourism that honours coexistence between forests and people.

StarDream Cruises: Bhajan Jamming Experience

Imagine kicking off your cruise with a soul-stirring Bhajan Jamming session at sea, StarDream Cruises' first-ever participatory devotional vibe aboard the Genting Dream! Sing along, clap to the rhythm, and bond with fellow guests in this immersive, community-led gathering, ditching stiff stage shows for pure heartfelt energy. Set for 26 May and 9 June 2026, these 3-night sailings from Singapore to Phuket and back start at just ₹38,999 per person. Artists TBA soon, but pair it with the ship's epic dining, entertainment, and luxe vibes for an unforgettable spiritual escape.

Depot48: Fabric Of Song FT. Abhilasha Ojha

Depot48, a culture-first, queer-led arts and hospitality space in Delhi, is known for its curated live music programming and intimate gigs. Depot48 is set to host Abhilasha Ojha, who brings together a thoughtfully curated set exploring how textiles find their way into songs across North India. Moving through Kabir dohas, Punjabi folk, ghazals and classic film tracks, the performance looks at the subtle ways fabric, craft and memory are woven into music we've all grown up with.