Delhi Events

Republic Day
26 January
Celebrations commemorating the founding of the Republic of India in 1950. A grand military parade is held along Rajpath, the beating of the Retreat ceremony is held three days later.
Rajpath

Holi
Late February/early March
Hindu festival of harvest and fertility when the streets are overrun with people bombarding each other (and stray tourists) with brightly coloured powder and water.
Throughout the city

Ramanavami
March/April
Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Rama with processions, music, readings, and re-enactments of scenes from the Ramayana.
Throughout the city

Mango festival
July
Two-day festival celebrating the mango fruit with quizzes, competitions, mango tasting and over 400 varieties of the fruit on display.
Dilli Haat

Raksha Bandhan
August
Festival dedicated to brothers and sisters. Sisters tie bracelets, known as rakhi, around their brothers’ wrists and brothers reciprocate with gifts.
Throughout the city

Janamashtami
August/September
Anniversary of Krishna's birth.
Throughout the city, but most ostentatiously at Lakshmi Narayan Mandir

Independence Day
15 August
National holiday to commemorate India's independence from British rule.
Throughout the city

Ramadan
August
Thirty days of fasting dawn-to-dusk marking the ninth month in the Islamic Calendar Year when the Quran (Holy Koran) was revealed from heaven by Allah.
Throughout the city

Navratri
September/October
The nine-day Hindu Festival of Nine Lights celebrates the goddess Durga with dances, song and worship.
Throughout the city

Diwali
October/November
The five day Festival of Lights is the most pan-Indian of Hindu festivals and is celebrated by giving gifts, lighting fireworks, and burning butter and oil lamps to lead Lord Rama home after his 14-year exile.
Throughout the city