Festivals and Events in India in October 2020

Navaratri

Navaratri is a nine-night festival that celebrates the Mother Goddess, or Shakti, in all her manifestations, including Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. It's a seasonal festival in Hindu culture that occurs four times per year, but the post-monsoon festival in the fall is the most important one of them all.

Navaratri celebrations take place across India but vary across states and regions. In fact, many of the festivities that take place throughout October are actually local Navaratri celebrations. Worship and fasting are typical during the daytime, while the nights are usually reserved for feasting and dancing. Observances include the Ramlila plays that take place across Northern and Western India or the Durga Puja in Kolkata. Regardless of where you are in India during this time, you're sure to experience some type of Navaratri celebration.

• When: October 17-26, 2020.
• Where: Across India.

Ramnagar Ramlila

The Ramlila refers to any one of the thousands of plays and dance events that take place during the autumn festival of Navratri, particularly in Northern and Western India. However, it's the Ramlila in Ramnagar—just across the river from the major city of Varanasi—that's one of the most important in India. It's the world's oldest Ramlila, reenacting the story of the Hindu epic the "Ramayana" for nearly 200 years.

It commences with the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Rama to save humanity from the demon king, Ravana. The Ramlila takes place over a month every year from Anant Chaturdashi and ends on the following full moon night—which usually coincides with the months of September and October in the Gregorian calendar.

• When: September 1 to October 2, 2020.
• Where: The 2020 Ramlila in Ramnagar will take be broadcast on local social media pages.

Bathukamma

The state festival of Telangana in South India, Bathukamma is a flower festival that celebrates life and the Mother Goddess during Navaratri. It's devoted to Goddess Maha Gauri, an incarnation of Goddess Durga that's considered to be the life-giver and goddess of womanhood. She's worshiped in the form of "Bathukamma", which are floral arrangements stacked to resemble a temple tower. The festival especially celebrates womanhood and femininity, and women dress up, sing devotional songs, and take the Bathukammas out in processions to immerse them in water.

• When: October 16-24, 2020.
• Where: Hyderabad, Telangana.

Mysore Dasara

The annual 10-day Dasara festival is the feature of Navaratri and Dussehra celebrations in the city of Mysuru—or Mysore—in the southern state of Karnataka. The festival has royal origins and can be traced all the way back to 1610 when it was started by Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I. It honors the Goddess Chamundeswari (another name for Goddess Durga) of Chamundi Hill, who killed the powerful demon Mahishasur. The royal family is still involved in celebrating it. Mysore Palace is illuminated with thousands of dazzling lights. There's an elaborate regal procession, an elephant parade, fireworks, light shows, and even food festivals and vintage automobile shows as well.

In 2020, the Dasara festival will be scaled back significantly. There are plans for elaborate lights to be hung on the palace, but the parades, food festival, and other events that attract large crowds are canceled in 2020.

• When: October 17-27, 2020.
• Where: Mysuru, Karnataka.

Durga Puja

In honor of mother goddess Durga, beautifully handcrafted statues of the goddess and her children are installed in podiums in almost every lane of the city during this festival. People flock to the streets to view the displays amid mesmerizing light shows, drumming, and aromatic food stalls. On the last day of the festival, the statues are paraded around the city before being submerged in the river.

Durga Puja is celebrated in Bengali communities throughout India, Bangladesh, and around the world, with the most important festivities in the city of Kolkata.

• When: October 22-26, 2020.
• Where: Kolkata, West Bengal, as well as neighboring states with large Bengali populations such as Assam and Odisha.

Ashwa Poojan

Known as the Worship of the Horse, this unique Rajasthani festival is grandly celebrated by the Mewar royal family of Udaipur on the last day of Navaratri. It honors the special relationship between warrior and horse. See the royal horses being worshiped by the current head of the royal family, accompanied by the palace band. A highlight of the festival is the mouthwatering Rajasthani cuisine.

Complement the celebration by staying at the Shiv Niwas Palace hotel or Fateh Prakash Palace hotel in the Udaipur City Palace Complex.

• When: October 25, 2020.
• Where: Udaipur City Palace, Rajasthan. 

Dussehra

The day after the Navaratri festival is known as Dussehra. It widely commemorates the defeat of the demon king Ravan by Lord Ram and huge effigies of Ravan go up in smoke all over India. However, there are other more unusual celebrations of the festival, too. Some start at the beginning of Navaratri, such as Mysore Dasara, while others kick-off on the main day of Dussehra and continue on for weeks.

There are ways and places to celebrate Dussehra across India, and you can likely find some type of event wherever you are. The city of Delhi alone has over 1,000 Ramlila performances that are typical of Dussehra, so there are plenty of options for ways to celebrate.

• When: October 25, 2020.
• Where: Across India but particularly in northern India.

Jodhpur Riff

This eclectic festival, which is the first of its kind in India, showcases regional roots music and the arts. It's a heady fusion of interactive educational events, staged performances, and late-night jam sessions held in the city of Jodhpur. Performers include singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and storytellers from various Rajasthani folk communities, as well as nationally and internationally recognized artists. The festival has an outstanding location in and around the imposing Mehrangarh Fort in the northwestern state of Rajasthan.

• When: October 29 to November 2, 2020.
• Where: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Marwar Festival

The Marwar Festival recognizes the culture of Rajasthan's Marwar region. It's held for two days over the full moon in memory of the state's medieval heroes. The highlight of the festival is classic folk music and dance, which brings alive the myths and legends of the area. The festival also includes horse riding, horse polo, and even camel tattooing.

Men and women dress in traditional Rajasthani garb, including elaborate head turbans for the men. One of the festival highlights is a turban tying contest, which is considered an art form.

• When: October 12–13, 2020.
• Where: Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Kabir Yatra

The Kabir Yatra is a traveling folk music festival in Rajasthan. It features more than 50 artists from across India who perform music from different genres. Attendees will also be able to listen to poetry from Bhakti and Sufi saints such as Kabir, Mira, and Bulleh Shah. The festival showcases the work of painters, sculptors, and photographers inspired by this tradition as well.

• When: To be announced.
• Where: Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner. 

India Music Summit

The three-day India Music Summit returns for its fourth edition this year. Started by a group of India's top music professionals, this event provides an outstanding opportunity for music lovers and musicians to engage with music from diverse genres. It's a wonderfully immersive event with morning baithaks (informal performances/gatherings), masterclasses, concerts, conversations, and night sessions.

• When: September 19 to October 24, 2020.
• Where: The 2020 India Music Summit is being held virtually. Check out the event Facebook page for details on specific concerts.

Tawang Festival

The annual Tawang Festival is organized by the Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Department to showcase the cultural diversity of the state and promote adventure tourism. Highlights include a huge fair, chanting by the monks of Tawang Monastery, and folk and tribal dances.

Arunachal Pradesh is the easternmost state of India and not well connected to other major cities in the country, and the town of Tawang is located in the mountains and even more remote. The Tawang Festival began in 2012 as a way to attract visitors and share the local culture of the Monpa people who inhabit the city. Tibetan Buddhist traditions are a huge part of the festival, and Tawang is home to the second-largest Buddhist monastery in the world.

• When: To be announced.
• Where: Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.