Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Ghoomophiro

India is a land of festivals. There is no end to festivals that are celebrated in this land rightly popular for the diversity of its cultures, traditions, religions, and celebrations.

Today we bring you a list of best festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking:

1. International Yoga Festival

The International Yoga Festival is gaining popularity along with Yoga as a welcome break from our busy lives. The best place to experience this festival to be held during the first week of 2020 (March 1 to 7) is Rishikesh – more specifically at Parmarth Niketan. Though yoga training sessions will be held throughout the city as well as the country. Rishikesh is immensely gifted with nature’s beauty with the Ganga river flowing through this little city of temples and Himalayas creating Panoramic views.

How to reach Rishikesh?

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport at Dehra Dun 35 kilometers while the nearest railway station is at a distance of 25 kilometers at Haridwar. The best way to reach Rishikesh is by road and the city enjoys some credible road connectivity.

2. Parippally Gajamela

The word ‘Gajam’ in the name means elephant and ‘mela’ means fair. The festival held on March 4 every year is observed in Paripally Kodimootil Sree Bhadrakaali Temple, Kollam district in the state of Kerala. It was originally a profession where wealthy families of Kerala flaunted their wealth by ornamenting their elephants. Besides the procession of elephants, the Mela is an awesome place to enjoy local cultural shows and folk music.

How to reach Kollam for Parippally Gajamela?

The nearest bus stand is Kollam Junction, about 22 km away from Paripally whereas the nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport about 45 km away. The road transportation is available.

3. Eternal Mewar Holika Dahan

When it comes to Holi, Mathura and Vrindavan are of course the first place comes to mind as Lord Krishna born there used to popularly celebrate the festival with Gopis.

However, we will wish you to head to Udaipur for this festival which was an obvious member in our list of best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking.

Holi is probably the second most popular Hindu festival after Diwali. The festival is marked with the symbolism of victory of Good over evil. In 2020, it falls from March 9 to March 10. among the most celebrated festival in the country. Holika Dehan is held on the evening of the first day and the next morning, people play with colors and water. We recommend you celebrate this is Udaipur City Palace where the royal family has still upheld the traditions of celebrating the festival.

How to reach Udaipur for Eternal Mewar Holika Dehan?

The city has its own domestic airport although it is still 22 kilometers away from the city and you might have to hire a cab. The bus stand is within the city and enjoys good road connectivity. The railway connectivity is also good as the city has its own railway station.

4. Lathmar Holi

Another form of Holi called Lathmar Holi is next in our list of Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking is Lathmar Holi. Here it is celebrated with the modification that women use bamboos on men while men try to throw colors at women. Feel guarantee to have a choice of the best cuisine. We recommend you head to Barsana and Nandgaon near Mathura to enjoy this strange form of a festival.

How to reach Barsana and Nandgaon for Lathmar Holi?

You can catch the bus from Mathura. Agra airport is nearest to Mathura but has very few flights. Mathura is a major railway junction and the city enjoys both road and rail connectivity.

5. Deccan Festival

The 5-day festival celebrated from February 25 to March 1 and makes the next item in our Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking. Head to Qutub Shahi Tombs of Hyderabad to be a part of this festival which is marked by a display of art, culture, music, poetry and culinary delight. Plenty of opportunities to buy souvenirs as you have the option of choosing from countless souvenirs from around the region. Mushairas and Qwalies held here are world-famous.

How to reach Hyderabad?

Hyderabad has its own international airport – Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and 3 railway stations. The city also enjoys great road connectivity. Thus the city enjoys great connectivity by rail, road, and air. Golconda Fort is a local landmark and you will have no trouble reaching it.

5. Basanta Utsav

The Basanta Utsav falling on March 10 next year is a festival celebrated much the same as Holi – that is with music and colors and falls on the same day as Holi.

However, if colors are not your thing, head to Shantinikaten – a quiet place in West Bengal dedicated to studying of arts. It is famous for Vishwa Bharati University which was started by the renowned and Asia’s first Nobel Prize for literature winner Sir Rabindranath Tagore. The festival is celebrated here by holding a number of cultural festivals. The aesthetic experience is simply unique and thrilling. The festival is also known as ‘Dol Jatra’ or the ‘Dol Utsav’ and “Rabindrik Basanta Utsav”.

The students wear yellow clothes and the shows are simply amazing. Art, music, and dance come together to create an incredible celebration.

Another reason why you should visit Shantiniketan is there are several places of interest near it including :

Amar Kutir which displays several locally made handicrafts

Tagore’s Aashram – an ashram built by father

Chattimtala – the spot where Tagore’s Father used to meditate.

Deer Park which is home to a naturally bred large family of deer

Khoai Mela which is a weekly fair where artisans from nearby places set up stalls.

How to reach Santiniketan?

The nearest airport to Shantiniketan is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) which lies at a distance of 139 km. Bolpur Railway Station is only 2.8 km away. Santiniketan is very easily accessible by roads from nearby cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, and Durgapur.

6. Jaipur Elephant Festival

If Kerala is too far for you, you can head to Jaipur to appease the Elephant lover in you where Jaipur Elephant festival will be held on March 10, 2020. The festival is dedicated to Lord Ganesha who bears the head of an elephant. The elephants are adorned, cultural events are organized, the whole city is decorated with beautiful colors and there is festive air throughout the pink city.

How to reach Jaipur?

Jaipur is well connected to the rest of the country having its own airport – Sanganer International Airport. It also is a major railway junction. By roadways, it is connected to the rest of the country via National Highways 8, 11 and 12.

7. Vela’s Turtle Festival

The nature lover in you is gonna love the next festival in our list of Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking. Vela’s Turtle festival is held in March every year. It is a conservation program which you watch tiny, rare and of course cute highly endangered Olive Ridley turtle babies making their way to the sea at Velas Beach, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. The date of the festival varies highly and depends on hatching time and you will have to keep a look at websites throughout the month of March. As many as 4 batches are made for the purpose.

How to reach Ratnagiri to celebrate Vela’s Turtle Festival?

The nearest airport – Goa International Airport is located at a distance of 188 kilometers away. The city enjoys better railway connectivity. By road, it is connected to nearby cities like Mumbai, Cochin, Madgaon, Mangalore, Udupi, Karwar by National Highway 17.

8. Arratu Festival

One of the most important festivals in our list Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking is Arratu Festival. One of the most well-known festivals of Kerala, Arratu Festival is a 10-day celebration which falls from March 15 to March 24 in 2020. Though it is held in several days, the best place to enjoy it is Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram where the idols are taken to the Shankumugham Beach for the holy bath. The procession is led by the head of the royal family of what was once the empire of Travancore.

How to reach Thiruvananthapuram for Arratu Festival?

The city is well connected by air, rail, and road to the rest of the country with its own international airport and as many as five railway stations.

9. Shigmotsav

The next festival in our list of Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking Shigmotsav gives you amazing opportunities to enjoy the unique culture of Goa as people of the state dress in fleshy, colorful costumes and dance to local folk music and give live performances to celebrate the coming of Spring. The Float Parade is the best thing about this festival.

How to reach Goa?

The state enjoys brilliant connectivity by air, road, and railways. And you will feel spoilt for the choices.

10. Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram is next in our list of Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking. It is an important Tamil festival in which thousands of devotees flocking to all Murugan temples. The ten-day festival falls from March 28 to April 6 in 2020. Head to the Subrahmanya temple to be a part of the celebration of this festival auspicious to Lord Vishnu as well as Lord Shiva.

How to reach Subrahmanya temple for Panguini?

The nearest airport Mangalore International is 84 kilometers away. Your best bet is to depend on road transportation which is quite good.

11. Hoysala Mahotsav

Hoysala Mahotsav falls on March 16 next year and thus makes to our list of Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking. This one-day celebration at Hoysala Mahotsav held at Hoysala temple Belur and Halebid in Karnataka is joined by a number of Bollywood celebrities.

How to reach Belur Halebid?

Mangalore airport and Bangalore have the closest airports while Hassan railway station accepts trains from Mangalore, Mysore, and Bangalore. You can use cabs locally.

Last words

This is all from us on the Best Festivals of India in March that will leave you backpacking. Did we miss one? Tell us in the comments below. 🙂