Welcome to Varanasi Festivals

Pitripaksha

The fortnight of the Pitripaksha, dedicated to the worship of ancestors, has great religious significance for Hindus at Varanasi Pilgrims perform shraddha, the funeral rites at the ghats for those family members who have died during the past year.

Durga Puja

At the end of pitripaksha, starts the five-day Durga Puja celebrated mainly by bengalis. Clay images of goddess Durga are worshipped to the chant of prayers and the beating of drums. The first Durga Puja outside Bengal was celebrated in Varanasi in 1773.

Deepavali

On Deepavali or Diwali, the city is transformed into a fairyland of golden lights. the day commemorates the return of lord Rama to Ayodhay with his wife Sita and brother Laxman after fourteen years in exile. on a moonless night of kartik balconies, temples and ghats glow with lamps. on this day Lakshmi the goddess of wealth is welcomed into newly-cleaned homes and businessmen begin new account books.

Kartik Purnima

Through the month ot Kartik, akash deep(literally sky Lanps) are lit on Panchagana Ghat. These are earthenware lamps on bamboo poles raised skyward by widows to show their husbands the way to heaven. On c, the full moon night, a tall pillar, the Deephajara Sthambha holding a thousand lamps, is lit on top of the ghat.

Kartik Purnima is also celebrated as Dev Diwali, literally Diwali for the gods. when the ghats of Varanasi are decorated with thousand of oil lamps.

Nag Nathaiya

Nag Nathaiya at Tulsi Chat is part of the 20-day long Krishna Leela, celebrating the exploits of Lord Krishna.

Ram Leela

During the nine nights of Navaratra, in October, people watch the folk theatre of the Ram Leela that tells the story of the Ramayana. Varanasi's oldest is the Adi Ramleela performed at Lat Bhairav. This performance has no dialogue, just a series of pageants called jhankis. The most famous Ram Leela is the month-long one held at Ramnagar. It is based on Tulsi Das' version, Romcharitmanas. This elaborate folk theatre has. over the years, acquired the saiutity of a religious ritual. traditionally patronis, the Raja of Kashi, the state government has of late stepped in with financial support.

Anant Chaturdashi

The performance begins on Anant Chaturdashi and the scenes are enacted in a series of sets constructed across the town and the audience moves with the play. Thus maior episodes from the Ramayana, like Ram Janamotsav (the birth of Lord Rama) and Dhanush Bhang (Rama's stringing of the Shiva's bow to win princess Sita), are performed at different sites. over 30 days the ram leela moves over 24 kms. the actors in their dazzling costumes, elaborate make up and papier mache masks recreate a story the audience known by heart and forever enjoys.

Dussehra

On Dussehra even as images of goddess Durga are immersed in the river giant effigies of the demon king Ravana his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanath are blown up in a sparking shower of fire works.

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