Festivals and Fairs in Karnataka (Festivals & Jatras)

Karnataka’s cultural calendar is a vibrant blend of religious festivals, seasonal celebrations, and village fairs (jatras) observed across communities. Many events follow the Hindu lunar calendar (tithi-based), so the exact Gregorian date changes each year. Alongside temple festivals, Karnataka is also known for grand public processions, annual urs at dargahs, and community harvest celebrations.

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Major Hindu Festivals in Karnataka

Hindus observe many holy days, festivals, and fasts throughout the year. Some of the important festivals include:

• New Year Day (Ugadi) – the first day of Chaitra month
• Rama Navami (Ramanavami) – the birthday of Lord Rama, the ninth day of Chaitra
• Basava Jayanthi – the birthday of Basaweshwara (Akshayatritiya)
• Shankara Jayanthi – the birthday of Acharya Shankara (Vaishaka Shuddha Panchami)
• Kara Hunnime – full moon day of Jyestha, a festival for peasants
• Ashadha Ekadashi – the eleventh day of the bright half of Ashadha
• Bheemana Amavasya – New Moon day of Ashadha
• Nagapanchami – festival of the Serpent God, on the fifth day of Shravana
• Gokulashtami – the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth day of the dark fortnight of Shravana
• Ganesh Chaturthi – the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, worship of God Ganesh
• Navarathri / Dasara – the first ten days of Ashweeja Masa
• Deepavali – the thirteenth day of dark half of Ashvija; the festival of lights and a day to worship Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi (lasts for five days)
• Bhogi and Makara Sankranthi – on 13th and 14th January, respectively
• Mahashivarathri – 13th or 14th day of the dark fortnight of Magha, in honour of God Shiva
• Holi / Kamana Habba – marks the death of Kama (God of Love) on the full moon day of Phalguna, celebrated in places with much noise and gay abandon

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Navarathri as “Nada Habba” (State Festival)

In many places, Navarathri is also celebrated as Nada Habba (State festival) on Vijayadashmi (the victorious tenth day). On this day, the statue of Goddess Chamundeshvari is taken in a colourful procession to Bannimantapa with great pomp and pageantry. The procession includes tableaux of historical episodes, infantry, mounted horses, Bharat Scouts and Girl Guides, NCC, Bharat Seva Dal, and more.

Rama Navami and Ganesh Chaturthi are also marked by public celebrations accompanied by speeches, dance, and music recitals.

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Festivals by Community in Karnataka

Kodava Festivals

Kodavas have three important festivals:

• Koil Muhurta
• Cauvery Sankramana
• Huthri (harvest festival)

Muslim Festivals

The chief Muslim festivals include:

• Id-ul-fitar (breaking the fast) – marks the conclusion of Ramazan
• Idul-ul-Zuha / Bakrid – held on the ninth day of Zil-hajah
• Shab-e-Barat – celebrated during the evening of the fifteenth day of Shaban
• Moharram – publicly celebrated in many places by honouring symbols called tabuts

Christian Observances

Christians observe:

• New Year Day
• Good Friday
• Ascension Day
• Feast of St. Joseph
• Easter Sunday (Day of Resurrection)
• Birthday of Mary
• Christmas (birthday of Christ)
• Thanks Giving Day
• Harvest Festival
• Church anniversary

Jain Festivals (as per their tradition)

Jains celebrate most Hindu festivals in their own way, placing importance on fasting, praying, and listening to recitations of religious texts. Important observances include:

• Chaitra Pratipad (Ugadi) – commemorates the victorious Digvijaya of Bharata, son of Teerthankara Adinatha (Vrishabhadeva)
• Mahavira Jayanthi – Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi
• Dasara (Vijayadashami) – believed to be the date when Adinatha attained Kevala Jnana (enlightenment) and when his son Bharata secured his disc (Chakraratna)
• Deepavali – celebrated as the date of Mahanirvana of Mahavira; worship of Lakshmi and Jnana Lakshmi
• Shivaratri – celebrated as Jinaratri, as Adinatha is believed to have attained salvation on the dark 14th of Magha

Sikh Observances

Sikhs observe:

• Guru Nanak’s birthday on Karteeka Pournima
• Gurudwara inauguration day at Nanak Jhira, Bidar, celebrated with enthusiasm and pomp, including ‘akhand pathan’ of Guru Granth Sahib. Kirtan and Satsang attract many Sikhs from various places.

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Jatras (Fairs) in Karnataka

Every year, jatras (fairs) are held in honour of village deities (grama devathas) generally after the harvest. Annual festivals are celebrated at Hindu temples, Muslim dargahs, Jain bastis, and other holy places of worship.

People from rural and urban areas—men and women—take part with full enthusiasm, without discrimination of caste, creed, or religion. Itinerant merchants set up stalls to sell toys, sweets, sarees, vessels, bangles, and more. Cattle fairs are also held in many places during jatras, becoming centres of large trade and commerce. Overall, jatras promote social and religious harmony among different sections of society.

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Major Jatras and Fairs: Place-wise Calendar

Columns: Place • Month* • Deity/Saint • # Days • Approx. attendance
(*Months are approximate and may vary year to year.)

Place (District / Taluk / Location)	Month*	Deity/Saint in whose honour	# days	Approx. attendance
Bagalkot dt., Sivayogamandir, Badami taluk	Jan.–Feb.	Hanagal Kumara Swamy	4	50,000
Bangalore district, Bangalore city, Nagartharapete	Apr.	Dharmaraya (Karaga)	1	5 lakhs
Basavanagudi	Nov.	Basavanna (Groundnut fair)	1	50,000
Hanumanthanagar	Aug.	Kumaraswamy	3	3 lakhs
Bangalore Rural dt., Huskur, Anekal taluk	Feb.–Mar.	Madduramma	1	40,000
Magadi	Apr.	Ranganatha	1	1 lakh
Melinajuganahalli, Doddaballapur taluk	Dec.	Ghati Subrahmanya	1	1 lakh
Shivagange, Nelamangala Taluk	Jan.	Gangadhareshwara	7	50,000
Belgaum dt., Panth Balekundri, Belgaum taluk	Oct.–Apr.–May	Datta Maharaj	3	25,000
Saundatti	Nov.–Dec.	Yellamma devi	—	1 lakh
Khanapur Tq.	Feb. (Shivaratri)	Kalabhairava	2	50,000
Chinchili, Raibag taluk	Feb.	Mayakkaa	1	1 lakh
Bellary dt., Mailara, Hadagali taluk	Apr.	Mailaralinga	4	2 lakhs
Hampi, Hospet taluk	Nov.	Virupaksha	4	2 lakhs
Bellary	Feb.	Malleshwara	7	80,000
Kurugodu, Bellary Tq.	Apr.	Basaveshwara	2	50,000
Sandur	Nov.	Kumaraswamy	4	20,000
Yashvantanagar, Sandur taluk	Apr.	Siddarameshwara	2	50,000
Bidar dt., Basavakalyana	(Shawwal)	Hazrat Syed Tajuddin Bagsawar, Urus	5	25,000
Basavakalyan	Apr.–May	Basaveshwara	3	50,000
Humnabad	Dec.	Veerabhadra	7	30,000
Bijapur dt., Bijapur	Jan.–Feb.	Siddeshwara	8	30,000
Chamarajanagar dt., Mahadeshwara Hills, Kollegal taluk	Oct.–Nov.	Malai Mahadeshwara	7	1 lakh
Chikmagalore dt., Inam Dattatreya Peetha, Chikamagalur Tq.	Mar.	Dattatreya–Bababudan	3	25,000
Antarghatta, Tarikere taluk	Feb.	Antarghattamma	10	1 lakh
Chitradurga dt., Nayakanahatti, Challakere taluk	Mar.	Thippe Rudra	15	45,000
Dakshina Kannada dt., Dharmasthala	Nov.	Manjunatheshwara	3	1,00,000
Davanagere dt.	Mar.	Duggamma	1	80,000
Yalebethur, Davanagere taluk	Jan. (once in 3 years)	Marikamba	1	80,000
Dharwad dt., Yamanur, Navalgund Tq.	Mar.–Apr.	Raja Bagh Savar Urus	1	20,000
Dharwad	Aug.	Ulvi Basavanna	1	30,000
Dharwad	Feb.	Murugendra	1	30,000
Hubli	Feb.	Siddharudha	1	1 lakh
Gadag dt., Gadag	Apr.	Thotada, Siddalingeshwara	1	20,000
Mukti Mandira, Shirahatti taluk	Feb.	Dharama Rathotsava	7	More than 1 lakh
Gulbarga dt., Gulbarga	Mar.	Sharana Basavappa	15	1 lakh
Gulbarga	Zekhaida	Khaja Bande Nawaz	3	1 lakh
Diggi, Shahapur taluk	Aug.	Sangamanath	3	50,000
Ganagapur (Deval), Afzalpur taluk	Feb.	Dattatreya	5	50,000
Hassan dt., Shravanabelagola	(Once in 12 years)	Mahamastakabhisheka of Gomateshwara	13	2–3 lakhs
Haveri dt., Shishuvinal, Shiggaon taluk	Mar.	Shishunal Shariff	1	20,000
Guddada Guddapura, Ranebennur Tq.	Sep.–Oct.	Mailara Lingeshwara	2	25,000
Kodagu dt., Bhagamandala, Madikeri taluk	Oct.–Nov.	Cauvery	2	20,000
Kolar dt., Thoranahalli, Malur taluk	Jan.	Sappalamma	10	30,000
Avani, Mulbagal taluk (Thalakayalubetta)	Feb.	Ramalingeshwara	10	30,000
Sidlaghatta taluk	Feb.	Venkataramana	10	25,000
Nandi, Chikkaballapur Tq.	Feb.	Bhoga and Yoga Nandeeshwara	7	40,000
Doddakurugodu (Viduraswatha), Gouribidanur Tq.	Apr.	Vidurnarayana	8	40,000
Devaragudipalli, Bagepalli taluk	May	Gadadam Venkataramana	16	30,000
Koppal dt., Koppal	June	Gavisiddeshwara	5	20,000
Kuknur	May	Gudneshwara	1	50,000
Mandya dt., Melcote, Pandavapur taluk	Mar.–Apr.	Chaluva Narayana (Vairamudi)	6	1 lakh
Adichunchanagiri, Nagamangala taluk	Jan.–Feb.	Bairava	10	30,000
Srirangapattana	Jan.	Ranganatha	1	25,000
Mysore dt., Chamundi Hills, Mysore	Oct.	Chamundeshwari	3	50,000
Talakadu, T. Narasipur taluk	Nov.–Dec. (once in 12 years)	Panchalinga Darshana	7	2 lakhs
Nanjangud	Mar.–Apr.	Srikanteshwara	15	75,000
Mudukuthore, T. Narasipur taluk	Feb.–Mar.	Mallikarjuna	3	25,000
Raichur dt., Raichur	Aug.	Syed Shams Alam, Hussain Ali Urus	1	50,000
Devarbhupur, Lingasugur Tq.	Feb.–Mar.	Amareshwara	1	50,000
Shimoga dt., Shimoga	Apr.	Kote Anjaneya	3	20,000
Islapura, Shimoga Tq.	Jan.	Guddakal	2	80,000
Pulangere	July	Venkataramana	1	30,000
Sagar	Jan. (Once in 3 years)	Marikamba	9	40,000
Humcha, Hosanagar Tq.	Mar.	Padmavati and Parshwanatha	1	10,000
Tumkur dt., Siddaganga, Tumkur	Feb.	Siddhalingeshwara	10	50,000
Yadiyur, Kunigal taluk	Apr.	Siddhalingeshwara	7	50,000
Devarayanadurga	Apr./Mar.	Narasimha	1	50,000
Udupi dt., Udupi	Jan. (Once in 2 years)	Lord Krishna / Paryaya	7	50,000
Kollur, Kundapur Tq.	Nov.	Mookambika	10	1,00,000
Subrahmanya, Sullia Tq.	Dec.	Subrahmanya	1	25,000
Uttara Kannada dt., Banavasi	Dec.	Madhukeshwara	2	1 lakh
Sirsi	Mar. (Once in 2 years)	Marikamba	7	1 lakh
Sonda (Swadi), Sirsi taluk	May	Vadiraja	5	25,000
Ulvi, Supa taluk	Jan.–Feb.	Channabasaveshwara	8	50,000
Gokarna, Kumta taluk	Mar. (Shivaratri)	Mahabaleshwara	1	50,000

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