Local Festivals of Udaipur and the Stories Behind Them
By Minal Joshi · Published 2026-08-01 · Last updated 2026-08-01
Udaipur's festival calendar, from the Mewar Festival boat procession to Jal Jhulani Ekadashi, and the stories that gave each one its shape.
The main local festivals of Udaipur are the Mewar Festival and Gangaur in March or April, Jal Jhulani Ekadashi in August or September, Hariyali Amavasya during the monsoon, and the Shilpgram Utsav craft fair from 21 December to 1 January. Most are tied to Lake Pichola or to the Mewar royal household, which is why Udaipur''s festivals look different from anything else in Rajasthan — they happen on water as much as on land.
What makes them worth planning around is not the scale. Udaipur is a small city and its festivals are correspondingly intimate. You are not watching a stadium event; you are standing on a ghat while a procession of women in ceremonial red and gold walks past you towards a boat, and half the crowd is local families who do this every year.
The local festivals of Udaipur, one by one
Mewar Festival and Gangaur (March–April)
These two run together and form the city''s biggest cultural moment. Gangaur honours Gauri, an aspect of Parvati, and celebrates marital devotion — unmarried women pray for a good husband, married women for their husband''s wellbeing. Over eighteen days, decorated images of Isar and Gauri are dressed, carried and worshipped in homes.
The finale is what draws visitors. Images of the deities are carried in procession from the City Palace down to Gangaur Ghat, then placed on ornate boats and taken across Lake Pichola. There is folk dancing at Gangaur Ghat, and the evening usually ends with fireworks over the water. The Mewar Festival, organised by the state, wraps cultural performances and craft displays around the same days.
Jal Jhulani Ekadashi (August–September)
A quieter but arguably more beautiful festival. Idols of Vishnu are taken from the city''s temples in palanquins, brought to the lake and given a ceremonial boat ride — the name literally means the swinging or bathing of the deity in water. Processions converge on Jagdish Temple and move down through the old city. If you want one festival that shows you Udaipur''s relationship with its lakes, this is it.
Hariyali Amavasya (July–August)
Marking the arrival of greenery after the first heavy rains, this two-day fair is held near Fateh Sagar Lake. The second day is traditionally reserved for women and children only, a custom that dates back to a Maharana''s decree after the crowds became unmanageable. It is a local fair in the truest sense — food stalls, small rides, families out in the cool wet air — and almost no international visitors attend.
Shilpgram Utsav (21 December – 1 January)
A ten-day crafts and performing arts festival at the Shilpgram rural arts complex just outside the city. Artisans from across western India set up stalls, and there are folk music and dance performances daily. This is the easiest festival to attend casually, since it runs for ten days and does not depend on catching a single procession at the right hour.
Ashwa Poojan and Holika Dahan
Two smaller royal-household observances worth knowing about. Ashwa Poojan, tied to Dussehra, involves the ceremonial worship of horses at the City Palace, a legacy of Mewar''s cavalry tradition. Holika Dahan on the eve of Holi features a bonfire lit in the palace courtyard with members of the erstwhile royal family present, followed by a procession — a rare chance to see a living court ritual rather than a reconstruction.
The stories behind them
Mewar''s festivals carry an unusual amount of dynastic memory. The house of Mewar traces an unbroken line of rulers back over 1,400 years, and never accepted Mughal overlordship in the way other Rajput states did. That history shows up in the rituals: the sun emblem on palace gates, the horse worship, the maharana''s continuing ceremonial role at Holika Dahan.
Gangaur''s legend is simpler and older. Gauri undertook severe penance to win Shiva as her husband; when she succeeded, she blessed all women with marital happiness. The eighteen days of ritual re-enact that period of devotion. The boat procession is a local addition, born entirely of geography — when your city is built around a lake, the deity goes on the water.
Planning around Udaipur''s festival calendar
- Best overall window: late March for Mewar Festival and Gangaur, when the weather is still comfortable.
- Best for photographers: Gangaur Ghat at dusk on the final procession day. Arrive at least ninety minutes early for a position.
- Best for a relaxed visit: Shilpgram Utsav in late December, which also coincides with peak-season weather.
- Avoid: May and June, when temperatures make daytime processions genuinely unpleasant.
Book lake-facing hotels four to five months ahead for the Gangaur window; the properties on Lake Pichola sell out first. If you would like the festival dates, ghat-side access and a driver who knows which lanes close, plan your Udaipur trip with an itinerary built around the specific festival you want to attend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest festival in Udaipur?
The combined Mewar Festival and Gangaur celebration in March or April is the largest, culminating in a procession from the City Palace to Gangaur Ghat and a boat procession on Lake Pichola.
When is the Mewar Festival held?
It follows the Hindu lunar calendar and falls in March or April, immediately after Holi, running for roughly three days. Confirm the exact dates for your travel year, as they move annually.
Are Udaipur''s festivals open to visitors?
Yes. Processions, ghat celebrations and Shilpgram Utsav are all public. Some royal-household rituals inside the City Palace have restricted access, so check in advance if a specific ceremony matters to you.
Is the monsoon a good time to visit Udaipur?
It is underrated. The lakes fill, the surrounding Aravalli hills turn green, and Hariyali Amavasya and Jal Jhulani Ekadashi both fall in this window. Rain is intermittent rather than constant.
How many days do I need for a festival trip to Udaipur?
Three to four nights works well — two days around the festival itself and one or two for the City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Bagore ki Haveli and a boat ride on Lake Pichola.