Karnataka Fairs & Festivals

The fascinating fairs and festivals of Karnataka are a celebration of life in all its infinite variety. Most of them are exclusive to the state and reverberate with colour and gaiety. Every hamlet and village, every town and city has its own calendar of events to be celebrated.

Dussehra: Treat yourself to the pomp and pageantry of the Dussehra festival in Mysore. This festival commemorates the victory of the Goddess Chamundi over the demon Mahishasura. Pageants, parades and music create a kaliedoscope of colour and gaiety. Crowds jostle to catch a glimpse of the glittering palace. On the last day, a colourful procession of soldiers in ceremonial dress, cavalry, infantry, caparisoned elephants and colourful tableaux wend their way from the palace gates to Bani Mantap, where the torchlight parade and a magnificent display of horsemanship mark the grand finale.

Dussehra in Madikeri is held with a procession of beautifully lit temple cars and a prize is given for the best decorated temple car.
Month: October

Hampi Festival (Vijaya Utsav): The ruins of Hampi come alive with the strains of music and sounds of dance when the State Government holds the Vijaya Utsav to recreate the grandeur of the erstwhile Vijayanagar Empire and a bygone era. Similar festivals are held at Halebid, Pattadakal, Karavalli and Lakkundi. Other district festivals are held in consultation with the District Commissioners of different Districts.
Month: November


Tula Sankramana: Come October, the people of Kodagu look forward to this annual festival. It is believed that Goddess Cauvery appears in the form of a sudden upsurge of water in a small tank to give darshan to the innumerable devotees gathered here. This event is known as theerthodbhava and is celebrated with much festivity in Kodagu. Thousands flock to witness the event and seek the Goddess’s blessings, bathe in her waters and carry back bottles full of holy water from the source of the river.
Date: October 17th

Vairamudi Festival: The sleepy town of Melkote comes alive during the annual Vairamudi festival when the deity of the hill shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu is adorned with the legendary diamond-studded crown brought from the Mysore Palace. This nightlong event, part of the 10-day Brahmotsavam, is witnessed by thousands of devotees.
Month: March

Kambala (Buffalo Race): When the fields are flush with water, buffaloes race down a slushy track, egged on by a strong-muscled farmer who surfs his way down the track behind the beasts while balancing precariously on a trailing wooden plank. A riot of colour, frenzied cheers and shining torsos slick with sweat mark this annual sporting event where the prize goes to the swiftest. Get swept away by the excitement of the Kambala buffalo race, a rural sport in southern coastal Karnataka, which originally began as a royal pastime and was later continued by the feudal lords of the Tulu region.

Buffalo racing season:
From November to March in Baradi Beedu, Bolantur, Kolatta Majalu, Bajagoli, Puttur, Kamalakatte and Uppinangadi.