Does the idea of backpacking the length and breadth of the country in 2025 hold your fancy? If only there were a way to add value to your trip.
To help, we’ve scoured the internet for festivals straddling literature, music, food, heritage and culture that are set to play out in the coming year. And guess what! There is something exciting unfolding every month!
The 2025 edition of the ‘World’s Biggest Free Literary Festival’ is set to showcase a confluence of voices from literature, politics, science, and the arts. The Jaipur Literature Festival transcends a ; it essays the role of a dais where provoking ideas are debated, and conversations are sparked.
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Well, this year, the ambience promises to be markedly energised with a diverse blend — think writers, readers, connoisseurs, influencers, and thinkers, the likes of Masterchef Matt Preston, historian William Dalrymple, screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Dates: 30 January 2025 to 3 February 2025.
For more details, click .
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Imagine spending three days in the solitude of the Ganges and doing…absolutely nothing! True to its name, the Shoonya Festival (in Hindi shoonya translates to ‘zero’ or ‘nil’), encourages its patrons to ‘chill’ in the true sense. It urges a reconnaissance with one’s roots and with nature, celebrating the interplay.
The Shoonya Festival is being held in Rishikesh this year and will see a series of mindfulness sessions and self-discovery workshops, Picture source:
You won’t be engaging in any city hustle. Instead, — this year’s destination of choice — you’ll be partaking in rejuvenating activities, mindfulness sessions, and a host of self-discovery workshops. Set the mood right for the coming year, and let the symphony of nature substitute the otherwise noisy city conundrum.
Dates: 14 February 2025 to 16 February 2025.
For more details, click .
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The spring festival marks the end of the jungle-clearing spree in Mizoram. It is a toast to the hard work of the Mizo people and boasts a banquet of zu (a mild rice beer, brewed with husks), and a variety of meats.
While every village boasts their personal nuances of heralding in spring, it is fascinating to watch , with women in their fineries cheering the village youth, who dance to the beat of drums.
Date: 7 March 2025.
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The festival is held annually at the Baikunth Resort in Kasauli, Himachal. Every year, artists from across India head here to regale an equally enthusiastic audience with their music. But at the heart of this initiative is an attempt to support critically ill, and underprivileged children suffering from Congenital Heart Disorder (CHD).
The Kasauli Rhythm and Blues Music Festival is an attempt to support critically ill and underprivileged children suffering from Congenital Heart Disorder (CHD), Picture source:
The festival —- an initiative by the , started by Prema and Jyoti Sagar, who lost their second-born child to a Congenital Heart Defect in 1983 — is an attempt at restoring hope, knitting together the fields of music and healing.
Dates: 18 April 2025 to 20th April 2025.
For more details, click .
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Ooty is reborn every May, and the seed of reincarnation lies in the flower blooms across the city. The Summer Festival is a hive of activity, promising its patrons a spectacular vegetable show — featuring a variety of vegetables, handpicked by professional artists and gardeners, arranged in intricate creations.
The Ooty Summer Festival celebrates the vegetables, spices, and flower plantations across the city, Pictures source:
The spice show puts the spotlight on locally grown spices across the city’s plantations; while steals the limelight with pots to the tune of thousands being arranged at the Botanical Garden.
Dates: May (dates yet to be announced).
Ticking the boxes of vibrancy and fun, Sao Joao is Goa’s identity, marking the birth of Saint John the Baptist. Fanfare colours the streets, taken over by festivities and customs. The fest’s origins date back to the 16th century when the Portuguese first arrived in Goa, and its grandeur has been sustained through the centuries.
Participants parade the streets wearing kopel (crowns made of fruits and flowers), symbolic of the joy and the abundance brought by the monsoon. Tourists are regaled with music, dance performances, parades and — sorpotel (a spicy, tangy dish made of pork liver), sannas (sweet rice cakes that are made from fermented rice and coconut gratings), and chicken xacuti (chicken curry made with spices, coconut and poppy seeds).
Date: 24 June 2025.
The festival is held in Hemis Gompa, one of the in Leh, and marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. The celebrations are characterised by scenes of masked people performing chams (dances) to the beat of drums and cymbals.
The Hemis Festival in Ladakh marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
But the main draw at the festival is the giant thangkas (Buddhist paintings) that are unfurled for the public on the festival days. Every one in twelve years, the largest thangka in Ladakh is unfurled in Hemis on the first day of the festival for the public to see.
Dates: July 2025 (dates yet to be announced).
Head to the Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Kerala on the second Saturday of August and you’ll be treated to an amusing sight. Chundan vallams (snake boats) race through the waters, each at breakneck speed thanks to the clockwork rowing of the oarsmen.
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, named after former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is a visually captivating event in Kerala.
The festival is named after former prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who visited Kerala in 1952 and was so enthralled by the rhythmic motion of the boats that he jumped into one of them.
Date: Second Saturday of August.
For more details, click .
The ZIRO Festival, started in 2012, promotes indigenous tribes and artists from the Northeast. During its duration, Indian music finds itself juxtaposed against global hits, making the festival a pop culture touchstone. But the festival’s significance outpaces music; it shines the spotlight on the , creating employment for localities, and providing a platform for showcasing the crafts of the region.
The Ziro Music Festival sheds light on the cultural diversity in the Northeast, Pictures source:
Last year’s lineup featured a host of talent, including Dobom Doji Collective, a folk-rock ensemble from Arunachal Pradesh, and Teesta Troupers, a collective of musicians, rappers and songwriters known for their allegorical compositions. Also featured was Ballimaaraan – The Piyush Mishra Project, a musical homage to the doyen of Urdu poetry, Mirza Ghalib.
Dates: September (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
With an enigmatic cult following, the festival has risen to the ranks of the ‘world’s most prestigious South Asian Film Festival’, a conglomerate for new cinematic voices, facilitating the exchange of ideas and collaborations.
Since 1997, the festival has drawn the best of contemporary world cinema and talent to the city of Mumbai. The Year Round Programme, meanwhile, is a hub for . It provides them with networking opportunities, and access to labs and workshops, for skill development and masterclasses. Find your community of cinema lovers here.
Dates: October (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
At ‘India’s longest-running international photo festival’, photography has an implicit role that extends beyond aesthetic allure. The festival agenda is multi-layered, the locus being to bring photography from around the world under one umbrella, while allowing it to be a conversation starter on its role as a medium to address social issues.
Through talks and discussions, exhibitions, portfolio reviews, screenings, book launches, and workshops, the Indian Photo Festival touches upon the and its interwoven role of advocacy.
Dates: November (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
December sees Meghalaya gearing up for its annual festival that celebrates indigenous food and innovative dishes, and also acts as a stage for discussion around agrobiodiversity-related issues. The festival is organised in collaboration with the state government and mobilised by the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS).
The aim is to , and intricate cooking methods. Some of the star dishes of the festival are smoked beef with wild edibles, fine fern omelet, jadoh rice (a traditional Khasi dish of rice cooked with meat), and pumaloi (steamed rice cake).
Edited by Arunava Banerjee
To help, we’ve scoured the internet for festivals straddling literature, music, food, heritage and culture that are set to play out in the coming year. And guess what! There is something exciting unfolding every month!
1. January: Jaipur Literature Festival, Jaipur
The 2025 edition of the ‘World’s Biggest Free Literary Festival’ is set to showcase a confluence of voices from literature, politics, science, and the arts. The Jaipur Literature Festival transcends a ; it essays the role of a dais where provoking ideas are debated, and conversations are sparked.
Advertisement
Well, this year, the ambience promises to be markedly energised with a diverse blend — think writers, readers, connoisseurs, influencers, and thinkers, the likes of Masterchef Matt Preston, historian William Dalrymple, screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Dates: 30 January 2025 to 3 February 2025.
For more details, click .
Advertisement
2. February: Shoonya Festival, Rishikesh
Imagine spending three days in the solitude of the Ganges and doing…absolutely nothing! True to its name, the Shoonya Festival (in Hindi shoonya translates to ‘zero’ or ‘nil’), encourages its patrons to ‘chill’ in the true sense. It urges a reconnaissance with one’s roots and with nature, celebrating the interplay.
The Shoonya Festival is being held in Rishikesh this year and will see a series of mindfulness sessions and self-discovery workshops, Picture source:
You won’t be engaging in any city hustle. Instead, — this year’s destination of choice — you’ll be partaking in rejuvenating activities, mindfulness sessions, and a host of self-discovery workshops. Set the mood right for the coming year, and let the symphony of nature substitute the otherwise noisy city conundrum.
Dates: 14 February 2025 to 16 February 2025.
For more details, click .
Advertisement
3. March: Chapchar Kut, Mizoram
The spring festival marks the end of the jungle-clearing spree in Mizoram. It is a toast to the hard work of the Mizo people and boasts a banquet of zu (a mild rice beer, brewed with husks), and a variety of meats.
While every village boasts their personal nuances of heralding in spring, it is fascinating to watch , with women in their fineries cheering the village youth, who dance to the beat of drums.
Date: 7 March 2025.
Advertisement
4. April: Kasauli Rhythm and Blues Music Festival, Himachal
The festival is held annually at the Baikunth Resort in Kasauli, Himachal. Every year, artists from across India head here to regale an equally enthusiastic audience with their music. But at the heart of this initiative is an attempt to support critically ill, and underprivileged children suffering from Congenital Heart Disorder (CHD).
The Kasauli Rhythm and Blues Music Festival is an attempt to support critically ill and underprivileged children suffering from Congenital Heart Disorder (CHD), Picture source:
The festival —- an initiative by the , started by Prema and Jyoti Sagar, who lost their second-born child to a Congenital Heart Defect in 1983 — is an attempt at restoring hope, knitting together the fields of music and healing.
Dates: 18 April 2025 to 20th April 2025.
For more details, click .
Advertisement
5. May: Ooty Summer Festival, Ooty
Ooty is reborn every May, and the seed of reincarnation lies in the flower blooms across the city. The Summer Festival is a hive of activity, promising its patrons a spectacular vegetable show — featuring a variety of vegetables, handpicked by professional artists and gardeners, arranged in intricate creations.
The Ooty Summer Festival celebrates the vegetables, spices, and flower plantations across the city, Pictures source:
The spice show puts the spotlight on locally grown spices across the city’s plantations; while steals the limelight with pots to the tune of thousands being arranged at the Botanical Garden.
Dates: May (dates yet to be announced).
6. June: São João Festival, Goa
Ticking the boxes of vibrancy and fun, Sao Joao is Goa’s identity, marking the birth of Saint John the Baptist. Fanfare colours the streets, taken over by festivities and customs. The fest’s origins date back to the 16th century when the Portuguese first arrived in Goa, and its grandeur has been sustained through the centuries.
Participants parade the streets wearing kopel (crowns made of fruits and flowers), symbolic of the joy and the abundance brought by the monsoon. Tourists are regaled with music, dance performances, parades and — sorpotel (a spicy, tangy dish made of pork liver), sannas (sweet rice cakes that are made from fermented rice and coconut gratings), and chicken xacuti (chicken curry made with spices, coconut and poppy seeds).
Date: 24 June 2025.
7. July: Hemis Festival, Ladakh
The festival is held in Hemis Gompa, one of the in Leh, and marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. The celebrations are characterised by scenes of masked people performing chams (dances) to the beat of drums and cymbals.
The Hemis Festival in Ladakh marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
But the main draw at the festival is the giant thangkas (Buddhist paintings) that are unfurled for the public on the festival days. Every one in twelve years, the largest thangka in Ladakh is unfurled in Hemis on the first day of the festival for the public to see.
Dates: July 2025 (dates yet to be announced).
8. August: Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Kerala
Head to the Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Kerala on the second Saturday of August and you’ll be treated to an amusing sight. Chundan vallams (snake boats) race through the waters, each at breakneck speed thanks to the clockwork rowing of the oarsmen.
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, named after former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is a visually captivating event in Kerala.
The festival is named after former prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who visited Kerala in 1952 and was so enthralled by the rhythmic motion of the boats that he jumped into one of them.
Date: Second Saturday of August.
For more details, click .
9. September: ZIRO Festival, Arunachal Pradesh
The ZIRO Festival, started in 2012, promotes indigenous tribes and artists from the Northeast. During its duration, Indian music finds itself juxtaposed against global hits, making the festival a pop culture touchstone. But the festival’s significance outpaces music; it shines the spotlight on the , creating employment for localities, and providing a platform for showcasing the crafts of the region.
The Ziro Music Festival sheds light on the cultural diversity in the Northeast, Pictures source:
Last year’s lineup featured a host of talent, including Dobom Doji Collective, a folk-rock ensemble from Arunachal Pradesh, and Teesta Troupers, a collective of musicians, rappers and songwriters known for their allegorical compositions. Also featured was Ballimaaraan – The Piyush Mishra Project, a musical homage to the doyen of Urdu poetry, Mirza Ghalib.
Dates: September (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
10. October: Jio MAMI Film Festival, Mumbai
With an enigmatic cult following, the festival has risen to the ranks of the ‘world’s most prestigious South Asian Film Festival’, a conglomerate for new cinematic voices, facilitating the exchange of ideas and collaborations.
Since 1997, the festival has drawn the best of contemporary world cinema and talent to the city of Mumbai. The Year Round Programme, meanwhile, is a hub for . It provides them with networking opportunities, and access to labs and workshops, for skill development and masterclasses. Find your community of cinema lovers here.
Dates: October (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
11. November: Indian Photo Festival, Hyderabad
At ‘India’s longest-running international photo festival’, photography has an implicit role that extends beyond aesthetic allure. The festival agenda is multi-layered, the locus being to bring photography from around the world under one umbrella, while allowing it to be a conversation starter on its role as a medium to address social issues.
Through talks and discussions, exhibitions, portfolio reviews, screenings, book launches, and workshops, the Indian Photo Festival touches upon the and its interwoven role of advocacy.
Dates: November (dates yet to be announced).
For more details, click .
12. December: Mei-Ramew, Meghalaya
December sees Meghalaya gearing up for its annual festival that celebrates indigenous food and innovative dishes, and also acts as a stage for discussion around agrobiodiversity-related issues. The festival is organised in collaboration with the state government and mobilised by the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS).
The aim is to , and intricate cooking methods. Some of the star dishes of the festival are smoked beef with wild edibles, fine fern omelet, jadoh rice (a traditional Khasi dish of rice cooked with meat), and pumaloi (steamed rice cake).
Edited by Arunava Banerjee