Rishikesh Festival Calendar 2026
International Yoga Festival (March 1–7, Annual)
The International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan ashram is Asia's largest yoga event, held annually on the Ganga bank during the first week of March. 1,000–2,000 international and Indian participants attend sessions with 100+ yoga masters from across India and the world.
What happens: 7 days of continuous yoga, meditation, pranayama and spiritual lectures from dawn to dusk. Morning yoga begins at 5:30 AM on the Ganga bank; sessions run until 9 PM with breaks. Each evening, the Ganga Aarti is attended by the full festival crowd (1,500+ people) in a uniquely electric atmosphere. International master teachers from every yoga tradition (Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar, Sivananda, Bikram, Yin) teach alongside Indian Vedic masters.
Practical: Ticket required (₹2,500–₅,₀₀₀/day or ₹12,000–₂₅,₀₀₀ for the full 7 days). Registration at the Parmarth Niketan website. Accommodation fills 6–8 weeks in advance — book early. See yoga guide.
Ganga Dussehra (May/June — 10th day of Jyestha Shukla Paksha)
Ganga Dussehra commemorates the day the Ganga descended from heaven to earth — one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar for bathing in the Ganga. In Rishikesh, the ghats at Triveni Ghat and throughout the city are packed with pilgrims from across Uttarakhand and the plains. The evening Ganga Aarti on Ganga Dussehra is the year's most attended ceremony — arrive 90 minutes early for a reasonable position. The Ganga is decorated with flowers and diyas floated by tens of thousands of pilgrims. A deeply moving Hindu cultural experience.
Maha Shivratri (February/March)
The night sacred to Shiva — Maha Shivratri — is one of the biggest nights in Rishikesh's spiritual calendar. The Neelkanth Mahadev temple (32 km, dedicated to Shiva) has its biggest attendance of the year. The ghats in Rishikesh hold all-night bhajans and Shiva worship. The Ganga Aarti on Shivratri night is extended and begins earlier (around 7 PM). If you're in Rishikesh for Shivratri, the atmosphere is extraordinary — chanting all night from ashrams, sadhus in large numbers, and the spiritually charged character of Rishikesh at its peak.
Kartik Purnima (October/November — Full Moon)
The full moon in the Kartik month is one of the most sacred bathing days in the Hindu calendar. Rishikesh's Triveni Ghat and Ghats fill with pilgrims at predawn for the sacred Ganga bath. The Ganga Aarti on Kartik Purnima evening is one of the most atmospheric of the year. If your Rishikesh visit falls on the October–November full moon, attend the pre-dawn ghat bathing at Triveni Ghat (4:30–6:00 AM) for a spiritual experience unlike the regular tourist day.
Diwali in Rishikesh (October/November)
Diwali in Rishikesh is a unique experience — the city is decorated with oil lamps (diyas), the ghats are lit, and thousands of diyas are floated on the Ganga. Since firecrackers are discouraged near the Ganga and in the holy city, the Diwali celebrations are quieter and more meditative than in Delhi or other cities — lamp-based, river-centred and spiritually oriented. The Ganga Aarti on Diwali evening is the year's most visually spectacular — the ghats lit with rows of diyas, the aarti fire reflected on the lit-up river, and the whole scene photographically extraordinary.
Basant Panchami (January/February)
The festival of spring — Basant Panchami marks the onset of spring and is sacred to the goddess Saraswati. In Rishikesh, the ghats and ashrams hold special prayers, and the Ganga Aarti has a yellow-colour theme (yellow flowers, yellow clothing). A quieter and more local festival than Shivratri or Ganga Dussehra — pleasant if you are in Rishikesh in late January or early February.
How to Reach Rishikesh
239 km from Delhi (5–6 hrs), 24 km from Haridwar. See Rishikesh overview.
Budget, Hotels & Travel Tips
- International Yoga Festival accommodation: Parmarth Niketan has on-campus accommodation for festival participants (simple rooms, shared facilities, ₹1,000–₂,₀₀₀/night). Off-campus hotels near Ram Jhula and in the Swarg Ashram area sell out 6–8 weeks before the festival. Book early if planning to attend.
- Festival crowds: Ganga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima and Diwali bring very large crowds to Rishikesh from the surrounding plains — the ghats, bridges and cafes are extremely crowded. For photography and the full spiritual experience, this is the most immersive time. For a quieter visit, plan around (not during) these dates.
- Year-round festival: The daily Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan is itself a daily festival — the most consistent and reliable spiritual experience in Rishikesh. No festival date or crowd is required to have the defining Rishikesh experience; the daily 6 PM aarti is available 365 days a year.
FAQs
- What is the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh?
- The International Yoga Festival is a 7-day annual yoga event held at Parmarth Niketan ashram on the Ganga bank in Rishikesh, every year from March 1–7. It is Asia's largest yoga festival, with 1,000–2,000 participants from across the world and 100+ yoga masters teaching. It covers all yoga traditions (Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar, Sivananda, Hatha, Yoga Nidra) alongside Vedic philosophy lectures. Entry requires registration and a paid ticket (₹2,500/day or ₹12,000+ for the full festival). It is the highlight of Rishikesh's yoga calendar and the most significant annual gathering in the yoga world outside of major Indian pilgrimage events.
- When is Ganga Dussehra celebrated in Rishikesh?
- Ganga Dussehra falls on the 10th day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Dashami) in the Hindu month of Jyestha — typically in May or June. In 2026, the date will be in the May–June timeframe (exact date depends on the lunar calendar for that year). It is one of the most sacred bathing days in the Hindu calendar — commemorating the descent of the Ganga from heaven to earth — and Rishikesh's ghats are packed with pilgrims from across northern India. The Ganga Aarti on this evening is the most attended of the year.