FestivalJanuary 14 (Makar Sankranti)
Jaipur Kite Festival (International Kite Festival)
Held on Makar Sankranti (14 January), Jaipur's sky fills with kites of every colour as residents and visitors fly kites from rooftops across the city. The festival, organised by the tourism department, features kite-flying competitions, international kite flyers and open-air cultural performances. It is among the most iconic celebrations of the Tibetan/new-year harvest festival in Rajasthan.
- Sky full of colourful kites
- kite-flying competitions
- cultural performances and folk music
- rooftop town-wide participation
CulturalJanuary
Jaipur Literature Festival
Billed as the world's largest free literary festival, it is held annually for five days in late January at Diggi Palace in Jaipur. It brings together Nobel laureates, Booker Prize winners, writers, musicians and thinkers for panel discussions, readings and performances. Attendance regularly exceeds 300,000 visitors from around the world.
- World-famous authors and speakers
- free-entry sessions at Diggi Palace
- panels across literature and the arts
- live music performances
CulturalMarch-April
Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is a spring festival celebrated across Rajasthan for 18 days, honouring Goddess Parvati (Gauri), consort of Lord Shiva. In Jaipur the highlight is a grand procession of colourfully painted elephants, decorated camels, chariots and folk performers that winds from the City Palace area through the old city to Ghat ki Guni near the royal residences. Women perform traditional songs and observe fasts for marital blessings.
- Bedecked elephant procession
- folk dance and music troupes
- decorated camels and chariots
- devotion to Goddess Gauri
ReligiousJuly-August
Teej Festival
Teej is a monsoon festival in Jaipur devoted to Goddess Parvati and celebrates her reunion with Lord Shiva, marking the arrival of the rains. The old city hosts a colourful procession carrying the idol of Teej Mata, accompanied by elephants, camels, bands and dancers. Women dress in green, swing on decorated swings and sing songs about the rains and married bliss.
- Procession of the Teej Mata idol
- green-themed attire and swings
- folk songs and tribal dances
- decorated elephants and camels
CulturalFebruary-March
Jaipur Elephant Festival
Held the day before Holi at Chaugan Stadium, the Elephant Festival features a procession of elaborately painted and decorated elephants parading through the grounds. Highlights include an elephant polo match, tug-of-war between elephants and people, and entertainment by folk dancers. Mahouts dress their elephants in bright anklets, jewellery and hand-painted body art.
- Painted and bejewelled elephants
- elephant polo
- tug-of-war competition
- folk dancing and cultural shows
CulturalJanuary
Jaipur Heritage International Festival
Run by the Jawahar Kala Kendra with support from the tourism department, this festival celebrates Jaipur's heritage through art, craft, music, dance and workshops. It showcases traditional Rajasthani crafts alongside contemporary artists from around the world at the JKK campus. Open-air evening performances and craft bazaars are a central draw.
- Art and craft exhibitions
- international and Rajasthani performers
- photography and theatre events
- open-air evening shows
ReligiousJanuary 14
Galtaji Makar Sankranti Fair
On Makar Sankranti, thousands of pilgrims gather at the ancient Galtaji Temple complex on the hills outside Jaipur to take a holy dip in its sacred kunds (water tanks). The sprawling temple, with its natural springs and Hanuman and Balaji shrines, becomes the centre of a large rural fair. Rhesus macaques that inhabit the site are a well-known feature of the journey up the hill.
- Ritual holy bath in sacred kunds
- rural fair and stalls
- monkeys of Galtaji
- Makar Sankranti prayers
FestivalJanuary 14
Makar Sankranti Fly-Past at Nahargarh
On Makar Sankranti, the vantage courtyards of Nahargarh Fort over the city attract kite enthusiasts who fly kites with panoramic views over the Jaipur skyline and the ramparts of the Aravalli hills. The fort's elevated location makes it a popular spot to watch the city-wide kites from above. Sightlines across Amber and the walled city are best enjoyed from its eastern bastions.
- Panoramic view of the city
- kite flying from the ramparts
- golden sunset over the Aravallis
- spectacular photo vantage point
ReligiousDaily
Aarti & Shringar at Govind Dev Ji Temple
Govind Dev Ji Temple, within the City Palace complex, is one of the most revered Krishna temples in India, enshrining an idol of Lord Krishna. Devotees attend the multiple daily aartis and the divine 'shringar' (adornment) ceremonies in which the idol is dressed and decorated. It is believed the temple's deity, brought from Vrindavan by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II, is of great divine power.
- Multiple daily aartis
- shringar darshan of Lord Krishna
- devotional bhajan singing
- temple within City Palace complex
ReligiousAugust-September
Janmashtami at Govind Dev Ji Temple
On Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, Govind Dev Ji Temple draws enormous crowds of devotees for midnight celebrations. The temple is decorated with flowers and special bhajans and aarti mark the auspicious birth hour. Devotees fast during the day and gather for darshan of the beautifully adorned deity at night.
- Midnight birth-hour celebrations
- flower-decked temple decor
- special bhajans and aarti
- large devotee gatherings
CulturalYear-round (evenings)
Chokhi Dhani Ethnic Village Evening
Chokhi Dhani is an ethnic resort village on the outskirts of Jaipur that recreates the ambience of a traditional Rajasthani village every evening. Visitors enjoy folk dances such as ghoomar and kalbelia, camel and elephant rides, mehndi, palmistry and magic shows alongside a traditional thali dinner. It is widely considered a complete introduction to Rajasthani culture in one evening.
- Folk dance and music performances
- camel and elephant rides
- traditional Rajasthani thali dinner
- live crafts and village re-creation
ReligiousAugust-September
Ganesh Chaturthi at Moti Doongri
Moti Doongri, a small hilltop fort crowned by a Ganesh temple and the erstwhile residence of the Jaipur royal family, hosts large Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. Devotees climb the hill to offer prayers and sweets to the elephant-headed god on his birthday festival. The site also becomes a focal point during Dussehra with special community events.
- Ganesh Chaturthi prayers atop the hill
- offering of laddus to Lord Ganesha
- iconic Scottish-castle-like temple
- hilltop views of Jaipur
ReligiousDaily
Evening Aarti at Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, is a white-marble temple built by the Birla family at the foot of Moti Doongri. It holds daily aarti ceremonies honouring the deities Lakshmi and Narayan on its intricately carved walls depicting epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Chanting, lamps and hymns during the evening aarti draw both devotees and tourists.
- White-marble temple architecture
- epic relief carvings on the walls
- daily evening aarti
- hilltop setting at Moti Doongri
CulturalDaily
Nightly Screenings at Raj Mandir Cinema
Raj Mandir Cinema, opened in 1976, is an iconic Art-Deco movie palace on M.I. Road famous for its atmospheric pink-and-cream interior and rocketing ceiling patterns. It screens Hindi films daily in packed, celebratory shows where audiences cheer, whistle and throw confetti. The cinema is itself a major Jaipur tourist attraction, celebrated worldwide for its unique audience experience.
- Iconic Art-Deco movie palace
- celebrated midnight-style audience atmosphere
- confetti and cheering shows
- M.I. Road location
WildlifeNovember to February
Jhalana Leopard Viewing Season
Jhalana, an urban leopard habitat on Jaipur's fringe, records a high leopard density, and its compact size means visitors often glimpse a leopard within the first part of a safari. The cool winter months from November to February are the peak prospect for leopard sightings as the animals stay active in thinner vegetation. Morning and evening safari slots in this period offer the best wildlife photography conditions.
- High-density leopard sightings
- striped hyena and Indian fox
- morning and evening safari slots
- compact urban forest with easy access from Jaipur
