12 Famous Festivals in India in June 2023
India is a dynamic land with a beautiful culture, which believes God lives everywhere around people, starting from the sun to a blade of grass. Thus, Indians have the heritage of celebrating every small detail around them as festivals.
June is one of the peak summer seasons and the place is quite dry and humid. This doesn’t stop the locals from celebrating the sun, nature or deities of the land. Are you visiting India during June of 2023?
Here are the Top festivals June in India 2023 to be celebrated
1. Ganga Dussehra
Location : Varanasi, Haridwar, Allahabad, Rishikesh, and Garhmukteshwar
Date : 30th May 2023
This festival is dedicated to River Ganges. This day marks the event when Goddess Ganges descended to earth to flourish it. Taking bath in River Ganges is considered very sacred during this festival. It is said that a holy dip on this day will purify one’s soul of any earthly sin. The best place to perform the holy dip or watch rituals is the Dashashwamedh Ghat of Varanasi.
2. Kottiyoor Utsavam
Location : Kottiyoor Temple, Kerala
Date : 2nd June 2023 - 28th June 2023
This is a 28-days long temple festival celebrated in Ikkare Kottiyoor and Akkare Kottiyoor temples, which are located on either side of the banks of Bavali River. The Akkare temple is open only during this festival. This festival is celebrated with numerous rituals, celebrations, and events. Fairs will be conducted during the special days of the festival. The first and last days of this celebration are considered more sacred and more beautiful.
Also Read : Top Fairs and Festivals in Kerala
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3. Shimla Summer Festival
Location : Shimla
Date : First week of June, every year (exact dates are not yet announced
This is the summer festival of this hill station, which is celebrated to honor nature’s gift during the summer. This festival usually lasts for five days. You can find numerous cultural performances and attractions like dog shows, folk performances, musical events, handicraft exhibitions, food festivals, adventure activities, flower shows and much more. This festival is also the harvest festival of the region. It is celebrated in the ridge of Shimla where you can find numerous stalls and exhibition houses.
Also Read: Top 15 Offbeat Places to Visit in Himachal Pradesh
Suggested Tour :
4. Panihati Chida Dahi Utsava
Location : Bangalore
Date : 2nd June 2023
Every year, the ISKCON temple of Bangalore celebrates this day with grand rituals, boat festival, distribution of sweets and others. The temple’s pond will be decorated with flowers and a procession takes place from the temple to the pond.
The deity will be placed on a palanquin and taken to the pond, where he would be bathed with honey, milk, ghee, curd, fruit juices, and others. Later, the deity is taken on a small boat in the pond. Many stalls will be erected outside the temple for souvenir shopping during this festival.
Read More Info: Top Tourist Places Near Bangalore within 200 kms
Suggested Tour :
5. Saga Dawa
Location : Gangtok
Date : Almost Comes in June First week (4th June
This is a Tibetan religious festival, which is celebrated to mark the birth, death, and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. This is a colorful festival, which takes place in many monasteries in this region. Apart from the iconic masked monk dance of Rumtek Monastery, this festival is famous for the grand monk procession. During this procession, a large group of monks walk from Tsuklakhang Palace Monastery through the streets of the town carrying holy books of their religion. During this procession, you can also witness musical performances.
Also Read : Saga Dawa Festival Tibet – A Complete Guide
Suggested Tour :
6. Sindhu Darshan Festival
Location : Ladakh
Date : 23rd June - 26th June 2023
This festival is celebrated on the banks of Sindhu River. The natives believe that the river is the main reason for harmony among different people in the region. This is a three-day festival during which, you can find many folk cultural performances, Buddhist rituals, and others. During this festival, the soldiers of the land are honored and prayed for.
Also Read: List of Famous Buddhist Festivals in India
Suggested Tour Itinerary
7. Ochira Kali
Location : Kollam district of Kerala
Date : 16th - 17th June 2023
This is a mock fight festival, which recreates the historic war that took place between the Ambalapuzha and Kayamkulam regions, during the medieval times. The festival takes place in a waterlogged region where they take part in mock combat using sticks and other medieval weapon replica. You can also hear ceremonial war music in the air, throughout the festival. You can find many interesting rituals in the Ochira Temple, during this festival.
Also Read : 10 Most Popular Festivals of South India
8. Yuru Kabgyat
Location : Lamayuru, Ladakh
Date : 15th - 16th June 2023
This is the annual festival of Lamayuru Monastery. It takes place for two days and the main attractions of this festival are masked monk dance, rituals, musical performances, and others. This Buddhist festival is celebrated as a tribute to Padmasambhava and Yama. A dance drama is conducted to explain mythological stories to the public.
9. Puri Rath Yatra Festival
Location : Orissa
Date : 2oth June 2023
Puri Rath Yatra is a festival of chariots, which take place in the Puri Jagannath Temple. The temple’s main deities will be taken on grand chariots and a procession will take place through the streets to a nearby temple. The procession includes musical instruments, dancers, singers and thousands of pilgrims. Pulling the chariot or even being a part of the procession is considered as a sacred element.
During this festival, you can find unique rituals and a large fair around the temple grounds. When the chariots reach the Gundicha temple, rituals and celebrations start in that temple for the rest of the day.
Get Complete Info : About Chariot Festival of Puri- The Jagannath Rath Yatra
10. Sao Joao Festival
Location : Goa
Date : 22nd June & 23rd June 2023
This festival is the feast of St. John, the Baptist. This is an interesting feast, where you can find unique activities like men jumping into wells to find alcohol bottles. Apart from this, you can find other activities like dance and music performances, boat races, and others. Many mass prayers are conducted, during which people pray for a safe and good monsoon ahead. This festival is celebrated as the Village Festival of Music and Dance in many villages of Goa.
Also Read : Major Festivals and Events in Goa
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11. Bonalu Festival
Location : Telangana
Date : 22 June to 17th July 2023
Date : August 4th 2021
This 18th-century festival is celebrated for Goddess Mahakali. This annual festival is a way to say thanks to god. Sweet delicacies are cooked in earthen pots and reserved to the deities. The first day celebrations take place in Golconda Fort and each day, the venue varies. Numerous rituals and cultural activities take place everyday. Processions take place at various destinations and you can watch tranced people dance during these processions. A feast is offered to the deity with meat-based delicacies and alcohol.
Also Read : 25 Best Places to Visit in India in June
12. Hemis Gompa Festival
Location : Hemis Monastery of Ladakh
Date : 28th July – 29thJune 2023
Also called the Hemis Tsechu, this is one of the famous festivals of Ladakh. The monk dance of the monastery is the emblematic celebration of this festival. Apart from this, the festival is celebrated with other dance forms, processions, rituals and displays of heritage items of the monastery to the public. This festival is celebrated to mark the birth of the religious head, Guru Padmasambhava.
Get Complete Info : About The Colorful World of Hemis Festival
Festivals in India are very colorful and interesting. At the same time, the climate of June is not something to take lightly. Be prepared for a hot, humid and dehydrating climate and pack clothing and accessories accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. June is considered as the month of summer. So festivals in June give you summer thrilling. So there are various kinds of festivals which are celebrated in June on different aspects like - Shimla Summer Festival, Rath Yatra, Ganga Dussehra, Saga Dawa, Ramadan and Eid Ul-Fitr, Sindhu Darshan Festival, Ambubachi Mela, International Mango Festival, etc.
A. Different kinds of festivals will be celebrated in different states in June. Some well-known, illustrious festivals of June 2021 are - Ganga Dussehra, Shimla Summer Festival, Kottiyor Utsavam, Saga Dawa, Ochira Kali, Uttar Pradesh Mango Festival, Yuru Kabgyat, Silk Route Festival, Puri Rath Yatra, etc.
A. If you are fond of rain, then definitely June is the best time for visiting. Rain almost comes in India in the month of June. Moreover, so many things to do in monsoon, so many places are there for visiting in India. So visiting in June gives you an unforgettable memory.
A. Travelling can give you refreshments from sweltering summer. Most important festivals to be celebrated in summers in India are Gangaur, Baisakhi, Chithirai Festival, Moatsu Festival, Mount Abu Summer Festival, Ooty Flower Festival, Shimla Summer Festival, Sikkim Summer Festival etc.
A. Best time to taste the flavour of monsoon in India is by visiting in the month of June. Some renowned places of India for visiting in June are - Ladakh, Auli, Shimla, Goa, Mount Abu, Kasol, Malana, Kanatal, Pondicherry, Kamshet, Kashmir, Coorg, Shillong, etc.
A. Multiple hill stations are there to visit in India. But there are some hill stations which are best to visit during the month of June. Such hill stations are - Manali, Auli, Mussoorie, Shimla, Coorg, Ladakh, Jammu, and Kashmir, Dalhousie, Lansdowne etc.
A. Visiting Goa in June will give you the best entertainment. Unfortunately, this is the best time to visit Goa. Moreover, the mild cold of monsoon gives you a pleasant and romantic atmosphere. You can do plenty of amazing things in Goa like - scooter ride, feasts, seeing Dudhsagar falls, visiting Spice Garden, Safari tours, etc.
A. In general, June in India is considered as rainy season. Sometimes rain falls in India in the mid of June and sometimes in the end of June. The temperature in June varies between 27°c to 35°c in meanwhile. In short, this temperature is favourable for travelling.
A. So many festivals are celebrated during June in India. The month of monsoon is the best time for festivals celebration. Some festivals celebrated during June are - Sant Guru Kabir Das Jayanti, RathYatra, Remna Ni, Raja Sankranti, Id-ul-Fitr, Pahili Raja, Kharchi Puja, etc.
A. Valley of Flowers" is considered as one of the most beautiful places in India. So many captivating things are there for seeing like flowers, amazing waterfalls, landscapes, animals, etc. As rainfalls makes green the environment, by helping flowers to bloom. So after monsoon, valley of flowers seems to be green everywhere till summer. So the best time for visitors will be summer to visit at “Valley of Flowers”.
A. Sindhu Darshan utsav is preferred as symbol of unity. As it is celebrated in Sindhu River, so the festival is named as such. This is one of the most significant festivals which is celebrated during the month of June. During full moon day, this festival is celebrated in Leh Ladakh.
A. Rath Yatra is one of the most renowned festival in Puri (Orissa)which is celebrated in honour of Lord Krishna. The Yatra basically refers the journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram and goddess Subhadra from Jagannath Temple to Aunty's home. This Yatra is done by Rath, so the name is Rath Yatra. This festival is celebrated in the month of June.
