Makar Sankranti
Til-jaggery sweets, dahi-chura feasts and kite-filled skies mark the sun's turn north.
Culture & Traditions
Where Faith Greets
Where Faith Greets
the Rising Sun
From Chhath's dawn prayers on the Ganga to Asia's largest cattle fair — Bihar celebrates like nowhere else on earth.
4 days of Chhath Puja
Asia's largest cattle fair at Sonepur
All faiths celebrated
Festival Highlights
Rituals, Fairs, and Faith
Explore Bihar's most beloved festivals and the stories behind them.
October-November
Chhath Puja
The great sun festival celebrated with riverbank rituals, fasting, and offerings.
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November
Sonepur Mela
Asia's largest cattle fair where commerce meets devotion on the banks of the Gandak.
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November
Sama Chakeva
Winter festival celebrating the bond between siblings through folk songs and art.
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April-May
Buddha Purnima
Commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Lord Buddha.
View DetailsAll Faiths, One Land
The Year in Festivals
Bihar celebrates every season and every faith — here are the moments that light up the calendar.
Holi (Phagua)
Bihar's Holi is loud and joyous — abeer, folk Phagua songs and community feasts.
Mahavir Jayanti
Jains gather at Pawapuri and Kundalpur to honour Lord Mahavira's birth.
Sarhul
The tribal spring festival of the Oraon and Munda communities, worshipping nature and the Sal tree.
Eid
Eid-ul-Fitr and Bakrid bring communities together across Patna, Phulwari Sharif and beyond.
Jitiya & Teej
Mothers fast for their children's wellbeing in one of Mithila's most heartfelt rituals.
Durga Puja
Grand pandals and Vijayadashami processions fill Patna and every town.
Diwali
Rows of diyas, rangoli and the great Chhath that follows just days later.
Living Traditions
Folk Arts & Crafts
The hands and voices that keep Bihar's culture alive, generation after generation.
Madhubani Painting
GI-tagged folk art of gods, nature and celebration, painted by the women of Mithila.
Sikki Grass Craft
Golden marsh grass woven into GI-tagged baskets, boxes and figurines.
Sujini Embroidery
GI narrative embroidery that stitches folk stories onto quilted cloth.
Manjusha Art
The 'snake painting' folk tradition tied to the Bihula-Vishahari legend.
Folk Music
Sohar, Jhijhiya, Chhath geet and Vidyapati's Maithili songs sung at every occasion.
Folk Dance
Jat-Jatin, Bidesia, Jhijhiya and Domkach — theatre and dance of rural Bihar.
Culture Calendar
Plan Your Visit
Pick your season and build a travel itinerary around Bihar's most vibrant celebrations.