The year in festival
Events & Festivals in Mathura
Dates shift with the lunar calendar, so treat months as a guide and confirm exact dates closer to travel.
Looking for exact dates?
Lathmar Holi
A week before national Holi, women in Barsana ceremonially beat men with sticks to reenact Radha's teasing of Krishna. Loud, crowded, and the single most famous week to visit.
Holi (main)
Mathura and Vrindavan celebrate for days around the national holiday, with color-throwing at temples including Banke Bihari and Dwarkadhish.
Hariyali Teej
Monsoon festival marking the arrival of the rains — temples decorate swings for Krishna and Radha, and the heat starts to break.
Janmashtami
Krishna's birthday, and Mathura's biggest night by far. Janmabhoomi and Dwarkadhish overflow past midnight; book stays months ahead.
Sharad Purnima
Full-moon nights built around raas leela performances re-enacting Krishna's dance with the gopis.
Govardhan Puja
The day after Diwali, Krishna's hill-lifting is reenacted with mountains of food offerings — the annapurna literally means "mountain of food."
Traveling for Janmashtami or Holi?
These are Mathura's two highest-demand weeks. Book accommodation as early as possible — see general guidance in Hotels — and expect significantly higher crowds and prices than the rest of the year.
Want the Sanskrit etymology and Panchang timing behind these festival names specifically? See Sanskrit Calendar's festival guide.