Culture

Festivals & temple fairs

From chariot festivals at village temples to Holi dances in the Halakki hamlets and pujas to the sea, here is Honavar's year of celebrations.

Festivals

Chariots, crowds and colour

The year around Honavar is marked by temple fairs: chariot festivals (rathotsava) at village temples, Ratha Saptami at Idagunji and the Kodlamane rathotsava, with music, lamps and crowds from the villages around.

Homes celebrate too, from Ganesh Chaturthi to Makara Sankranti, when families take boats out to the island fort of Basavaraj Durga. The calendar below goes month by month.

A year of festivals

January
Makara Sankranti (14 or 15 January)
Families take boats to the island fort of Basavaraj Durga to pray at its shrine. It is the island's biggest day of the year. Catholic villages celebrate their parish feasts, such as St Sebastian at Mugwa on 6 January.
January to February
Ratha Saptami at Idagunji
The Idagunji Mahaganapati temple holds its Maharathotsava (great chariot festival) on Ratha Saptami, drawing huge crowds. Sankashti Chaturthi days through the year are also busy.
February to March
Temple chariot festivals
The Kodlamane Vishnumurthy temple holds its annual rathotsava over several days, with flag hoisting, a flower chariot and the main chariot. The Jain basadis of Gerusoppa celebrate their annual puja festival in the month of Magha.
February to March
Maha Shivaratri
Pilgrims head to Gokarna's Mahabaleshwar temple, about an hour north, where Shivaratri brings a chariot procession and some of the year's biggest crowds.
March
Holi and the Suggi dance
In the week before Holi, Halakki men form troupes and tour village to village dancing the Suggi Kunita to gumate drums, in tall flower-and-feather headdresses. They return home on the full-moon day of Holi. See folk arts.
August
Back to sea
The monsoon fishing ban ends on 1 August. Fishermen perform pujas on their boats before heading out again. Around Shravana Hunnime (Nooli Hunnime), fishing families along the Uttara Kannada coast offer coconuts and flowers to the sea for a safe season.
August to September
Ganesh Chaturthi
Honavar's big festival. Idagunji draws long queues of devotees. In town the public Ganeshotsava idol is carried in procession and immersed in the Sharavathi River after a week of celebrations.
September to October
Navaratri at Karikanamma
Navaratri is the busiest time of year at the hilltop temple of Shri Karikan Parameshwari (Karikanamma), about 13 km from Honavar. The goddess, a form of Kali whose idol was installed by Sri Sridhara Swami, is decorated with a special alankara and the temple holds a Chandika homa. Devotees climb the hill in large numbers. The views over the forest to the Arabian Sea are a bonus. The temple stands beside an old sacred grove. It is usually open 7 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm.
October to November
Deepavali
Celebrated over several days, with oil lamps, crackers and Balipadyami, when families worship King Bali and their cattle.
December to May
Yakshagana season
Every night through the season the Gundabala temple stages all-night Yakshagana as devotees' vows. Read more.
December
Christmas and Karavali Utsav
Honavar's churches celebrate Christmas with midnight masses and cribs. In Karwar, the district's Karavali Utsav brings music, dance and food to Tagore Beach, usually in December.

Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, so their dates move from year to year. Ask your host or check with the temple before you travel.

Tips for festival visitors

Temple festivals are crowded: go early, leave footwear at the stands and carry small change for offerings. Dress modestly and ask before photographing rituals or people.

Chariot festivals and Yakshagana go on late into the night. Arrange transport back in advance.