A festival for a mountain that empties in winter
For a century, Mount Abu was where Rajasthan went to escape the heat. In winter, the summer houses were shut, the bazaar went quiet and the boatmen on Nakki Lake had very little to do.
What makes the festival worth seeing is not its scale, which is modest, but its mood. This is a small hill town having a party at the end of the year, with folk dancers, games in the open air, music on the lake shore and a night of floating lamps that is genuinely beautiful.
A holy mountain: the epics call it Arbuda, and the sage Vasishtha is said to have kept his hermitage here.
The fire-born clans: from Vasishtha's sacrificial fire, the legend goes, rose the fire-born Rajput clans.
Facts to know
- When
- Late December, traditionally 29 to 31 December
- Where
- Nakki Lake and the polo ground, Mount Abu
- Lasts
- Usually three days, some years two
- Best day
- The evening of the Deepdaan on the lake
- Book by
- Six to nine months ahead
- Good for
- Families, couples, travellers between Rajasthan and Gujarat
- Its rulers: the Paramaras first, then the Deora Chauhans of Sirohi.
- The British: in the nineteenth century they leased the plateau as the summer headquarters for the officials who managed the Rajputana states.
- Princely summers: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and other states built summer palaces on the hill, and every hot season Abu became a gathering of maharajas, officials and households.
- A summer town: from April to June it was full, and still is, with families from Rajasthan and above all from neighbouring Gujarat escaping the heat of the plains.
- Empty winters: the hill was cold, bright and almost empty.
- Why the festival began: Rajasthan Tourism and the Mount Abu municipal board created it to change that, a few days at the end of the year when the mountain celebrates its own culture and the region's, and invites everyone up.
- It worked: the festival falls in the Christmas and New Year holidays, when Gujarat's families take their winter break, and Abu is now as busy in the last week of December as in May.
- The best excuse: for us, to see Abu in winter. The summer haze is gone, the views from Guru Shikhar stretch across Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the old princely houses light fires in their drawing rooms.
- A new name: in 2026 the Rajasthan government announced that Mount Abu would be renamed Abu Raj. Signs, timetables and records are still catching up, and most people, including our drivers, still simply say Abu.
- Read more: our Mount Abu guide tells the story of the mountain in more detail.
When the festival is held
Unlike most of Rajasthan's festivals, the Winter Festival follows the solar calendar, not the moon. It belongs to the last days of the year.
The dates: traditionally 29 to 31 December, ending on New Year's Eve. In some years the programme has been shorter, over two days, and the events change from year to year.
Our promise: Rajasthan Tourism announces the programme in December, and we confirm it before we finalise your days.
Facts to know
- Traditional dates
- 29 to 31 December
- Ends
- New Year's Eve
- Calendar
- Solar, not lunar
- Programme
- Announced in December
- Days
- Bright, warm in the sun
- Nights
- Close to freezing
- The busiest week: the festival falls in the Christmas and New Year holidays, the busiest week of the winter on Abu.
- Cold by Rajasthan's standards: nights can fall close to freezing, and on the coldest mornings of some winters frost forms on the grass.
- How to pack: as for a crisp northern autumn, with warm layers, a proper jacket, a hat and gloves for the evening events, and comfortable shoes for the granite steps.
- Clear views: visibility is usually excellent in late December, a fine time for the views from Guru Shikhar.
- Read more: our best time to visit Mount Abu guide compares December with the rest of the year.
Local tip
If you want the festival with fewer people, come on the morning of 29 December. Weekends and New Year's Eve are the most crowded days.
What happens at the festival
The programme changes a little every year, but its shape is familiar to everyone on the mountain. These are the moments we plan around.
The opening procession
The route: usually through the town, ending at Nakki Lake.
- Who walks: folk dancers, drummers, musicians, decorated groups and local schools, with families watching from the railings and the steps.
- The mood: cheerful and very much a local occasion, setting the tone for the days that follow.
Folk music and dance
The stages: by the lake and on the polo ground, with performers from across Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Ghoomar: the swirling dance of Rajput women.
- Gair: danced by men in great circles with sticks, from the Bhil and village communities of southern Rajasthan.
- Daf: danced to the beat of a large frame drum.
- Evenings: often Sufi music and qawwali, and in some years well-known singers from the film world. Our page on folk music and dance explains what you are hearing.
Games and competitions
Join in: visitors are often invited to take part.
- The games: tug of war, a race carrying clay pots called matka, pot breaking, turban tying, safa bandh, and mehndi design for women and girls.
- Some years: a cycle race, cricket matches and other games.
- The feel: good-humoured, loud and great fun for children.
Races on Nakki Lake
- The boat race: a traditional event, with the town's boatmen and visiting teams competing across the water.
- Where to watch: from the rocks above the lake near Toad Rock, or a quiet stretch of the promenade.
Deepdaan, the floating lamps
The loveliest moment: the evening offering of lamps.
- What happens: hundreds of small clay diyas are lit and set afloat on Nakki Lake, drifting among the reflections of the hills.
- How to watch: bring a shawl, find a place by the water and watch in silence while the music plays behind you.
Fireworks to close
- The finale: traditionally fireworks over the lake, close to the turn of the year, the noise rolling round the granite hills.
- The crowd: the most crowded moment of all, so we watch from a hotel terrace with a lake view or slip away early.
A festival day on Abu, hour by hour
The secret of the Winter Festival is to see Abu's great sights early, rest in the warm afternoon, and come down to the lake only for the festival's best hours.
Facts to know
- Sunrise
- Guru Shikhar, 1,722 metres
- Mid-morning
- Achalgarh
- Midday
- Dilwara temples
- Afternoon
- Rest in the sun
- Late afternoon
- Games and dance
- Evening
- Deepdaan and music
Sunrise, Guru Shikhar
The summit: at 1,722 metres, the highest point of Rajasthan and the Aravallis.
- Go before dawn: with a flask of tea. The air is sharp and clear, and the first light runs across the plateau to the plains.
- Your company: a few pilgrims ringing the great bell, not the afternoon crowds.
Mid-morning, Achalgarh
The fort: the ruined fort of Achalgarh, rebuilt by Rana Kumbha of Mewar.
- The temple: Achaleshwar Mahadev, where Shiva is worshipped through the mark of his toe.
- Then: back to town for a late breakfast by the fire.
Midday, the Dilwara temples
When: as the Dilwara temples open to visitors, with a guide and at least an hour and a half.
- The carving: the marble ceilings of Vimal Vasahi and Luna Vasahi are among the finest in India.
- The rules: no photography inside, and leather, food and drink stay in the car.
Afternoon, rest in the sun
- Lunch on the lawn: where the winter sun is warm, then rest.
- A gentle walk: the path to Trevor's Tank in the forest outside town, a peaceful place for birds.
Late afternoon, the festival games
- An hour by the lake: or on the polo ground, for games and dance. Join the turban-tying if you dare.
- The light: golden, and the crowds good-natured.
Evening, Deepdaan and the music
- At sunset: find a place by the water for the floating lamps.
- Afterwards: listen to the evening programme for a while, then go back to a fire and dinner at your hotel.
Abu in winter, beyond the festival
Most people know Abu as a summer escape. In winter it shows a different face: clear, cold, quiet in the mornings and beautiful at the edges of the day.
The long views: from Guru Shikhar and the ridges above town you see across the plains to the hills of Gujarat.
Sunsets: from the western viewpoints they are sharp and fiery rather than hazy.
Birds: the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, around the town, brings resident and migratory birds in winter, and early walks with a naturalist are rewarding.
Facts to know
- Sanctuary
- Declared in 1960
- Area
- About 290 square kilometres
- Signature animal
- The sloth bear
- Winter birds
- Resident and migratory
- After dark
- Stay off forest paths
- Sloth bears: they forage on the edges of town at night, so stay off forest paths after dark.
- Dilwara in comfort: the marble is cool underfoot rather than burning.
- The older sights: Adhar Devi, cut into a cleft in the rock, the long stairway down to Gaumukh, and the colonial quarter with its churches and bungalows, all pleasanter in the cool air.
- Read more: our guide to things to do in Mount Abu lists them all.
- The Brahma Kumaris: Abu is the world headquarters of this spiritual movement, whose white-clad members are a familiar part of town life.
- A quiet contrast: their Peace Park and campus are open to respectful visitors, a calm escape from the crowds on the lake shore.
What to eat on a cold night on Abu
Winter on Abu means roasted corn by the lake, sweet tea in clay cups and a fire in the drawing room. Our family has never needed more.
A border table: Mount Abu eats half Rajasthani and half Gujarati.
Thalis: its many thali restaurants serve both cuisines side by side, with dal, kadhi, several vegetables, rotis, rice and a sweet, the waiters refilling your plate until you beg them to stop.
- By the lake: stalls in festival week sell roasted corn with lime and chilli, hot pakoras, sweet potatoes roasted in the embers and endless cups of masala tea.
- Makki ki roti: maize flatbread, with jaggery and white butter.
- Bajre ki raab: a warming millet porridge with buttermilk.
- Winter sweets: made with sesame and jaggery for the cold weather.
- Jain and sattvik: anyone who prefers food without onion and garlic will find it easy, because the town is used to pilgrims.
- Read more: our Rajasthani food guide explains the dishes.
Local tip
At the palace hotels, ask for a private dinner on a lawn or terrace with a fire against the cold, and Rajput dishes from the kitchens of their old owners.
A festival for families and the young at heart
Of all Rajasthan's festivals, this is the one our nieces and nephews ask for by name. It is small enough to manage and silly enough to join.
The games: children can watch, and often join, the pot races, the tug of war and the turban-tying.
On the lake: pony rides and rowing boats run through the festival days.
Easy distances: unlike the great desert fairs, the crowds stay on one lake shore and your hotel is never far away for a nap or a warm drink.
- A relaxed break: a family that has spent a week in forts and palaces often finds two days on Abu the easiest part of the journey.
- For older children: the boulder shaped like a toad above the lake, the climb to the bell on Guru Shikhar, and the hope of a sloth bear's tracks on a forest walk with a naturalist.
- Read more: our page on travelling with children, and our family journeys, which include Abu on the southern loop.
- In the crowds: keep small children close at the lamps and the fireworks, and agree a meeting point.
- Pack: hats, gloves and a spare warm layer for the evenings.
- Choose lawns: a hotel with lawns lets children run about between events.
Etiquette, comfort and safety in the festival week
The Winter Festival is friendly and safe, but it is crowded, and the mountain has its own rules. A few habits make all the difference.
Layers: the difference between a sunny afternoon and a lakeside evening is dramatic.
Valuables: keep them close in the crowds by the lake, especially during the fireworks.
- Wildlife: never feed the monkeys or the bears, and don't walk forest paths after dark.
- At Dilwara: leave phones, leather and bags in the car, dress modestly and keep your voice low. It is a living Jain temple. Our temple etiquette guide has more.
- A holy mountain: respect the Brahma Kumaris and the pilgrims. Abu's shrines are in daily use.
- Performers: ask before photographing them off stage, and don't step onto the performance areas.
- The ghat road: narrow and busy in festival week. Travel up from Abu Road in daylight, and never rush the drive down.
- Noise: if you are sensitive to it, ask for a room away from the lake and the main bazaar.
How we plan around the Winter Festival
The festival falls in the busiest week of the winter, and Abu's best rooms are few. Planning early is what makes it calm.
Few rooms: the princely houses have only a limited number, booked many months ahead for Christmas and New Year.
Book early: six to nine months in advance for the festival dates, especially for a particular room or a lake view.
Facts to know
- Book by
- Six to nine months ahead
- Stay
- Two or three nights
- Nearest station
- Abu Road, about 28 km, around 45 minutes
- Nearest good airport
- Udaipur, about three and a half to four hours
- Ahmedabad
- About four to five hours
- Jawai
- About two and a half hours
- The right length: two or three nights, enough for Dilwara, Guru Shikhar, Achalgarh and two evenings at the lake.
- Our planning: drives that avoid the worst holiday traffic on the ghat road, Dilwara at a weekday hour, and festival evenings kept flexible in case the programme changes.
- By rail: Abu Road station, at the foot of the mountain, is on the main line between Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Delhi.
- By road: Udaipur's airport is the nearest with good connections. Ahmedabad and Jawai are within easy reach by car.
- Pack: warm clothes, a torch for the evenings and shoes with a good grip for the granite steps.
Local tip
For the town without the crowds, arrive on the morning of 29 December and leave before New Year's Eve, or simply come in November, when Abu is green, clear and calm.
Where to stay for the festival
Abu's best hotels are the summer houses the princely states built for themselves. In winter they light their fires and feel like private homes on the hill.
Palace Hotel, Bikaner House
What it is: built as the summer residence of the Maharajas of Bikaner, a stone house in wooded grounds near the Dilwara road.
- Its feel: old-fashioned rooms, lawns, and the air of a gentleman's country house.
- In festival week: far enough from the lake to be calm.
Jaipur House
- What it is: the former summer palace of the Jaipur royal family, on a hill above Nakki Lake, with one of the best views in town.
- For the festival: its terraces are the best seats on the mountain for the Deepdaan and the fireworks, away from the crush on the shore.
Connaught House
- What it is: a smaller colonial bungalow connected with the old Jodhpur state, with flower gardens and a peaceful, old-world feel.
- Who it suits: couples and readers who want to dip into the festival and retreat.
Choosing between them
- Rooms vary: a great deal within each house, and none of Abu's hotels has the scale of a city palace, so we choose carefully for every guest.
- Compare: our list of luxury hotels in Mount Abu covers them in detail.
What to combine with the Winter Festival
The last weeks of December are full of festivals across southern Rajasthan and Gujarat. Abu sits right in the middle of them.
Udaipur and the Shilpgram fair
- The fair: every December, the crafts village of Shilpgram outside Udaipur holds a ten-day fair of crafts, folk music and dance from western India, usually in the second half of the month.
- The plan: combine it with the lake palaces before driving to Abu.
The Kumbhalgarh Festival
- Earlier in December: the Kumbhalgarh Festival brings dancers and musicians to the walls of the great Mewar fort, a few hours north of Abu.
Rann Utsav in Kutch
- The bridge to Gujarat: Abu leads naturally there, and the White Rann is in its winter season.
- The journey: our Mount Abu and Gujarat journey continues to Ahmedabad and Rann Utsav, the old year out on the lake and the new year in on the salt.
Christmas and New Year in a palace
- Grander surroundings: our page on Christmas and New Year in Rajasthan explains how we plan the holidays in the palace hotels.
- A sample route: our Christmas and New Year journey.
Ranakpur, Jawai and the southern loop
- Two or three nights on a loop: Udaipur, then Ranakpur and Kumbhalgarh, Jawai for leopards, and finally Abu.
- In winter: the leopard country of Jawai is at its best.
Who will love the Winter Festival
The Winter Festival is a small, cheerful, local celebration. Whether you love it depends on what you hope to find.
Local festivals: you will love it if you enjoy festivals that belong to the people who hold them.
Winter light: and if you want to see Abu's sights in clear winter light.
Facts to know
- Loves it
- Families, couples, festival-goers who like local events
- Road trippers
- Rajasthan to Gujarat in late December
- May disappoint
- Seekers of grand spectacle or quiet
- Best approach
- A room with a view, small doses
- Children: families with children who will happily join a pot race.
- Couples: they love the lamps on the lake and the fires in the old houses.
- On the road: anyone driving between Rajasthan and Gujarat at the end of December will find it the most enjoyable stop.
- May disappoint: if you expect a grand spectacle on the scale of the Pushkar Camel Fair or the Jaisalmer Desert Festival, or want a quiet hill station.
- The reality: in festival week Abu is busy, and the lake shore is crowded.
- The answer: a room with a view, the sights at the edges of the day, and the festival in small, happy doses.