Diwali
The festival of lights: lamps, kandils, rangoli, faral and shopping crowds on Laxmi Road.
Quick facts
- Month:
- October or November
- Known for:
- Kandils, faral, Laxmi Road shopping
Diwali is the biggest family festival of the year. Homes are lit with diyas and paper kandils (lanterns), rangoli is drawn at every door and families make faral: chakli, karanji, chivda, shankarpali and ladoos.
In the weeks before Diwali, Laxmi Road, Tulshibaug and the markets of the old city are packed with shoppers. Many groups hold Diwali Pahat, early morning music concerts, on the first day of the festival.
More in Festivals of Pune
- Palkhi (Ashadhi Wari) Every year the palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram pass through Pune with lakhs of Varkaris walking to Pandharpur.
- Gudi Padwa The Marathi New Year, when every home raises a gudi and the city celebrates with processions.
- Navratri and Dasara Nine nights of the goddess, with the Chaturshrungi fair, garba and dandiya, ending in Dasara.
- Shiv Jayanti The birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, celebrated on 19 February with processions and programmes.
- Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav One of India's most important classical music festivals, held in Pune every December since 1953.
- Christmas and Eid in Camp The Camp area celebrates both festivals in style: midnight mass and plum cakes at Christmas, and the lanes around East Street on Eid.
Sources: Written by PuneDiary. Facts checked 10 October 2026.