Diwali in Karnataka: A Festival of Lights, Love, and Culture!
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Diwali Celebration In Karnataka

Diwali is one of the awaited festivals, which marks the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. The celebrations come alive with vibrant rituals, festive decorations, and the sweet aroma of delicacies filling every home. Diwali in Karnataka is deeply rooted in the story of the charitable King Bali, who is said to visit his people on the day of Bali Padyami once a year. As the celebration draws near, people light oil lamps, make rangolis, clean and adorn their homes, and pray to Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and joy. The celebration lasts for five days, beginning with Dhanteras and ending with Bhathru Dwithiya, each day holding its own meaning and customs.

Some of the best places to experience Diwali in Karnataka are Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Coorg, and Mandya. In Bengaluru, you can see apartment complexes and streets sparkle with diyas, firecrackers lighting up the night, and homes filled with sweets like Dharwad Peda.

When in Mysuru, you can see the grand palace shining brightly, with cultural programs and all-night diya lighting on the streets. In Mangaluru, you can be a part of coastal fairs and musical events which bring people together, or enjoy a peaceful and eco-friendly celebration in Coorg. To truly witness the spirit of faith, community, and tradition, you must experience the Diwali celebration in Karnataka.
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Places To Visit In Diwali In Karnataka

01

Bangalore

Bangalore is one of the best places to experience Diwali in Karnataka, because you get to explore the illuminated neighbourhoods of Malleswaram and Jayanagar. Here, you can see the streets decorated with lamps and colourful rangolis, along with locals lighting fireworks. You can visit the lively markets of Commercial Street, Brigade Road, and Jayanagar 4th Block to shop for sweets, gifts, and decorations.

You can attend cultural programs at ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill, community centres, auditoriums, and parks, which host traditional music, dance, and theatre performances. For family fun, you can enjoy Diwali fairs at Lalbagh Botanical Garden and Cubbon Park, with games, food stalls, and workshops. Also, you can take guided heritage walks to see historical sites decorated for Diwali while trying local treats like Mysore Pak and Chakkuli.
02

Mysore

Mysore is one of the key places to celebrate Diwali in Karnataka, as it honours the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura in a regal manner. During this time, you can visit the famous Mysore Palace, where thousands of lamps and over 97,000 bulbs create a breathtaking sight for visitors.

You can explore the streets and homes which are decorated with rangolis, marigold garlands, and diyas in addition to tasting sweets like Mysore Pak, Holige, and Chakli. To round up your Diwali experience, you can also explore the colourful Devaraja market, which is filled with festive goods like kumkum powder, sandalwood powder and incense sticks.
03

Mangalore

Diwali in Karnataka's Mangalore offers you a distinct coastal touch that reflects the beliefs and traditions of Tulu Nadu. Here, the festival is known as Tulu Parba and is dedicated to the welcoming of a generous ruler named King Balindra, who is believed to visit the Tuluvas during this time. As part of the celebration, you can see families light oil lamps to invite him home and pray for peace and prosperity.

You can see farmers celebrate the 'Farmer's Festival' by decorating their cattle, offering aarati, and feeding them rice, fruits, and sweets, on the third day. Before Diwali, you can also see the Goodu Deepa competitions, which take place across the district, where people make colourful sky lanterns that brighten the night sky.
04

Coorg

If you have a quiet and eco-friendly Diwali in mind, then nothing beats the destination of Coorg. This is because the festival here focuses on peaceful worship and family gatherings, which makes it one of the calmest Diwali celebrations in Karnataka. During this time, families light lamps, create rangoli to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, and wear new clothes while exchanging gifts and sweets.

Here, you can see special Coorgi dishes being prepared, such as Chikkalunde (sweet rice flour and jaggery balls), Thambuttu (banana and roasted rice flour delicacy), and Ravae Unde (semolina and coconut laddus). Also, in Madikeri, local temples and markets come alive with puja ceremonies and festive goods, which add charm to the celebrations.
05

Belur And Halebidu

If you do not enjoy loud crackers and the usual festival noise, Belur and Halebidu are perfect places to celebrate Diwali in Karnataka. Diwali here is quiet and traditional, which focuses on temple rituals and family prayers rather than big fireworks or crowded events.

During this time, you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere as ancient temples are lit with oil lamps (diyas) and homes are decorated with rangoli. On Narak Chaturdashi, you can take ritual oil baths and perform aarti, while on Bali Padyami, you can see people decorating and honouring cattle. Also, you can watch local families carry out their customs, which gives you a real sense of the festival’s meaning.

People Also Ask About Karnataka

  1. Is Diwali a government holiday in Karnataka?

    Yes, Diwali in Karnataka is a three-day public holiday, and this year, it is going to be observed from 20th October to 22nd October. This includes the holiday for Naraka Chaturdashi, followed by Balipadyami and Diwali.
  2. What are the main traditions of Diwali in Karnataka?

    Key traditions include lighting oil lamps (diyas), creating colorful rangolis, performing Lakshmi Puja for wealth and prosperity, bursting fireworks, and preparing festive sweets like karjikai and chakli.
  3. Where are the best places to experience Diwali celebrations in Karnataka?

    Major cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru host vibrant Diwali events with illuminated streets, cultural programs, and bustling markets. Temples across the state also organize special pujas and rituals.
  4. How is Diwali celebrated in Karnataka?

    Diwali in Karnataka starts on Naraka Chaturdashi, which commemorates the defeat of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna. This acts as a prelude to the main Diwali festival and involves taking the ritual oil bath, doing aarti, and bursting firecrackers. The festival then continues until Bali Padyami, which is the main day when people worship and decorate cows. Also, on this day, they light their homes with oil lamps while sharing sweets like Adhirasam.
  5. Where is the best place to celebrate Diwali in Bangalore?

    There are several places to celebrate Diwali in Bangalore and those include ISKCON Temple, Bangalore Palace, and Lalbagh. In the ISKCON Temple, you can attend the grand “Deepotsav” which offers you a remarkable display of delicious food and oil lamps. You can visit the Bangalore Palace to click your Diwali pictures in the backdrop of the palace’s Tudor-Spanish Gothic architecture. Also, you can visit the Lalbagh Botanical Garden to catch sight of the festive installations and special decorations.
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24 October 2015
Agnimitra Banerjee Nishani Motte Trek
Excellent
Trekking and water adventure...what else can be so tempting especially for adventurists like me. This things give me my Kick. Wonderful place and everything is just up-to-the-mark. I'm certainly exploring more of South India now and to get the best of South I prefer reading thrillophilia reviews .
Anirudh Ghaty Kodachadri Trek
Excellent
"One hell of a crazy trek this one. The views were just splendid, and the organisers had it all charted out, and were extremely helpful. \n\nAn initial route through the forest is what we go through which is not that tiring, but after this stretch we move on to the most difficult part of the trek, where we come across the Hidlumane falls and we need to trek in quite a difficult terrain. Post all this stressful climbing, whatever the view you get is unmatched, all that pain, even though there physically, would have vanished mentally.\n\nBest to trek during monsoon or after the monsoon has receded to an extent as the hills are completely covered in green until the eyes can see. It's a treat for the eyes to feast on watching the western ghats in full glory."
23 October 2015
Devi Chattopadhyay Kunti Betta Day Adventure in Bangalore
Excellent
This was a really nice trip. Firstly, this place is close by Bangalore and very much in driving distance. Secondly, the adventure activities are well-organized. They are safe too. This way it is very easy and convenient for us to blindly trust and do this. Also, most of the adventurous activities didn’t require much background skills like swimming or gym training. It was meant for everyone and before heading out at this place I also saw some thrillophilia reviews to know more about it.
26 July 2018
Excellent
It was a very well organised trek by friendly and courteous hosts. Shahid, Danny, Habib and Avinash were great and were fun to trek with. Homestay near Shuntikoppa was beautiful with coffee plantations close-by and it was raining the whole time. Trek is an easy to medium range one. Except for the rain and leeches (which we were informed earlier) there is absolutely nothing to point out in the trek. We met many new people and it felt like college days all over again. Loved this trek and would definitely recommend it to everyone.
04 September 2019
Swastik Uprety Kodachadri Trek
Excellent
My first ever trekking experience and I could not have asked for a better one. Booked for this trek just 2 days before, solely based on other trekkers' thrillophilia reviews and amazing pics they have posted on Thrillophilia website. Moreover, it was going to be a solo trek for me and quite obviously, I had so many questions and apprehensions but after experiencing one hell of an trekking expedition, what I could say is 'If you want to go for a trek, just go for it, don't think too much and you won't regret later and experience it as done by so many folks who have shared about their amazing adventures at thrillophilia reviews. Firstly, the tempo traveller which picked us up from Bangalore was quite comfortable and clean. Colin, who was our host for the trek initiated some ice breaking sessions at the beginning of the travel itself so that we all become familiar to our co-trekkers. Once we reached homestay at the destination point, I would say the arrangements were quite decent. Of course, we could not expect lavish facilities in an economical trip but must say, it had all that we truly required, good food, hot water shower, spacious balcony for all fun activities and amazing view outside. We were literally in the middle of the forest. Only thing that was a little turn-off for me was that the bedsheets were giving foul smell and 8 of us were sharing a single room so that one had to be patient to allow fellow trekkers for the use of washroom. However, please note there were separate rooms for guys and girls. The itinerary was more or less the same as shared by people at thrillophilia reviews.Starting at around 10pm from Bangalore, we reached the homestay at around 5am on Saturday. We rested for few hours, had our breakfast at around 7.30 and kicked off our trekking at 8.00. To begin with, it was just a normal road with forest on either sides but soon comes the path literally through the dense forest and since it was the time of monsoon, it was drizzling a bit and the forest was full of leeches clinging onto us at every step and trying their level best to suck our blood. We were quite vigilant to get rid of them and once they were being difficult to be removed, we were using salt. Just sprinkle a little salt on them and they will detach from you instantly. After an intriguing forest journey battling those leeches, we found ourselves on a grassy open field. We then scanned our body and shoes for any more leeches and once we were clear, marched ahead through the paddy fields to the rocky terrains with water flowing by your side. Soon, we reached a small water fall area. We took some pictures at that spot and when I was thinking that we would probably go back and resume our journey from some other point, I felt quite adventurous when I came to know that we were actually going to cross the water canal and climb up to the top through the super slippery rocks by the side of the fall, all the way to the top where actually the main water fall lies which I always wanted to visit after reading thrillophilia reviews.My advice is not to step on the green patches on the rocks covered with mosses, those are damn slippery and since there was nothing where you can take the support or cling onto, one have to be really careful that they don't slip through these rocks. After some uphill climbing, we finally reached to the, so far the most amazing spot, right at the main waterfall area. Without thinking twice, we rushed under the fall and trust me it felt so damn good and relaxing. It became even more thrilling when our host guided us to the small cave formed right behind the fall. It was definitely not easier to get inside with the water hitting you so hard that you could not see or breathe properly for few seconds but I felt victorious when I reached inside the cave finally and to witness the waterfall from inside the cave was a different experience altogether. Once we were done with the waterfall, came the part of journey which involves a lot of steep climbing through the forest and mostly the trails were on the edge of the hills, where we had to be careful not to slip not unless if you want to experience a free fall :-) And soon we were out on the open area again but this time it was on the steep slope of the hill and it was quite tiring to reach to the peak of the hill fighting with the muscle cramps. Nonetheless, each part of journey was fun and even more pleasing when we got to see diverse landscapes. Once we reached the peak, rested for a while, had our lunch and then started our descent downwards. The lunch box which included tomato rice was provided at the homestay in the morning itself. Soon, we were again under the attack of leeches but must say we fought bravely one more time. We then resumed our trek through a much easier lane to reach to a tea point and had a tea break. Then, came the last part of our trek, which was 1.5 kms uphill climbing to reach to Sarvajna Peetha, a small shrine dedicated to Adi Shankara about which many people have recommended visiting it at thrillophilia reviews. This part was even more fun as it rained heavily and the entire area was covered with fog that we could hardly see few yards ahead. Moreover, the wind was blowing so strong that sometimes I felt that it would carry me away with it. Since that spot was where our itinerary ended, we all felt so jubilant, took some pictures and then again descended back to the tea point, where a jeep took us all the way down, back to our homestay. Not to forget, the jeep ride was so damn fun that it sure would give you some chills and adrenaline rush, the reason being there's no proper road and the way the jeep's driven through the rocky, muddy and bumpy surface, it would be a memorable ride. Once we reached homestay, took bath in hot water shower and got rid of our wet clothes. We then played no. of group games like Mafia and Uno, had the dinner and called it a day. Woke up next day (Sunday) with few body aches, cramps and leech bite marks but eh! nothing could ever beat the amazing experience we had the earlier day. Wounds and pain will heal but the memories will last forever. We then had a breakfast at around 7.30 and departed back to Bangalore at 8.00. We stopped at Nagara Fort at around 30 kms from homestay, took some pics and resumed our journey. So all in all, it was a great experience getting close to the mother nature and far from these modern gadgets for a day. Besides the amazing trek we had, I would always cherish the camaraderie I shared with my co-trekkers in such a short span of time and I would really like to thank Colin, our host about whom many people have mentioned at thrillophilia reviews for organising such a wonderful trek and making us so comfortable throughout the entire trip. Colin was associated with the vendor team and as a satisfied customer, I will definitely look forward to more of such trips with the same vendor for sure. With all this, I would happily recommend my all trekking enthusiasts to go for this trek and I can vouch that you will come back with nothing but all smiles and tons of fascinating memories with you.
22 March 2021
Superb
The campaign was great and the activities were sorted out. We went on a Thursday which ensured that we had the whole place to us and hence we were more at peace. The food can be improved.
04 March 2021
Shanmuk Shanmuk Kudremukh Trek
Excellent
It's really wonderful, with stay and hosting. Totally liked it.
02 March 2021
Superb
Positive Trip was well organised. Pick up was on time. Cottage was decent and comfortable. Doodhsagar Trek was amazing. Trek Lead Randhir was always there for help. Bonfire was great. Not so positive There were 13 members but the vehicle arranged had only 12 seats. 4 people had to adjust in 3 seats in last row. It was mentioned that for the trek for half way Jeep will be provided and rest will be trek. However, there was no jeep facility. We did trek for 9kms ‘To’ and while coming back it 14kms way which would have been impossible to cover just by trek. Luckily we found alternative. Also, the next day due to crowd and fall in water level we missed the river rafting which was the main attraction of Dandeli. It was truly disappointing. Had we planned well, we wouldn’t have missed it may be. Overall it was a great experience. Thanks to Thrillophilia and Trek Lead.
01 March 2021
Excellent
I booked it for my husband , as it was his dream to fly a plane. And could say it was the best gift I was able to give him in our so long relationship. But make sure you book from thrillophilia , don't get cheated by other sites who offer same experience in double the amount.
28 February 2021
Superb
A wonderful & challenging trek - toughest that I have done in South India. The views & the environs at the top of Seshaparvatha were just thrilling. The trek had multitude of elements - forest, grasslands, rocks, a refreshing stream ... Plus the experience of staying in a tent, being in the lap of nature was wonderful The initial part of the trek till Girigadde (on day 1) was exhausting due to the heat and the humidity plus having to carry our luggage along with our tent & sleeping bag. But the second day was all mesmerizing - with that experience, we did not know tiresomeness at all. Few suggestions - 1. It would be great if the hotel where we stop for dinner is vegetarian - it will allow for inclusivity in the group 2. If arrangements could be done to get the tent & sleeping bag delivered at Girigadde, we do not have to carry it along, making the first day experience also enjoyable. Overall a pleasant experience and looking forward to many more

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