Spend The New Year 2026 In Rajasthan: 5 Lesser-known Festivals You Must Attend In The Land Of Kings

Rajasthan, also known as ‘The land of Kings’, is a perfect destination for the upcoming New Year. The city is famous for its cultural, vibrant traditions and majestic forts and palaces. You can enjoy New Year's festivities, delectable food, luxury hotels, and unique events against a backdrop of stunning architecture and desert landscape.

Here are the top 5 festivals in Rajasthan that you must visit to ring in the New Year 2026:

Kota-Bundi Utsav

Held annually in November, the Kota-Bundi Utsav celebrates the culture of the Hadoti region. Folk dances, music, puppet shows, and artisan displays bring streets and courtyards to life. This event comes with multiple contests and traditional games that visitors can participate in. To taste the local cuisine of Rajasthan, travellers should not miss out the Dal Baati Churma and Gatte Ki Sabzi.

Kumbhalgarh festival

Every year in December, Kumbhalgarh Fort hosts a three-day celebration of the region's heritage. The festival features multiple activities, including folk dances, music, classical dances like Ghoomar and Kalbeliya, and Kathputli puppet shows. Artisans during this festivity display textiles, jewellery, pottery, and crafts, while visitors can join turban-tying or henna art sessions.

Shilpgram Festival

This festival is typically held in Udaipur during December, which showcases folk culture, crafts, and art from the West Zone, not only from Rajasthan but other parts of India, including Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Visitors can explore recreated village huts, meet hundreds of craftsmen and folk artists, shop for handicrafts and enjoy traditional cuisines.

Mount Abu festival

Mount Abu is a festival in Rajasthan that is known for showcasing the vibrancy of Rajasthan through a mix of folk performances and multiple traditional sports like kite flying and cricket, stunning handicrafts, and food. The festival begins with a grand procession and culminates with a Deepdaan ceremony on Nakki Lake, followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

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Bikaner festival

This festival refers to the Camel festival. It is an annual celebration of the "ship of the desert" held in the city in Rajasthan, typically in January, featuring camel races, beauty contests, folk performances and cultural displays. The festival includes exciting events like camel-mounted bands, camel parades, beauty pageants, and acrobatics, along with opportunities to enjoy local food.