Dev Deepawali
On Kartik Purnima, fifteen days after Diwali, when the gods are said to come down to bathe in the Ganges, lakhs of clay lamps are lit along the ghats. The festival marks Shiva's victory over the demon Tripurasura; the present custom of lighting every ghat grew from Panchganga Ghat in the 1980s.
Usually in November; check the date. Boats sell out and prices rise steeply, so book weeks ahead and agree the price and route. The ghats are packed from mid-afternoon — take a place early or watch from the water.
- Time to allow
- 3 hrs
- When
- November, on Kartik Purnima; check this year's date