While many parts of the world celebrate spring with cherry blossoms and daffodils, India puts on a show that’s less gentle awakening and more explosive celebration. Spring here isn’t just a season—it’s a full-sensory spectacle that starts in February and runs through April.
For an Indian spring, the mercury hovers between 68-86°F (20-30°C) in most regions, the air fills with the scent of night-blooming jasmine, and festivals pop up to celebrate the end of winter. It’s when the country shakes off its shawl and shows its true colors—usually in an explosion of Holi powder!
But enough small talk about the weather, let’s see where you need to be heading if you are visiting India in the spring…
Holi: India’s Most Epic Spring Party
Let’s address the technicolored elephant in the room—Holi isn’t just a festival, it’s THE spring celebration that turns entire cities into living kaleidoscopes. Usually falling in March (check your lunar calendar for exact dates), this ‘Festival of Colors’ is when Indians and tourists alike embrace the wonderfully multicolorful chaos of the occasion.
Where to Get Colorful
Mathura & Vrindavan: The Premier League of Holi.
If Holi had a hometown, this would be it. Krishna’s birthplace goes absolutely wild with celebrations starting a week before the main event. Vrindavan’s Banke Bihari Temple hosts the most famous celebrations, where priests toss colors from the rooftop onto eagerly awaiting crowds. Meanwhile, Mathura’s festivities include traditional lathmar Holi, where women playfully chase men with sticks—it’s as hilarious as it sounds.
Pushkar: The Backpacker’s Favorite
Want your Holi with a side of desert vibes? Pushkar strikes the perfect balance between authentic celebration and traveler-friendly bedlam. The festivities here start with morning prayers by the holy lake before evolving into a color-throwing free-for-all, complete with bhang lassi and traditional folk music.
Udaipur: Royal Treatment
Trust Rajasthan to add some regal flair to proceedings. The City Palace hosts a grand celebration where you can play Holi in a literal palace courtyard. The city’s rooftop restaurants offer perfect vantage points to watch the streets below transform into rivers of color.
Shantiniketan: The Cultured Choice
For a more artistic take on the festival, head to Tagore’s university town where students perform traditional dances wearing spring colors. It’s less about aggressive color throwing and more about cultural performances—perfect for those who want their photos to stay somewhat recognizable.
Best Places To Experience Spring In India
Spring in India isn’t ONLY about Holi, there are tons of places that you can’t miss if you want to see the remarkable flower displays that the country serves up (with a side of fresh honey!)
1. Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand
Mother Nature’s own Holi party kicks off in late March when the Himalayan meadows explode into a carpet of wildflowers. Picture entire valleys painted in purples, yellows, and pinks—it’s like someone gave the mountains a tie-dye makeover. Alpine butterflies flutter around like living confetti, and if you’re lucky, you might spot some bharal (blue sheep) trotting around the hillsides.
2. Kashmir’s Almond Wonderland
Just when you think winter’s never going to end, Kashmir’s Badamwari Gardens burst into a cloud of pink and white almond blossoms. This is peak ‘pinch-me-I’m-dreaming’ territory, with the snow-capped Himalayas playing backdrop to acres of flowering trees. Time your visit for mid-March when the Badamwari Spring Blossom Festival turns the whole scene into a cultural carnival, complete with Kashmiri folk music that’ll have you swaying like those flower-laden branches.
3. Munnar’s Tea Gardens, Kerala
Spring brings a whole new vibe to Kerala’s emerald tea plantations. The air gets crisp, the morning mist does its dramatic reveal of endless green slopes, and new tea leaves unfurl like nature’s tiny jazz hands. March and April are when the hills come alive with purple jacaranda and red rhododendrons popping against the geometric tea gardens. A huge bonus is that it’s when the plantations are least crowded, so you can pretend you’re starring in your own tea commercial.
4. Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
Sure, these temples are famous for their, ahem, artistic carvings, but spring is when the whole archaeological park turns into a masterpiece. The Khajuraho Dance Festival in February/March brings classical dancers from across India to perform against the backdrop of illuminated temples. The weather’s perfect for temple-hopping without melting, and the evening light makes those famous sculptures look even more dramatic.
5. Darjeeling’s Flower Show
While summer tourists sweat it out in the plains, spring in Darjeeling is all about flower shows that would make an English garden party look underdressed. The Lloyd’s Botanical Garden becomes a riot of orchids and rhododendrons, while the cool mountain air carries the scent of magnolias. Time it right to catch the Darjeeling Flower Show in March, when local orchid growers compete for bragging rights.
6. Coorg’s Coffee Blossoms, Karnataka
Coffee plantations bursting with tiny white flowers that smell like jasmine? Yes, please! Spring transforms Coorg into a sensory overload when the air smells like your favorite coffee shop crossed with a perfume boutique. March brings the perfect storm of blooming coffee plants, wild orchids, and perfect hiking weather. Plus, the infamous Coorg honey is harvested during this season, making every breakfast a golden opportunity.
7. Shantiniketan, West Bengal
Tagore’s university town shows off its artistic side during spring’s Basanta Utsav (their version of Holi). The celebration here is less water-balloon warfare and more cultural festival, with students performing traditional dances wearing spring colors. The surrounding Sal forests burst into bloom, and the red earth paths contrast beautifully with the yellow palash flowers that seem to fall everywhere.
8. Tawang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
While the rest of India starts warming up, this high-altitude valley enjoys its most accessible season. Spring brings rhododendrons painting entire hillsides in crimson and pink, with snow-capped peaks still visible in the distance. The Buddhist monasteries seem to float in a sea of flowers, and the clear spring skies make those prayer flags pop against the blue.
Spring in India isn’t just a season—it’s a mood, a celebration, and a reminder that nature throws the best parties. Whether you’re chasing mountain blooms or coffee blossoms, just remember to stop and smell the jasmine along the way. After all, this is India, so there’s always time for one more flower photo, one more festival dance, and definitely one more cup of chai!
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