Indian Festival Outfit Calendar: What to Wear and When to Order

How to use this calendar

1. Find the festival and its usual month in the table below.
2. Check this year's exact date on a panchang, your temple's calendar or our festival pages.
3. Count back using the order-by rule for the type of outfit you need.
4. Set a reminder on your phone for that order-by date. It's the single most useful step.

During the busy September to February season, add an extra one to two weeks, because tailors and couriers are overloaded.

Month-by-month Indian festival outfit calendar

Order-by months assume stitching plus standard shipping. For ready-made outfits with express shipping, you can order closer to the date, but never leave it to the final two weeks.

The big one: Navratri to Diwali

For most NRI families, the busiest stretch of the year runs from Navratri through Diwali, usually September to November. It's also the busiest time for every tailor and courier in India.

• Navratri: you may want several chaniya cholis for nine nights of garba, plus a saree for the puja. Each day has its own colour; see our Navratri colours calendar and the Navratri heritage fashion guide.
• Dussehra and Sharad Purnima: silk sarees for Dussehra; white or silver outfits for Sharad Purnima. See our Dussehra guide and Sharad Purnima guide.
• Diwali: five days (Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja or the Gujarati New Year, and Bhai Dooj), often with a different outfit for each. Our Diwali fashion guide has a day-by-day plan.

Tip: place one combined order for Navratri and Diwali by the end of July or early August. You save on shipping, and everything arrives before the rush.

Diwali's five days: what to wear each day

Safety tip: around diyas and sparklers, avoid trailing dupattas and loose synthetic fabrics, which catch fire easily. Pin your pallu and choose natural fabrics like cotton and silk.

Regional festival highlights for NRI communities

NRI communities often celebrate their own regional festivals with special enthusiasm abroad. A few highlights:

• Gujarati families: Uttarayan (kite festival) in January, Navratri garba in autumn, and the Gujarati New Year the day after Diwali. Chaniya cholis, bandhani and gharchola sarees are the stars. Large garba events in New Jersey, London, Leicester and Toronto sell out early, and so do the best chaniya cholis.
• Maharashtrian families: Gudi Padwa in spring, Ganeshotsav in late summer, and Makar Sankranti with its black sarees. Nauvari and Paithani sarees are the traditional choice; ready-to-wear nauvaris are popular abroad.
• Bengali families: Durga Puja is the year's biggest event, with community pujas in many cities abroad. Tant, Dhakai jamdani and Banarasi sarees are worn across the five days, and the red-bordered white saree for Sindoor Khela.
• South Indian families: Pongal, Ugadi, Onam, Vishu and Navaratri Golu. Kanjivaram and Mysore silk sarees, Kerala kasavu, and pattu pavadai for girls.
• Punjabi and North Indian families: Lohri, Baisakhi, Teej and Karva Chauth. Phulkari dupattas, Patiala suits and bright lehengas.

For regional textile backgrounds, explore our guides to West Indian, East Indian, South Indian and North Indian weaves.

A sample yearly order plan for an NRI family

Here is how one family in the USA or UK might spread their orders through the year to avoid last-minute stress and save on shipping:

1. October/November: after Diwali, order winter wedding outfits and anything needed for Makar Sankranti and Pongal.
2. January: order spring festival outfits (Holi whites, Gudi Padwa or Ugadi sarees, Baisakhi suits) and anything for April–May weddings.
3. May: order Teej, Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami outfits, including kids' wear.
4. Late July or early August: place the big combined order for Navratri, Dussehra, Karva Chauth and Diwali.
5. Throughout the year: keep everyone's measurements updated, especially growing children, and note what fitted well.

Combining orders into three or four larger shipments a year is usually cheaper than many small ones, and makes customs paperwork simpler too.

Planning for the wedding season

The main Indian wedding season runs roughly from November to February, with a second peak in April and May. Auspicious wedding dates (muhurat) are set by the Hindu calendar, so many families attend several weddings in a few weeks.

• Buy main wedding outfits about 3 months ahead, and bridal outfits 4–6 months ahead.
• Plan outfits that can be re-styled: one silk saree can look new with a different blouse and jewellery.
• Keep one backup outfit ready in case a parcel is delayed.
• For guests, our wedding guest outfit guide explains what to wear to each event.

Colour traditions by festival

Many festivals have colour customs. They are traditions, not strict rules, and families follow them differently:

• Navratri: nine colours, one for each day and goddess, published each year.
• Vasant Panchami: yellow, for spring and the goddess Saraswati.
• Holi: white, so the colours show beautifully.
• Teej: green, for the monsoon and new growth.
• Onam and Vishu: off-white and gold kasavu.
• Durga Puja: the red-bordered white saree (lal paar) for Sindoor Khela on Vijaya Dashami.
• Karva Chauth: red and bridal shades for married women.
• Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra: black, which keeps you warm in winter and is considered auspicious for this festival.
• Diwali: gold, red and rich jewel tones; many avoid black for Lakshmi Puja.

What to wear to festival events abroad

Festivals abroad often happen in temples, community halls, schools and offices rather than at home and in the neighbourhood. A few practical points:

• Temple events: cover your shoulders, carry a dupatta, and expect to remove your shoes. Choose something you can sit on the floor in.
• Community garba nights: these often run late in rented halls; choose a lightweight chaniya choli and comfortable flat shoes. Some venues have rules about dandiya sticks and footwear, so check beforehand.
• Office Diwali parties: an Indo-western outfit, a light silk saree or a kurta set is smart and practical. Colleagues often love seeing Indian clothes, so it's a nice chance to share the festival.
• School events: for children, choose comfortable, washable cotton outfits; see our guide to Indian outfits for girls.
• Weather: autumn and winter festivals abroad are often cold. Plan shawls, jackets, thermals and closed shoes for the walk between car and venue.

Building a festival wardrobe that lasts

Buying new outfits for every festival adds up quickly, especially with shipping and customs. Many NRI families build a small "festival capsule" instead:

• One or two good silk sarees in versatile colours (such as maroon, mustard or emerald), with two or three blouses to re-style them.
• One chaniya choli or lehenga skirt that works with different blouses and dupattas.
• Two or three kurta sets for smaller festivals and temple visits.
• A set of versatile jewellery: gold-tone, oxidised silver and pearl.
• For children, buy slightly larger outfits with generous seam allowance so they last two seasons.

Store them well between festivals. Our silk saree care guide explains how to keep silks and zari in good condition in any climate.

Festival accessories checklist

Accessories are often the thing families forget to order, and they are hard to find abroad at short notice. Add these to your order from India:

• Bangles in your size and matching colours. Glass bangles are traditional for many festivals, especially Karva Chauth and Teej.
• Bindis, hair accessories and gajra (artificial flower strings travel well; fresh flowers can be bought locally).
• Dupattas in contrast colours, which instantly refresh an old outfit.
• Juttis, mojaris or kolhapuris that match several outfits.
• Potli bags and clutches for evening events.
• Dandiya sticks and garba accessories such as oxidised jewellery and kamarbandh (waist belts) for Navratri.
• Puja essentials that are hard to find abroad, if your local temple shop doesn't stock them.

Check customs rules for anything natural, such as wooden items or dried flowers, which some countries restrict.

Ordering festival outfits from India

When you order, remember the basics: buy by your measurements, check the seller's return policy, confirm whether shipping is DDP (duties paid) or DDU (you pay on delivery), and pay with a card or PayPal. Our full guide to buying Indian clothes from abroad covers shipping times, customs and authenticity checks, and our size chart helps you choose the right size first time.