Although you will have a full plate exploring the many facets of Indian life in Bangalore and taking in the sights on regular days, there’s nothing quite like seeing the city during a special event or festival. If you can, try to schedule a visit here to coincide with something like Holi or Karanga – events that can give great insight into the culture and provide for great photos.

Holi: is a festival celebrated on the day immediately following the full moon that occurs in late February or early March. Its early roots were in celebrating the fertility of the land and plentiful harvests. Later on, the festival came to symbolise a Hindu legend; and today it manifests in social festivities, during which many cultural norms are abandoned. Women battle with men, and everyone douses each other with water and brightly-coloured powder – while consuming hefty amounts of alcohol. If you’re out and about on this day, be on your guard because you’re likely to be soaked and powdered. If this all sounds a bit too rowdy for you, you might try to get yourself invited to a party. If you do take part in a Holi party, it’s best to wear white or light-coloured clothing so that the brilliant colours of the powders show up to their best advantage.

Karaga: the date for Karaga changes annually, as it is linked to the lunar calendar, and ranges from late March to mid-April. This is Bangalore’s oldest and most important celebration, and is held in honour of the goddess Shakti. A night-time procession features an earthen pot carried aloft, for over 20kms. The pot represents the goddess; and at the end of the procession, it is immersed in the waters of Sampangi tank.

Yugadi: is the day marking the Kannadiga New Year, which occurs in late March or early April, depending on the phases of the moon. It is considered to be an auspicious time to begin new ventures. According to legend, the god of creation – known as Brahma – created the world on this day. The faithful begin the day with prayers and a ritual bathing ceremony – and festivities continue on until late into the night.

Rath Yatra: is the day that marks Krishna’s journey from his home to Mathura for the purpose of killing his evil uncle. Krishna’s image, as well those of his brother and sister, are paraded through the streets on huge chariots in many parts of the country. This is quite a spectacle, as the chariots are pulled by upwards of 4,000 people.

Varamahalakshmi: Lakshmi is considered the goddess of wealth, and prayers to honour her - or puja as this is known throughout India - are an important part of the Varamahalakshmi festival held annually in Bangalore. The tradition dates to the early Vedic times, when married women made offerings of jewellery or money to the goddess, in hope of peace and deliverance from financial problems.

Dussehra: is a public holiday that stretches over a 10-day period, in celebration of the victory of good forces over evil. The celebrations take many forms, largely depending on which god is worshipped locally. In Bangalore and Mysore it is a celebration of the victory of Rama over Ravana – with live theatrical performances of Rama Lila.

Diwali: is one of the largest of the Hindu festivals, marking the homecoming of Rama and Sita. Activities include giving sweets, lighting lamps and setting off firecrackers – everywhere.

Kadalekaye Parishe: is the combination of a winter festival and a well-known fair, held in celebration of the year’s first crop of groundnuts. The events date back 600 years, and are centred on the Bull Temple, where farmers make their offerings. The Dravidian-style temple boasts an impressive statue of a bull carved out of one block of granite.

Habba: takes place each year in December and the word itself in the Kannada language means ‘festival’. The main reason for marking this event is to bring attention to various art forms. Many regional towns are also included in this programme, including Chikamangaluru, Dharwad, Mandya, Mangalore and Tumkur. Events continue for about a week, and involve adventure sports, dance, film, a golf tournament, music, street theatre and a vintage car rally. As you might expect, there’s plenty of food to enjoy and lots of opportunities to shop for handicrafts.