Varanasi · Month comparison

January vs February

February ranks #1 overall vs January at #4. Maha Shivaratri pilgrim crush in late Feb/early Mar — Varanasi's most intense religious event.

Varanasi January — misty Ganges ghats at sunrise with boats

January

#4 of 12 months

Best match

Cool dry mornings cloaked in Ganges mist — the most atmospheric photographic month on the ghats.

  • ↑Cool 22°C days, no humidity for ghat walks
  • ↑Heavy dawn mist creates the iconic Ganges photography
Varanasi February — Maha Shivaratri pilgrims with marigold garlands

February

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Maha Shivaratri pilgrim crush in late Feb/early Mar — Varanasi's most intense religious event.

  • ↑Maha Shivaratri all-night Shiva worship around Vishwanath Temple
  • ↑Comfortable 27°C / 12°C, lowest humidity
FactorJanuaryFebruary
Weather score
8
9
Value score
9
8
Crowd score
5
4
Events score
6
9
Atmosphere
10
10
Avg high temp22°C27°C
Monthly rain21mm18mm
Daily sunshine7.5hrs8.6hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓Lows of 9°C, surprisingly cold in unheated guesthouses
  • ↓Smog from North Indian plains can obscure sunrise

February trade-offs

  • ↓Pilgrim numbers can quadruple in the festival week
  • ↓Old City lanes get dangerously packed during processions
See all 12 months for Varanasi →January in detail →February in detail →
Scores compare months within Varanasi. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →