The Indian festival survival guide: last the whole weekend

A single club night is a sprint; a multi-day festival is a marathon. The people who look wrecked by day two didn't pace themselves. Here's how to actually last the distance.

• ›Eat real meals, not just festival snacks — you're burning huge energy.
• ›Sleep when you can. Skipping it entirely across multiple days catches up hard.
• ›Hydrate relentlessly. Most festival misery is just dehydration.

Study the schedule and pick your non-negotiable sets, but don't try to see everything — burnout is real. Leave room for the accidental discoveries at the smaller stages, which are often the highlight.

• ›Agree meeting points; phones die and signal drops in big crowds.
• ›Comfortable shoes are everything — you'll walk and stand for miles.
• ›Sort transport and accommodation early; festival towns fill up.

Treat it as a marathon. Save something for the headline you actually came for, and for the last night — that's usually when the magic peaks. Finish the festival, don't let it finish you.