Hindu Festival Calendar 2026

Sun enters Capricorn. Kite flying, til-gud, holy dips. Pongal (Tamil), Lohri (Punjab) nearby.

Tamil harvest festival. Thai Pongal marks the start of the auspicious Uttarayana period.

Pausha Krishna Ekadashi. Fast dedicated to Vishnu. Donation of til (sesame) is customary.

India celebrates the adoption of its Constitution (1950).

Silent observance, holy bath at Sangam/Ganga. Important during Kumbh/Magh Mela.

Magha Shukla Ekadashi. Vishnu fast — said to destroy curses.

Full moon of Magha. Holy dip, charity, Satyanarayan katha.

Phalguna Krishna Ekadashi. Recited in Padma Purana as victorious fast.

The great night of Shiva. All-night vigil, fasting, bilva patra to Shivling, Om Namah Shivaya japa.

Welcomes spring. Worship of Goddess Saraswati — education, music, arts. Wear yellow.

Bonfire on the eve of Holi — burning of Holika, triumph of devotion (Prahlad).

Festival of colours. Joy, forgiveness, community. Play safe — use natural gulal, protect eyes.

Phalguna Shukla Ekadashi. Fast in reverence of the amla tree, sacred to Vishnu.

Chaitra Krishna Ekadashi. Said to cleanse past sins.

Nine nights of the Divine Mother. Day 1 — Shailaputri. Ghatasthapana.

Birth of Lord Rama. Ramayana recitation, temple bhajan, akhand path.

Kanya Pujan on Ashtami/Navami. Hawan and visarjan.

Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi. Said to fulfil desires and free from sins.

Punjabi new year, Sikh Khalsa Panth day. Sun enters Aries.

Birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, architect of the Indian Constitution.

Eternally auspicious day. New beginnings, gold purchase, Lakshmi-Kuber puja.

Vaishakha Shukla Ekadashi. Recounts the Mohini avatar of Vishnu.

Birth, enlightenment and mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. Satyanarayan katha.

Jyeshtha Krishna Ekadashi. Said to bestow fame and good fortune.

Married women fast for spouse's long life. Worship of banyan tree and Savitri-Satyavan katha.

Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi — strictest fast, without even water. Bhimseni Ekadashi.

Ashadha Krishna Ekadashi. Fast that wipes accumulated karma.

Puri rath yatra — Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra pulled through Puri.

Vishnu begins 4-month Chaturmas slumber. Weddings pause till Prabodhini Ekadashi.

Shravana Krishna Ekadashi. Said to free from grave sins.

Honour of Guru/teacher. Vyasa Purnima — dedicated to Sage Vedavyasa.

Shravana Shukla Ekadashi. Recited for progeny and family welfare.

Married women fast for marital bliss. Swings, mehendi, green attire.

Worship of snake deities. Milk offerings at snake temples or images.

India celebrates independence from British rule (1947).

Bhadrapada Krishna Ekadashi. Rescues from past-life sins.

Sisters tie rakhi to brothers. Shravani Upakarma — sacred-thread renewal.

Krishna Janmashtami — birth of Krishna. Midnight abhishek, dahi-handi, bhajan.

Birth of Ganapati. 10-day festival, modak offering, visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi.

Day after Ganesh Chaturthi. Women bathe and fast in honour of the seven sages.

Ganesh visarjan. Anant puja — Vishnu with 14 knots of sacred thread.

Ashwina Krishna Ekadashi. Said to free pitru (ancestors) from lower realms.

Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Sharad Navratri Day 1 — Ghatasthapana, Shailaputri.

Peak of Sharad Navratri. Kanya Pujan, hawan, final mantra chanting.

Ravana dahan. Victory of Rama over Ravana and Durga over Mahishasura.

Ashwina Shukla Ekadashi. Said to remove the goad (ankusha) of sins.

Married women fast dawn-to-moonrise for husband's long life. Sighting of moon through a sieve.

Kartika Krishna Ekadashi. Held to be more meritorious than many yajnas.

Day 1 of Diwali. Dhanvantari Jayanti — worship of wealth, gold/silver purchase tradition.

Abhyang snan (oil bath) before sunrise. Krishna's victory over Narakasura.

Festival of lights. Evening Lakshmi-Ganesh puja, diyas, rangoli, fireworks.

Krishna lifting Govardhan. Mountain of offerings to the Lord.

Sisters apply tilak to brothers; brothers pledge protection. Yamuna-Yamaraj legend.

Vishnu awakens from Chaturmas slumber. Tulsi-Shaligram marriage. Weddings resume.

Dev Diwali at Varanasi ghats. Tulsi-Shaligram vivah, Guru Nanak Jayanti for Sikhs.

Margashirsha Krishna Ekadashi. Marks the origin of Ekadashi Devi.

Bhagavad Gita Jayanti — Krishna delivered the Gita to Arjuna on this day.

Pausha Krishna Ekadashi. Said to make all endeavours fruitful.

Tulsi Pujan observance alongside Christmas; worship of the sacred Tulsi plant.