Hindu Festivals
Dates, puja vidhi, and significance for every major festival this year.
Rohini Vrat
1 January 2026
Rohini Vrat is a fasting ritual observed by married women for the long life and well-being of their husbands, performed on the day when the Rohini Nakshatra is in effect, and it includes prayers to Lord Krishna and offerings of food.
Pradosh Vrat
1 January 2026
Pradosh Vrat is observed on the 13th day of both lunar fortnights, dedicated to Lord Shiva, where devotees fast, perform Shiva abhishekam (bathing the deity), and chant mantras for blessings and well-being.
Makar Sankranti
14 January 2026
A harvest festival marking the sun's transition into Capricorn (Makara).
Magh Bihu
15 January 2026
Magh Bihu is an Assamese festival celebrated with feasting, music, and traditional games. It marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the Assamese New Year.
Maatu Pongal
15 January 2026
Maatu Pongal is a Tamil festival where cattle are worshipped for their role in agriculture. The cattle are bathed, decorated, and fed special foods as a sign of gratitude.
Ganesha Jayanti
22 January 2026
Ganesha Jayanti celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, especially in Maharashtra, where devotees perform special poojas, offer sweets like modaks, and pray for wisdom, success, and prosperity.
Ramalala Pratishtha Diwas
22 January 2026
Ramalala Pratishtha Diwas commemorates the day when the idol of Lord Rama was installed in the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, celebrated with rituals and prayers to honor Lord Rama's presence.
Jaya Ekadasi
29 January 2026
Jaya Ekadasi is an auspicious fasting day dedicated to Lord Vishnu, where devotees observe a fast, offer prayers, and seek the removal of sins and blessings for success and prosperity.
Dwijapriya Sankashti Chaturthi
5 February 2026
Dwijapriya Sankashti Chaturthi is a fasting day observed for the worship of Lord Ganesha, particularly by those seeking knowledge and wisdom, where devotees fast, offer special prayers, and break their fast after sighting the moon.
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti
12 February 2026
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti commemorates the birth of the founder of the Arya Samaj, who emphasized Vedic teachings and social reform, celebrated with gatherings, lectures, and prayers promoting his ideals of truth and education.
Ramakrishna Jayanti
19 February 2026
Ramakrishna Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a revered Indian saint and mystic whose teachings emphasized the unity of all religions, celebrated with prayers and spiritual discourses.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
19 February 2026
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of the great Maratha king, celebrated with patriotic events, speeches, and cultural programs that honor his valor and contributions to Indian history.
Bhai Dooj
5 March 2026
Bhai Dooj, celebrated by brothers and sisters, involves sisters applying a ceremonial tilak on their brothers' foreheads and praying for their well-being, while brothers give gifts in return.
Caitra Begins *South
19 March 2026
Caitra Begins *South marks the start of the month of Caitra in the southern regions, marking the onset of spring and the beginning of the new Hindu calendar year with various regional festivities.
Caitra Navratri
19 March 2026
Caitra Navratri is a nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga, where devotees observe fasting, perform rituals, and worship different forms of the goddess to seek her blessings for strength and protection.
Ugadi
19 March 2026
Ugadi, celebrated primarily in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, marks the Hindu New Year, observed with rituals like oil baths, temple visits, and preparing special dishes to symbolize the balance of life.
Gudi Padwa
19 March 2026
Gudi Padwa is the Maharashtrian New Year, celebrated with hoisting a gudi (flag) outside homes, symbolizing victory and prosperity, along with prayers, processions, and feasts.
Jhulelal Jayanti
19 March 2026
Jhulelal Jayanti celebrates the birth of Jhulelal, the revered deity of the Sindhi community, observed with processions, prayers, and cultural events to honor his protection and blessings for water and life.
Masik DurgAshtami
26 March 2026
Masik Durgashtami is the monthly observance of Durga Ashtami, where devotees fast and offer special prayers to Goddess Durga, invoking her blessings for strength, protection, and the removal of negativity.
Masik Purnima Vrat
1 April 2026
Masik Purnima Vrat is observed on every full moon day, where devotees fast, perform rituals, and offer prayers to the moon and various deities for peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth.
Hanuman Janmotsava
1 April 2026
Hanuman Janmotsava is a special celebration of Hanuman’s birth, observed with devotional singing, prayers, and acts of charity, particularly in North India, where Hanuman’s qualities of loyalty and bravery are honored.
Caitra Navapada Oli Ends
1 April 2026
Caitra Navapada Oli Ends marks the conclusion of the nine-day Jain spiritual period of fasting and meditation, where followers focus on purifying their souls through penance and seeking forgiveness.
Hanuman Jayanti
1 April 2026
Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Lord Hanuman, the devoted follower of Lord Rama, with devotees fasting, reciting Hanuman Chalisa, and visiting temples to seek his strength, courage, and protection.
Swarochisha Manvadi
1 April 2026
Swarochisha Manvadi marks the beginning of the reign of Swarochisha Manu, the second Manu in Hindu cosmology, a day of reverence for the ancient time cycles and cosmic order.
Ishti
1 April 2026
Ishti is a Vedic ritual in which yajnas (sacrifices) are performed with offerings to the gods, aimed at fulfilling desires or seeking divine blessings for prosperity and well-being.
Masik Purnima
1 April 2026
Masik Purnima is the full moon day in the Hindu lunar calendar, celebrated with fasting, worship, and bathing in holy rivers to gain divine blessings and cleanse sins.
Ganga Sapthami
22 April 2026
Ganga Sapthami celebrates the descent of the sacred Ganga River to Earth, with devotees offering prayers, bathing in the river, and performing rituals to honor her purity, spiritual cleansing, and life-giving force.
Chhinnamasta Jayanti
29 April 2026
Chhinnamasta Jayanti is dedicated to Goddess Chhinnamasta, the fierce form of Shakti, with Tantric rituals and offerings performed to seek her blessings for courage, transcendence, and liberation from worldly attachments.
Narasimha Jayanti
29 April 2026
Narasimha Jayanti celebrates the appearance of Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, who took the form of a half-lion, half-man to protect his devotee Prahlad, with rituals, fasting, and prayers for protection against evil.
Ramalakshmana Dvadasi
27 May 2026
Ramalakshmana Dvadasi is dedicated to Lord Rama and Lakshmana, celebrated with prayers and offerings in their honor, seeking protection, strength, and guidance in upholding dharma.
Agni Nakshatram Ends
27 May 2026
Agni Nakshatram Ends marks the conclusion of the hottest period in the Tamil calendar, symbolizing relief from intense heat and the transition to more temperate conditions, with some rituals seeking protection from natural elements.
Sankatahara Chaturthi
3 June 2026
Sankatahara Chaturthi is a fasting day dedicated to Lord Ganesha, observed to remove obstacles, fulfill desires, and seek his blessings for success and prosperity, with special prayers and offerings made to the deity.
Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi
3 June 2026
Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi is a day dedicated to Lord Ganesha, observed with fasting and prayers for the removal of obstacles, with special rituals associated with the Krishnapingala form of Ganesha.
Yogini Ekadasi
10 June 2026
Yogini Ekadasi is a significant fasting day dedicated to Lord Vishnu, observed to atone for sins and seek spiritual progress, with the belief that it helps eradicate past mistakes and lead a devotee to liberation.
Masik Chaturthi
17 June 2026
Chaturthi is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, observed with fasting, reciting Ganesha mantras, offering modaks and flowers, and seeking his blessings for wisdom and the removal of obstacles.
Gayatri Jayanti
24 June 2026
Gayatri Jayanti marks the appearance of Goddess Gayatri, the embodiment of the Gayatri Mantra, celebrated with chanting of the mantra, prayers, and rituals seeking spiritual wisdom and protection.
Nirjala Ekadasi
24 June 2026
Nirjala Ekadasi is a fasting day dedicated to Lord Vishnu, where devotees abstain from both food and water, believed to provide the combined merit of all 24 Ekadasis, leading to immense spiritual benefits and salvation.
Karka Sankranti
15 July 2026
Karka Sankranti marks the Sun's transition into Cancer. It is significant for spiritual growth and agricultural cycles.
Jagannath Rathyatra
15 July 2026
Jagannath Rathyatra is the grand chariot festival of Lord Jagannath, celebrated with immense devotion in Puri, where the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are taken out in massive chariots, symbolizing their journey to the Gundicha Temple.
Masik Krishna JanmAshtami
5 August 2026
Masik Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna on the Krishna Paksha Ashtami, with devotees observing fasts, reciting devotional songs, performing midnight prayers, and breaking the fast after offering special prasad to the deity.
KalAshtami
5 August 2026
KalAshtami is observed on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha every month, devoted to Lord Bhairava, where devotees fast throughout the day, perform special poojas, and seek protection from negativity.
Chandra Darshana
12 August 2026
Chandra Darshana is the observance of sighting the moon for the first time after the new moon, where devotees offer prayers to the moon god for mental peace and emotional balance.
Sravana Begins
12 August 2026
Sravana Begins marks the start of the holy Shravan month, considered sacred for worship of Lord Shiva, with devotees observing fasts, visiting temples, and performing religious rituals throughout the month.
Gayatri Japam (Rig & Yajur Veda)
26 August 2026
Gayatri Japam is observed the day after the Upakarma, where devotees chant the Gayatri mantra 108 or 1,008 times, seeking spiritual purity and enlightenment through the power of the mantra.
Varalakshmi Vrat
26 August 2026
Varalakshmi Vrat is a festival where married women worship Goddess Lakshmi, offering prayers, fasting, and tying sacred threads to seek her blessings for prosperity, well-being, and the health of their families.
Yajurveda Upakarma
26 August 2026
Yajurveda Upakarma is similar to Rigveda Upakarma but specific to the Yajurveda, where Brahmins renew their commitment to Vedic studies by changing their sacred threads and performing special rituals and prayers.
Anvadhan
26 August 2026
Anvadhan refers to the ritual of replenishing or dedicating food and offerings to the deities, particularly after observing fasts or other rituals, seeking blessings for abundance.
Rigveda Upakarma
26 August 2026
Rigveda Upakarma is a ritual performed by Brahmins to mark the beginning of the study of the Rigveda, where sacred threads are changed, and Vedic mantras are recited for purification and spiritual renewal.
Ganesh Chaturthi
27 August 2026
A ten-day festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha.
Shitala Satam
2 September 2026
Shitala Satam is a festival dedicated to Goddess Shitala, observed in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where devotees avoid cooking and offer prayers to the goddess for protection from diseases, particularly smallpox.
Masik Karthigai
2 September 2026
Masik Karthigai is a monthly festival dedicated to Lord Murugan, observed with the lighting of lamps and special prayers to remove darkness and obstacles from one’s life.
Bhanu Sapthami
2 September 2026
Bhanu Sapthami is a day dedicated to the worship of the Sun god, where devotees offer prayers, perform sun salutations, and bathe in holy rivers to seek health, vitality, and spiritual growth.
Skanda Shasti
16 September 2026
Skanda Shasti is a six-day fasting festival honoring Lord Murugan (Skanda) for his victory over evil, where devotees observe strict fasts, participate in processions, and offer special prayers for courage and strength.
Kanya Sankranti
16 September 2026
Kanya Sankranti marks the Sun's transition into Virgo. It is significant for spiritual growth and agricultural cycles.
Jyeshta Gauri Avahana
16 September 2026
Jyeshta Gauri Avahana is the ritual of invoking Goddess Gauri (an aspect of Parvati), particularly during Ganesh Chaturthi, where women bring idols of Gauri into their homes, perform elaborate pujas, and seek her blessings for marital bliss.
Navratri
22 September 2026
Nine nights dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga in her various forms.
Gayatri Japam (Sama Veda)
23 September 2026
Gayatri Japam is observed the day after the Upakarma, where devotees chant the Gayatri mantra 108 or 1,008 times, seeking spiritual purity and enlightenment through the power of the mantra.
Panchami Shraddha
30 September 2026
Panchami Shraddha is the ancestral ritual performed on the fifth day of Pitrupaksha for those who passed away on a Panchami, with offerings and prayers made to ensure their peace and spiritual progression.
Trayodasi Shraddha
7 October 2026
Trayodasi Shraddha is observed on the thirteenth day of Pitrupaksha for those who died on a Trayodasi, with families performing prayers and offerings to seek blessings from the ancestors and ensure their peace.
Masik Shivaratri
7 October 2026
Masik Shivaratri is a monthly observance on the Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha, with devotees fasting, staying awake through the night, and offering prayers and water to Lord Shiva for inner strength and spiritual growth.
Kali Yuga
7 October 2026
Kali Yuga refers to the current era in Hindu cosmology, characterized by moral decline, strife, and materialism, where the practice of Dharma (righteousness) is believed to diminish, marking the final phase of the four Yugas before a new cycle begins.
Upang Lalita Vrat
14 October 2026
Upang Lalita Vrat is observed during Navratri in devotion to Goddess Lalita, a form of Goddess Durga, where devotees, particularly women, fast and perform special prayers seeking her blessings for prosperity, power, and protection from evil.
Papankusha Ekadasi
21 October 2026
Papankusha Ekadasi is a fasting day dedicated to Lord Vishnu, where devotees seek forgiveness for their sins and spiritual liberation through prayers, charity, and abstaining from food, believed to help attain moksha (salvation).
Vaishnava Papankusha Ekadasi
21 October 2026
Vaishnava Papankusha Ekadasi is a variation of the same Ekadasi, observed particularly by Vaishnavites, focusing on deep devotion to Lord Vishnu, with prayers, fasting, and offerings aimed at securing a place in the divine abode of the Lord.
Gauna Papankusha Ekadasi
21 October 2026
Gauna Papankusha Ekadasi is the observed form of Papankusha Ekadasi in specific regions, where the fast and prayers are performed a day later, with devotees offering special rituals to Lord Vishnu for the removal of past sins and spiritual elevation.
Karwa Chauth
29 October 2026
Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival where married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the well-being and longevity of their husbands, breaking their fast after sighting and offering prayers to the moon.
Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi
29 October 2026
Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi is a day dedicated to Lord Ganesha, particularly in his Vakratunda form, where devotees fast and offer prayers to remove obstacles from their lives, ending their fast after sighting the moon.
Rama Ekadasi
5 November 2026
Rama Ekadasi is a fasting day observed in devotion to Lord Vishnu, with devotees seeking forgiveness for their sins and praying for prosperity and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Diwali
8 November 2026
The festival of lights, celebrating the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Jagaddhatri Puja
19 November 2026
Jagaddhatri Puja is a significant festival in West Bengal, dedicated to Goddess Jagaddhatri, a form of Durga, celebrated with elaborate rituals, processions, and the worship of the goddess as a protector and sustainer of the world.
Akshaya Navami
19 November 2026
Akshaya Navami is celebrated to mark the eternal (Akshaya) nature of the universe, particularly associated with Amla trees, where devotees offer prayers and seek blessings for prosperity, health, and long-lasting happiness.
Sata Yuga
19 November 2026
Sata Yuga refers to the Golden Age or the first of the four Yugas (ages) in Hindu cosmology, marked by virtue, righteousness, and prosperity, where divine beings and humans coexisted in perfect harmony.
Mandala Pooja Begins
10 December 2026
Mandala Pooja Begins marks the start of a 41-day period of austerity and devotion at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, where devotees undertake vows of celibacy, simplicity, and intense spiritual practices in preparation for the pilgrimage to Lord Ayyappa’s shrine.
Margashirsha Begins *South
10 December 2026
Margashirsha Begins *South marks the start of the auspicious month of Margashirsha in the southern Indian calendar, a period considered highly favorable for religious observances and devotion to Lord Vishnu, with rituals to invoke his blessings for prosperity and well-being.
Dattatreya Jayanti
24 December 2026
Dattatreya Jayanti celebrates the birth of Lord Dattatreya, a combined incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, with devotees offering prayers for wisdom, peace, and guidance on the spiritual path.
Annapurna Jayanti
24 December 2026
Annapurna Jayanti honors Goddess Annapurna, the goddess of nourishment, with prayers and rituals to ensure food security, abundance, and the sustenance of all beings.
Bhairavi Jayanti
24 December 2026
Bhairavi Jayanti celebrates the fierce form of Goddess Durga, Bhairavi, with rituals and prayers to invoke her protection, destroy evil forces, and seek spiritual empowerment.