December 2026 Hindu Festivals in Germany: Dates & Tithi

Quick answer: the December 2026 Hindu festivals in Germany follow the India dates below unless your temple says otherwise: Kalabhairav Jayanti on Tuesday 1 December, Utpanna Ekadashi on Friday 4 December, Masik (Karthika Masa) Shivaratri on Sunday 6 December in Germany (India: Monday 7 December), Vivah Panchami on Monday 14 December, Subrahmanya Shashti on Tuesday 15 December, Dhanurmasam and Margazhi from Wednesday 16 December, Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti on Sunday 20 December, Datta Jayanti on Wednesday 23 December and Mandala Pooja on Sunday 27 December. One date differs for Germany: HinduTone's Europe calculation puts Masik Shivaratri on Sunday 6 December in Frankfurt, a day before India.

Germany's Hindus include one of Europe's largest Sri Lankan Tamil communities, a fast-growing population of Indian engineers, doctors and students in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart and Hamburg, and smaller Afghan Hindu and Nepali groups. December here means early darkness, Christmas markets and the long holiday from 24 to 26 December, and Hindu families fit their own month of devotion around it.

Two things make a local calendar useful in Germany. Sunrise comes after eight o'clock, which changes when Ekadashi parana and Dhanurmasam dawn worship actually happen, and Central European Time is four and a half hours behind India, enough to shift some tithis by a day.

How these dates were made: India dates and the Observances column come from Drik Panchang's day panchang for Hyderabad. The Frankfurt columns (sunrise, and the tithi prevailing at local sunrise) were computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, which we validated against Drik Panchang. German dates for Utpanna Ekadashi and Masik Shivaratri are from HinduTone's Karthika calculation for European cities (Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg all give the same dates). For every other festival we give the India date: abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple.

December 2026 at a glance for Germany

December 2026 opens in the final week of Karthika (amanta reckoning) and ends in the dark fortnight of Margashirsha. Karthika closes with the Amavasya on Tuesday 8 December; Margashirsha (Margasira) begins on Wednesday 9 December; Dhanurmasam starts with Dhanu Sankranti on Wednesday 16 December; and North Indian purnimanta calendars move into Pausha on Friday 25 December. The month's high point is Sunday 20 December, when Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti coincide.

In Frankfurt, sunrise moves from 8:00 AM on Tue 1 Dec to 8:22 AM on Thu 31 Dec. On 6 days the tithi at Frankfurt's sunrise differs from Hyderabad's: Thu 10 Dec (Shukla Dwitiya in Frankfurt, Shukla Pratipada in Hyderabad), Fri 11 Dec (Shukla Tritiya in Frankfurt, Shukla Dwitiya in Hyderabad), Wed 23 Dec (Shukla Purnima in Frankfurt, Shukla Chaturdashi in Hyderabad), Thu 24 Dec (Krishna Pratipada in Frankfurt, Shukla Purnima in Hyderabad), Wed 30 Dec (Krishna Ashtami in Frankfurt, Krishna Saptami in Hyderabad) and Thu 31 Dec (Krishna Navami in Frankfurt, Krishna Ashtami in Hyderabad). Frankfurt is four and a half hours behind India, so its sunrise comes around midday India time; tithis that end in India's morning have already changed when the sun rises in Germany.

December 2026 Hindu calendar for Germany: day by day

Each date links to that day's full panchang. The tithi and sunrise are for Frankfurt; the Observances column lists the festivals Drik Panchang gives for India on that date, so treat it as a guide and confirm local festival days with your temple.

Date	Weekday	Tithi at sunrise (Frankfurt)	Sunrise (Frankfurt)	Observances (India date)
Tue 1 Dec	Tuesday	Krishna Ashtami	8:00 AM	Kalabhairav Jayanti; Kalashtami; Masik Krishna Janmashtami
Wed 2 Dec	Wednesday	Krishna Navami	8:01 AM	—
Thu 3 Dec	Thursday	Krishna Dashami	8:02 AM	—
Fri 4 Dec	Friday	Krishna Ekadashi	8:04 AM	Utpanna Ekadashi
Sat 5 Dec	Saturday	Krishna Dwadashi	8:05 AM	Krishna Yogeshwara Dwadashi; Utpanna Ekadashi Parana
Sun 6 Dec	Sunday	Krishna Trayodashi	8:06 AM	Ravi Pradosh Vrat
Mon 7 Dec	Monday	Krishna Chaturdashi	8:07 AM	Bala Jayanti; Masik Shivaratri (Karthika Masa Shivaratri)
Tue 8 Dec	Tuesday	Krishna Amavasya	8:08 AM	Darsha Amavasya; Margashirsha Amavasya
Wed 9 Dec	Wednesday	Shukla Pratipada	8:09 AM	—
Thu 10 Dec	Thursday	Shukla Dwitiya	8:10 AM	Chandra Darshana
Fri 11 Dec	Friday	Shukla Tritiya	8:11 AM	—
Sat 12 Dec	Saturday	Shukla Tritiya	8:12 AM	—
Sun 13 Dec	Sunday	Shukla Chaturthi	8:13 AM	Vinayaka Chaturthi (Krichchhra Chaturthi)
Mon 14 Dec	Monday	Shukla Panchami	8:14 AM	Naga Panchami (Telugu); Vivah Panchami
Tue 15 Dec	Tuesday	Shukla Shashthi	8:15 AM	Champa Shashthi; Skanda Sashti; Subrahmanya Sashti
Wed 16 Dec	Wednesday	Shukla Saptami	8:16 AM	Dhanu Sankranti
Thu 17 Dec	Thursday	Shukla Ashtami	8:17 AM	Masik Durgashtami
Fri 18 Dec	Friday	Shukla Navami	8:17 AM	—
Sat 19 Dec	Saturday	Shukla Dashami	8:18 AM	—
Sun 20 Dec	Sunday	Shukla Ekadashi	8:18 AM	Gita Jayanti; Mokshada Ekadashi; Vaikuntha Ekadashi
Mon 21 Dec	Monday	Shukla Dwadashi	8:19 AM	Masik Karthigai; Matsya Dwadashi; Mokshada Ekadashi Parana; Soma Pradosh Vrat
Tue 22 Dec	Tuesday	Shukla Trayodashi	8:20 AM	Hanuman Jayanti (Karnataka)
Wed 23 Dec	Wednesday	Shukla Purnima	8:20 AM	Dattatreya Jayanti; Margashirsha Purnima Vrat; Rohini Vrat
Thu 24 Dec	Thursday	Krishna Pratipada	8:20 AM	Annapurna Jayanti; Arudra Darshan; Bhairavi Jayanti; Margashirsha Purnima
Fri 25 Dec	Friday	Krishna Dwitiya	8:21 AM	Pausha begins (North Indian purnimanta)
Sat 26 Dec	Saturday	Krishna Tritiya	8:21 AM	Akhuratha Sankashti
Sun 27 Dec	Sunday	Krishna Chaturthi	8:21 AM	Mandala Pooja
Mon 28 Dec	Monday	Krishna Panchami	8:21 AM	—
Tue 29 Dec	Tuesday	Krishna Shashthi	8:22 AM	—
Wed 30 Dec	Wednesday	Krishna Ashtami	8:22 AM	Kalashtami; Masik Krishna Janmashtami
Thu 31 Dec	Thursday	Krishna Navami	8:22 AM	—

Kalabhairav Jayanti: Tue 1 Dec

Kalabhairav Jayanti honours Kala Bhairava, the fierce form of Shiva who guards Kashi, on the Krishna Ashtami of Kartika. Drik Panchang lists it on Tuesday 1 December for India, together with Kalashtami. HinduTone's Europe calculation does not fix a Kalabhairav date for Germany, so abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Read our Kalabhairava Jayanti 2026 guide and the 1 December panchang.

The last week of Karthika: Utpanna Ekadashi, Pradosh and Shivaratri

Utpanna Ekadashi, remembered as the birth of the Ekadashi goddess who defeated the demon Mura, falls on Friday 4 December in India, with parana on Saturday 5 December. Ravi Pradosh follows on Sunday 6 December, and Masik Shivaratri on Monday 7 December coincides with the last Karthika Somavaram, which is why Telugu families call it Karthika Masa Shivaratri. For Germany, HinduTone's Europe calculation keeps Utpanna Ekadashi on Friday 4 December but moves Masik Shivaratri a day earlier, to Sunday 6 December, because the Chaturdashi that must cover midnight begins on the Sunday evening in Central European Time. The last Karthika Somavaram is still Monday 7 December, and Karthika ends with the Amavasya of Tuesday 8 December. See Utpanna Ekadashi 2026 and Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026.

Margashirsha begins: Amavasya, the new month and Margasira Thursdays

In the amanta calendar of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Margashirsha begins on Wednesday 9 December, the day after the Amavasya, and Chandra Darshana, the first sighting of the crescent moon, is on Thursday 10 December. Krishna names Margashirsha as the best of months in the Bhagavad Gita (10.35). Families who keep the Margasira Lakshmivara vratam worship Lakshmi on its Thursdays, which in December are Thu 10 Dec, Thu 17 Dec, Thu 24 Dec and Thu 31 Dec. Vinayaka Chaturthi follows on Sunday 13 December. Frankfurt's sunrise on Thursday 10 December already falls in Shukla Dwitiya, and on the 11th in Tritiya, so the German table runs a tithi ahead of Hyderabad on those two days. Our Margasira Masam 2026 guide has the vratam in full.

Vivah Panchami and Subrahmanya Shashti

Vivah Panchami on Monday 14 December celebrates the wedding of Rama and Sita and is kept with special devotion in Janakpur and Ayodhya; Telugu calendars mark Naga Panchami the same day. On Tuesday 15 December the Shukla Shashthi is Subrahmanya Shashti in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Champa Shashti for Khandoba devotees in Maharashtra and a monthly Skanda Sashti for Murugan devotees. Both are India dates; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Guides: Vivah Panchami 2026 and Subrahmanya Shashti 2026.

Dhanurmasam and Margazhi from Wed 16 Dec

Dhanu Sankranti on Wednesday 16 December opens Dhanurmasam, the solar month in which Vishnu temples hold pre-dawn worship and devotees sing Andal's Tiruppavai, one verse a day; for Tamil families it is the first day of Margazhi. Drik lists the Sankranti on this date for India, and we do not convert India's transit time to Germany. Frankfurt's sunrise is about 8:16 AM in mid-December, so the pre-dawn hour falls at a time when most people are already up for work; a lamp and one Tiruppavai verse before leaving home keeps the month's discipline. See Dhanurmasam 2026 and the Tiruppavai schedule and Margazhi 2026.

Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti: Sun 20 Dec

Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi is Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti, the day the Bhagavad Gita is remembered as spoken at Kurukshetra. Because it falls inside Dhanurmasam this year, South Indian Vishnu temples keep it as Vaikuntha (Mukkoti) Ekadashi and open the northern Vaikuntha Dwaram. In India it is Sunday 20 December, with parana on Monday 21 December, which is also Soma Pradosh. HinduTone's calculator shows Ekadashi prevailing at Frankfurt's sunrise on Sun 20 Dec too, but Vaishnava and Smarta rules can still separate the fast by a day, so abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Read Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Germany and the European city-wise dates.

Hanuman Jayanti, Datta Jayanti and Margashirsha Purnima

Karnataka keeps Hanuman Jayanti (Hanumad Vratha) on Margashirsha Shukla Trayodashi, Tuesday 22 December. Datta Jayanti, the birth of Lord Dattatreya, is on Wednesday 23 December with the Purnima vrat, because the full-moon tithi begins during that day in India. Drik lists Margashirsha Purnima itself, Arudra Darshan (Nataraja's Thiruvathirai festival) and Annapurna Jayanti on Thursday 24 December; some calendars keep Annapurna Jayanti with Datta Jayanti on the 23rd. In Frankfurt the Purnima is already running at sunrise on Wednesday 23 December, and Krishna Pratipada has begun by sunrise on the 24th. India dates; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Guides: Datta Jayanti 2026, Hanuman Jayanti in Karnataka and Annapurna Jayanti.

Year-end: Sankashti, Mandala Pooja and Kalashtami

North Indian purnimanta calendars begin Pausha on Friday 25 December. Akhuratha Sankashti Chaturthi, the Ganesha fast broken after moonrise, is on Saturday 26 December; Mandala Pooja at Sabarimala, which closes the 41-day Mandalam season, is on Sunday 27 December; and Kalashtami with Masik Krishna Janmashtami falls on Wednesday 30 December. India dates; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. In Frankfurt the tithi at sunrise is Ashtami already on 30 December. Read Sabarimala Mandala Pooja 2026 and why Sankashti is broken at moonrise.

Keeping December in Germany: winter, Christmas and community

The Christmas holidays help and hinder. Datta Jayanti on 23 December and the Purnima and Arudra Darshan date of 24 December fall just before the public holidays of 25 and 26 December, when many families travel or host friends. Sunday 20 December, Vaikuntha Ekadashi, is a free day for most people, which makes it the easiest major festival of the month to attend in person.

Temples in Germany are fewer and farther apart than in the UK. The large Sri Kamadchi Ampal temple in Hamm, built by the Tamil community, is the best known; most cities have smaller temples, often in converted halls, and many Indian families meet in community associations or at home. Check each temple's own website for programmes and timings, and allow for winter travel.

For the bigger picture, see Hindus in Germany 2026 and our December 2026 Hindu festivals in Europe page for other European cities.

December 2026 Hindu festivals in Germany: frequently asked questions

What are the December 2026 Hindu festivals in Germany?

Kalabhairav Jayanti (India: Tue 1 Dec), Utpanna Ekadashi (Fri 4 Dec), Masik Shivaratri (Sun 6 Dec in Germany, calculated), Vivah Panchami (Mon 14 Dec), Subrahmanya Shashti (Tue 15 Dec), Dhanurmasam from Wed 16 Dec, Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti (Sun 20 Dec), Datta Jayanti (Wed 23 Dec) and Mandala Pooja (Sun 27 Dec). Apart from the two calculated German dates these are India dates, so check your local temple.

Is Masik Shivaratri on 6 or 7 December 2026 in Germany?

HinduTone's calculation for Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg gives Sunday 6 December, a day before India's Monday 7 December, because the Chaturdashi covering midnight starts on Sunday evening in Germany. The last Karthika Somavaram is still Monday 7 December.

When is Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Germany?

Sunday 20 December 2026 in India, and Ekadashi also prevails at Frankfurt's sunrise that day according to HinduTone's calculator. Confirm the fast with your temple; parana is after local sunrise on Monday 21 December.

How can I keep Dhanurmasam with Germany's late winter sunrise?

Sunrise in Frankfurt is after 8 AM in late December, so the hour before dawn usually overlaps with getting ready for work. Many families light a lamp and read one Tiruppavai verse before leaving home, and visit a temple at the weekend.

Why does the Frankfurt tithi differ from India on some days?

Germany is four and a half hours behind India in winter, so local sunrise happens around midday India time. On 10, 11, 23, 24, 30 and 31 December the tithi has already changed by then.

Do the Christmas holidays affect Hindu festivals in December 2026?

Only for planning. Datta Jayanti (23 Dec) and the Purnima date of 24 December fall just before the 25 and 26 December holidays, so book temple visits or family pujas early.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

Written on 9 October 2026. Daily India data and observances are from Drik Panchang (Hyderabad). Frankfurt sunrise and sunrise tithi were computed with HinduTone's calculator, validated against Drik Panchang (tithi at sunrise identical on every checked date, sunrise within about a minute). German dates for Utpanna Ekadashi and Masik Shivaratri are from HinduTone's Karthika calculation for European cities (Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg all give the same dates). India's tithi-ending times are never converted to Germany time here. Panchang calculations abroad depend on the city and on each tradition's rules, so this page is a planning guide, not a ritual authority: confirm every festival day with your temple or priest. We will update this page if Drik Panchang revises any December 2026 date.