Festivals
Hindu festival dates for 2026 with muhurat timings, puja vidhi and stories — for India and for Hindus in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Singapore and Europe.
About HinduTone’s festival guides
Hindu festivals are the rhythm of Sanatana life — markers that align the year with the solar (Surya) and lunar (Chandra) cycles, the planetary movements (graha gocharas), the harvest seasons and the puranic stories that frame each tithi. From Makara Sankranti at the winter solstice to Karthika Pournami at the autumn equinox, every month of the Hindu calendar contains festivals that bring families together, mark rites of passage, and refresh the connection between devotee and deity. HinduTone's Festivals hub publishes the complete 2026 calendar with exact dates, muhurat timings for each major event (in IST and major NRI timezones), step-by-step puja vidhi for home celebration, the puranic stories behind each festival, the regional variations (how the same festival is celebrated in Andhra vs Tamil Nadu vs Bengal vs Maharashtra), and the specific mantras and stotras prescribed for the day. Browse the major festival pillars individually: Diwali (the festival of lights and Lakshmi puja), Holi (the spring festival of colours), Navratri (the nine nights of Devi worship), Maha Shivaratri (the great night of Shiva), Sri Rama Navami (Lord Rama's birth), Hanuman Jayanti (Hanuman's birth), Ugadi (Telugu/Kannada New Year), Pongal (Tamil harvest festival), Karthika Masam (the sacred month of Shiva and Vishnu), Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and many more. We also cover the festivals that NRI Hindus celebrate abroad — Diwali in the USA, Holi in Australia, Navratri in the UK, and how regional Hindu temples worldwide adapt traditional rituals to local timezones and contexts.
Upcoming Hindu festivals
The next festivals with their dates in India (IST, Drik Panchang). Abroad, some fall a day earlier or later — each guide has local dates.
- Nagula ChavithiNaga puja
- Chhath Puja · Skanda SashtiSoora Samharam
- Devutthana EkadashiPrabodhini · Kartiki
- Ksheerabdi DwadashiTulasi Vivah
- Karthika PournamiDev Deepawali · Karthigai Deepam
- Kalabhairav JayantiBhairava Ashtami
- Karthika Masa ShivaratriFalls on a Somavaram
- Vivah PanchamiRama-Sita wedding day
- Gita JayantiMokshada Ekadashi
- Datta JayantiMargashirsha Purnima
Festival calendars
Major festival guides
Festivals for Hindus abroad
Local dates, muhurat in your time zone and city-by-city timings.
Regional & state festivals
Latest festival guides
Sankranti and Pongal Wishes in 9 Indian Languages
Pongal and Makar Sankranti Wishes and Messages
Kite flying safety on Makar Sankranti, in India and abroad
Makar Sankranti and Pongal for Kids: Crafts, Kolam and Stories
Sankranti Daan: What Is Given, to Whom, When, and What the Texts Say
Uttarayana Explained: Scripture, Astronomy and the Solstice Question
Sakraat and Magha Saaji: Makar Sankranti in Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh
Uttarayani and Ghughutiya: Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand
Khichdi Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh: Customs, Food and Fairs
Makar Sankranti in Bihar and Jharkhand: Sakraat, Dahi-Chura and Tusu Parab
Makara Sankranti in Odisha: Makara Chaula, Puri Temple Rituals, Melas and Customs
Magh Bihu in Assam: Uruka, Meji, Pitha and the Customs of Bhogali Bihu
Poush Sankranti in West Bengal: Pithe-Puli, Gangasagar, Tusu and the Kenduli Fair
Uttarayan in Gujarat: Kites, Food, Bird Safety and the Manja Ban
Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra: Tilgul, Haldi-Kunku and the Three Days
Pongal and Makar Sankranti in the UAE and the Gulf
Maghe Sankranti in Nepal: date, foods and customs
Thai Pongal in Sri Lanka: holiday date and how it is kept
Ponggal in Malaysia: date, customs and how families keep it
Pongal in Singapore: date, Little India and how families keep it
Pongal 2027: Dates, the Four Days and How It Is Celebrated
Kaanum Pongal: The Last Day of Pongal, for Visits and Outings
Mattu Pongal: The Day for Cattle, and Kanu Pidi
Thai Pongal: What the Day Means and How Families Keep It
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November (Lakshmi Puja). The 5-day festival runs from Dhanteras (Friday 6 Nov) through Bhai Dooj (Wednesday 11 Nov) in India; in the USA, UK and Canada Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj fall a day earlier (9 and 10 Nov). Exact muhurat times for Lakshmi puja vary by city — check the muhurat calculator for your timezone.
When is Holi in 2026?
Holi 2026 falls on Wednesday, 4 March. Holika Dahan (the bonfire night before) is Tuesday, 3 March. The festival marks the triumph of Prahlada's devotion over the rakshasi Holika and welcomes the arrival of spring.
How is the Hindu festival date decided?
Most Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar (panchang) and fall on specific tithis (lunar dates) — e.g., Krishna Janmashtami on the 8th day of Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada. Solar festivals (Sankranti, Pongal, Karthika Sankranti) follow the Sun's sign transitions. Dates shift across the Gregorian calendar each year.
Do festival dates vary across regions?
Yes — North India often follows the Purnimanta calendar (month ends on full moon), South India the Amavasyanta (month ends on new moon). The same lunar event can land in different "months" by name. Most festivals are observed on the same astronomical day everywhere, with regional name variations.
Can I celebrate Hindu festivals at home without a priest?
Absolutely — most major festivals (Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Hanuman Jayanti) have well-documented home puja vidhis. HinduTone publishes step-by-step home guides for each major festival. Specialised rituals (yajnas, fire ceremonies, name-giving) traditionally need a trained priest.