The Hindu Festival Calendar for 2026 includes more than 90 vrats, tithis, jayantis and Purnimas — and most of them shift several days each year because the Hindu calendar is lunar-solar. This pillar guide gives you every major festival of 2026 with the verified Drik Panchang date, the day of week, and a forward outlook into 2027 for early-planners. Diaspora-aware throughout: the same festival may fall on different local days in New York and Chennai.

Reviewed for date accuracy by Sreekanth Bathalapalli, Founder, HinduTone — based on Drik Panchang Panchang for 2026, with reference to Skanda Purana, Bhavishya Purana and contemporary Vaidic almanacs.

How the Hindu Calendar Works (in Two Minutes)

Two parallel systems govern Hindu festival dates. Both are correct for their respective regions. Mismatches between them are not errors — they are different but equally valid solar-lunar reconciliations.

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  • Purnimanta system: the lunar month ends on Purnima (full moon). Followed in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Delhi. Most NRI households from these states use Purnimanta.
  • Amanta system: the lunar month ends on Amavasya (new moon). Followed in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa.

A festival like Krishna Janmashtami can therefore fall on Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami in both — but Bhadrapada itself starts about 15 days later in the Amanta count, so the practical Gregorian date can differ.

Top 15 Festivals to Plan Your 2026 Around

If you only mark fifteen Hindu festivals on your calendar this year, make them these — they are the most-observed across regions and the diaspora.

  • 14 January 2026 (Wed): Makar Sankranti / Pongal — solar transition, the most universal Hindu festival
  • 15 February 2026 (Sun): Maha Shivaratri — the night-long Shiva vigil
  • 3 March 2026 (Tue): Holi — festival of colours
  • 19 March 2026 (Thu): Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri begins — lunar new year
  • 26 March 2026 (Thu): Sri Rama Navami — the birth of Lord Rama
  • 1 April 2026 (Wed): Hanuman Jayanti — birth of Hanuman
  • 19 April 2026 (Sun): Akshaya Tritiya — the most auspicious day for new beginnings
  • 1 May 2026 (Fri): Buddha Purnima / Vaishakha Purnima
  • 15 July 2026 (Wed): Jagannath Rath Yatra — see our full Rath Yatra 2026 guide
  • 29 July 2026 (Wed): Guru Purnima — see our Guru Purnima 2026 guide
  • 27 August 2026 (Thu): Raksha Bandhan / Shravana Purnima
  • 3 September 2026 (Thu): Krishna Janmashtami (Smarta — most North Indian households)
  • 14 September 2026 (Mon): Ganesh Chaturthi — start of the 10-day Ganesh festival
  • 11–20 October 2026: Sharad Navratri culminating in Vijayadashami / Dussehra (20 Oct)
  • 8 November 2026 (Sun): Diwali / Lakshmi Puja — the festival of lights

Month-by-Month Hindu Festival Calendar 2026

Source: Drik Panchang Panchang for 2026. Local-time observance may shift by 24 hours for Western diaspora — verify with your local panchanga.

January 2026

  • 2 Jan (Fri): Pausha Purnima
  • 6 Jan (Tue): Sakat Chauth
  • 14 Jan (Wed): Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Shattila Ekadashi
  • 18 Jan (Sun): Mauni Amavasya
  • 23 Jan (Fri): Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
  • 25 Jan (Sun): Ratha Saptami, Bhishma Ashtami
  • 28 Jan (Wed): Jaya Ekadashi

February 2026

  • 1 Feb (Sun): Magha Purnima
  • 12 Feb (Thu): Kumbha Sankranti, Vijaya Ekadashi
  • 15 Feb (Sun): Maha Shivaratri
  • 17 Feb (Tue): Surya Grahan (Solar Eclipse) — observe sutak rules
  • 27 Feb (Fri): Amalaki Ekadashi

March 2026

  • 2 Mar (Mon): Holika Dahan, Chhoti Holi
  • 3 Mar (Tue): Holi, Phalguna Purnima, Chandra Grahan (Lunar Eclipse)
  • 10 Mar (Tue): Sheetala Ashtami / Basoda
  • 14 Mar (Sat): Meena Sankranti, Papamochani Ekadashi
  • 19 Mar (Thu): Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Chaitra Navratri begins
  • 21 Mar (Sat): Gauri Puja, Gangaur
  • 23 Mar (Mon): Yamuna Chhath
  • 26 Mar (Thu): Sri Rama Navami, Swaminarayan Jayanti
  • 28 Mar (Sat): Kamada Ekadashi

April 2026

  • 1 Apr (Wed): Hanuman Jayanti, Chaitra Purnima
  • 13 Apr (Mon): Mesha Sankranti / Solar New Year, Varuthini Ekadashi
  • 19 Apr (Sun): Akshaya Tritiya, Parashurama Jayanti
  • 22 Apr (Wed): Ganga Saptami
  • 24 Apr (Fri): Sita Navami
  • 27 Apr (Mon): Mohini Ekadashi
  • 29 Apr (Wed): Narasimha Jayanti

May 2026

  • 1 May (Fri): Buddha Purnima, Vaishakha Purnima
  • 2 May (Sat): Narada Jayanti
  • 12 May (Tue): Apara Ekadashi
  • 14 May (Thu): Vrishabha Sankranti
  • 16 May (Sat): Vat Savitri Vrat, Shani Jayanti
  • 25 May (Mon): Ganga Dussehra
  • 26 May (Tue): Padmini Ekadashi
  • 30 May (Sat): Jyeshtha Adhika Purnima (intercalated month full moon)

June 2026

  • 11 Jun (Thu): Parama Ekadashi
  • 15 Jun (Mon): Mithuna Sankranti
  • 25 Jun (Thu): Nirjala Ekadashi (the most demanding fast)
  • 28 Jun (Sun): Vat Purnima Vrat
  • 29 Jun (Mon): Jyeshtha Purnima / Snana Yatra at Puri

July 2026

  • 10 Jul (Fri): Yogini Ekadashi
  • 15 Jul (Wed): Jagannath Rath Yatra (see full guide)
  • 16 Jul (Thu): Karka Sankranti — Dakshinayana begins
  • 24 Jul (Fri): Devshayani Ekadashi (Lord Vishnu enters cosmic sleep)
  • 29 Jul (Wed): Guru Purnima, Ashadha Purnima

August 2026

  • 3 Aug (Mon): 1st Sawan Somwar (Purnimanta) — see Sawan Somwar guide
  • 8 Aug (Sat): Kamika Ekadashi
  • 10 Aug (Mon): 2nd Sawan Somwar (Purnimanta)
  • 12 Aug (Wed): Surya Grahan (Solar Eclipse), Hariyali Amavasya
  • 15 Aug (Sat): Hariyali Teej (Independence Day in India)
  • 16 Aug (Sun): Nag Panchami, Simha Sankranti
  • 17 Aug (Mon): 3rd Sawan Somwar (Purnimanta) / 1st Somwar (Amanta)
  • 21 Aug (Fri): Varalakshmi Vrat
  • 23 Aug (Sun): Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
  • 24 Aug (Mon): 4th Sawan Somwar (Purnimanta)
  • 26 Aug (Wed): Onam (Kerala)
  • 27 Aug (Thu): Raksha Bandhan, Shravana Purnima, Gayatri Jayanti, Chandra Grahan
  • 30 Aug (Sun): Kajari Teej

September 2026

  • 3 Sep (Thu): Krishna Janmashtami (Smarta)
  • 4 Sep (Fri): Krishna Janmashtami (ISKCON / Vaishnava)
  • 6 Sep (Sun): Aja Ekadashi
  • 13 Sep (Sun): Hartalika Teej
  • 14 Sep (Mon): Ganesh Chaturthi (10-day festival begins)
  • 15 Sep (Tue): Rishi Panchami
  • 16 Sep (Wed): Balarama Jayanti, Vishwakarma Puja, Kanya Sankranti
  • 18 Sep (Fri): Radha Ashtami
  • 22 Sep (Tue): Parsva Ekadashi
  • 25 Sep (Fri): Anant Chaturdashi (Ganesh Visarjan)
  • 26 Sep (Sat): Pitrupaksha begins, Bhadrapada Purnima

October 2026

  • 6 Oct (Tue): Indira Ekadashi
  • 9 Oct (Fri): Sarva Pitru Amavasya
  • 11 Oct (Sun): Sharad Navratri begins
  • 17 Oct (Sat): Saraswati Puja, Tula Sankranti
  • 18 Oct (Sun): Durga Ashtami
  • 19 Oct (Mon): Maha Navami
  • 20 Oct (Tue): Vijayadashami / Dussehra
  • 21 Oct (Wed): Papankusha Ekadashi
  • 25 Oct (Sun): Sharad Purnima, Kojagara Puja
  • 28 Oct (Wed): Karwa Chauth

November 2026 (Diwali Week)

  • 1 Nov (Sun): Ahoi Ashtami
  • 4 Nov (Wed): Rama Ekadashi
  • 5 Nov (Thu): Govatsa Dwadashi
  • 6 Nov (Fri): Dhanteras
  • 7 Nov (Sat): Naraka Chaturdashi / Kali Chaudas
  • 8 Nov (Sun): Diwali / Lakshmi Puja
  • 9 Nov (Mon): Govardhan Puja / Annakut
  • 10 Nov (Tue): Bhai Dooj
  • 15 Nov (Sun): Chhath Puja
  • 16 Nov (Mon): Vrishchika Sankranti
  • 20 Nov (Fri): Devutthana Ekadashi (Vishnu wakes from cosmic sleep)
  • 21 Nov (Sat): Tulsi Vivah
  • 24 Nov (Tue): Kartika Purnima (Dev Diwali)
  • 30 Nov (Mon): Kalabhairav Jayanti

December 2026

  • 4 Dec (Fri): Utpanna Ekadashi
  • 13 Dec (Sun): Vivah Panchami
  • 16 Dec (Wed): Dhanu Sankranti — Dhanurmasa begins
  • 19 Dec (Sat): Gita Jayanti, Mokshada Ekadashi
  • 23 Dec (Wed): Dattatreya Jayanti, Margashirsha Purnima

What's Different About 2026 — Three Things to Know

  • Adhik Maas (intercalary month) in May–June: 2026 has an Adhik Jyeshtha — Lord Vishnu's extra month — between regular Jyeshtha and Ashadha. This pushes everything from Jagannath Rath Yatra onwards roughly two weeks later than 2025. Plan accordingly.
  • Two solar eclipses, two lunar: 17 February (Surya Grahan), 12 August (Surya Grahan), and lunar eclipses 3 March and 27 August. Sutak rules apply across all four — temples close from sutak start until eclipse end.
  • Late-Sawan year: Purnimanta Shravana begins 30 July, not the more common 12–14 July. See our Sawan Somwar 2026 dedicated guide.

Diaspora Considerations — When the Indian Date Differs from Yours

Festivals are observed when the relevant tithi spans your local sunrise — not when the calendar shows a Gregorian date. Three common diaspora scenarios:

  • USA (East Coast): roughly 9.5–10.5 hours behind IST. A festival on 14 January IST may begin on the evening of 13 January EST. Most NRI households use IST for daily vrat observance and local time for the temple visit.
  • UK / Western Europe: 4.5 hours behind IST. The biggest diaspora festivals (Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami) usually fall on the same Gregorian date — but the muhurat times shift accordingly.
  • Australia / NZ: 4.5–6.5 hours ahead of IST. A festival on 8 November IST (Diwali) actually starts in Sydney/Melbourne on the morning of 9 November Sydney local time for some families.

Confirm with your local Indian temple — every major temple in the diaspora publishes its own muhurat sheet for festival days.

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2027 Outlook — When the Big Festivals Will Fall

  • Makar Sankranti: 14 January 2027 (Thu) — fixed solar date
  • Maha Shivaratri: approximately 5 March 2027 (Fri)
  • Holi: approximately 22 March 2027 (Mon)
  • Ugadi: approximately 8 April 2027 (Thu)
  • Sri Rama Navami: approximately 14 April 2027 (Wed)
  • Akshaya Tritiya: approximately 8 May 2027 (Sat)
  • Guru Purnima: approximately 18 July 2027 (Sun)
  • Janmashtami: approximately 24 August 2027 (Tue)
  • Ganesh Chaturthi: approximately 4 September 2027 (Sat)
  • Navratri begins: approximately 30 September 2027 (Thu)
  • Vijayadashami: approximately 9 October 2027 (Sat)
  • Diwali: approximately 28 October 2027 (Thu)
2027 dates above are computed approximations subject to ±1-day shift. Drik Panchang publishes the authoritative 2027 Panchang in late 2026 — we will refresh this section then.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are some festivals listed twice on the same date?

A single Gregorian date may host multiple sacred tithis — for example, 14 January 2026 is simultaneously Makar Sankranti (solar transit), Pongal (Tamil harvest), and Shattila Ekadashi (Vishnu vrat). Each is observed independently.

What is the difference between Smarta and ISKCON Janmashtami in 2026?

Smarta tradition (most North-Indian and Smarta-Vaishnava households) observes the Krishna Ashtami tithi that spans midnight on 3 September. ISKCON / Vaishnava tradition uses Udaya Tithi (the tithi at sunrise) — which on 4 September is also Ashtami. Both are correct for their respective sampradayas.

Should I follow Purnimanta or Amanta dates?

Whichever your family acharya prescribes. If you do not have a family acharya: Purnimanta if your roots are in UP, Bihar, MP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi or any state north of the Vindhyas; Amanta if your roots are in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Goa. NRI families tend to inherit their state-of-origin tradition.

Are eclipses really inauspicious?

In tantric and pauranic shastra, the four-hour sutak (pre-eclipse impure period) is observed with: no temple entry, no cooking, no eating, suspended sandhya. Many devotees do extra mantra-japa during the eclipse itself, considered a high-multiplier period. The Skanda Purana describes the eclipse hours as equivalent to 10,000 normal hours of japa.

I am not Indian by birth but interested in Hindu festivals — which should I start with?

Diwali (8 November 2026) is the most accessible: light, sweets, family time, no fast required. Holi (3 March 2026) is the second-most-accessible: colours, joy, no theological prerequisites. Both have welcoming public events at most major temples in the diaspora.

Where can I get the muhurat times for my city?

Drik Panchang publishes city-specific muhurat for every festival; navigate to drikpanchang.com and switch the location dropdown. Most major Indian temples in the US, UK, Canada and Australia also publish a year-ahead festival calendar with local muhurats — check your nearest temple's website each January.

Last reviewed by Sreekanth Bathalapalli, Founder of HinduTone, on 28 April 2026. Date verification: Drik Panchang Panchang for 2026; 2027 outlook is computed approximation. Festival significance and tithi rules cross-referenced with Skanda Purana, Bhavishya Purana, and the published almanacs of the four Sankaracharya peethams.

🪷 शुभं भवतु — May the year ahead be auspicious. 🪷