A comprehensive guide to all major Hindu festivals, fasts, and New Year celebrations for the year 2026. This list follows the Luni-Solar calendar timings for the year.
Full Schedule of Festivals (Table View)
| Date | Day | Festival / Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 13 | Tue | Lohri |
| Jan 14 | Wed | Makar Sankranti / Pongal / Uttarayan |
| Jan 23 | Fri | Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja) |
| Feb 01 | Sun | Magha Purnima / Thaipusam |
| Feb 15 | Sun | Maha Shivaratri |
| Mar 03 | Tue | Holika Dahan |
| Mar 04 | Wed | Holi |
| Mar 19 | Thu | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa (New Year) |
| Mar 19 | Thu | Chaitra Navratri Begins |
| Mar 26 | Thu | Rama Navami |
| Apr 02 | Thu | Hanuman Jayanti |
| Apr 14 | Tue | Baisakhi / Vishu / Tamil New Year |
| Apr 15 | Wed | Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh) |
| Apr 19 | Sun | Akshaya Tritiya |
| May 01 | Fri | Buddha Purnima |
| May 16 | Sat | Vat Savitri Vrat / Shani Jayanti |
| Jun 25 | Thu | Nirjala Ekadashi |
| Jul 16 | Thu | Jagannath Rath Yatra |
| Jul 29 | Wed | Guru Purnima |
| Aug 15 | Sat | Hariyali Teej |
| Aug 17 | Mon | Nag Panchami |
| Aug 26 | Wed | Onam (Thiruvonam) |
| Aug 28 | Fri | Raksha Bandhan / Varalakshmi Vrat |
| Aug 31 | Mon | Kajari Teej |
| Sep 04 | Fri | Krishna Janmashtami |
| Sep 14 | Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| Sep 25 | Fri | Anant Chaturdashi (Ganesh Visarjan) |
| Oct 10 | Sat | Mahalaya Amavasya |
| Oct 11 | Sun | Sharad Navratri Begins |
| Oct 20 | Tue | Dussehra (Vijayadashami) |
| Oct 29 | Thu | Karwa Chauth |
| Nov 06 | Fri | Dhanteras |
| Nov 08 | Sun | Diwali (Deepavali) |
| Nov 09 | Mon | Govardhan Puja |
| Nov 11 | Wed | Bhai Dooj |
| Nov 15 | Sun | Chhath Puja |
| Nov 24 | Tue | Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali |
| Dec 20 | Sun | Gita Jayanti |
Significance of Each Festival
Lohri
January 13, 2026 Celebrating the end of peak winter and the harvest of rabi crops with bonfires and sweets.Makar Sankranti / Pongal
January 14, 2026 Marks the transition of the Sun into Capricorn. A major harvest festival across India.Vasant Panchami
January 23, 2026 Dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge and arts, signifying the arrival of spring.Magha Purnima / Thaipusam
February 1, 2026 A holy bathing day and a major Tamil festival honoring Lord Murugan’s victory.Maha Shivaratri
February 15, 2026 The "Great Night of Shiva" involving fasting, night-long vigil, and meditation.Holika Dahan
March 3, 2026 Burning of the demoness Holika, representing the victory of good over evil.Holi
March 4, 2026 The vibrant festival of colors and the welcoming of the spring season.Ugadi / Gudi Padwa
March 19, 2026 The Lunar New Year for people in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.Chaitra Navratri
Starts March 19, 2026 Nine days of worship dedicated to Goddess Shakti, ending with Rama Navami.Rama Navami
March 26, 2026 Celebrating the birth of Lord Rama, the ideal man and seventh avatar of Vishnu.Hanuman Jayanti
April 2, 2026 Commemorating the birth of Lord Hanuman, the symbol of strength and devotion.Baisakhi / Vishu / Tamil New Year
April 14, 2026 The solar New Year observed in Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu respectively.Bengali New Year
April 15, 2026 Known as Poila Baisakh, marking the start of the financial and cultural year for Bengalis.Akshaya Tritiya
April 19, 2026 An auspicious day for new beginnings, investments, and purchasing gold.Buddha Purnima
May 1, 2026 The birth, enlightenment, and death anniversary of Gautama Buddha.Vat Savitri / Shani Jayanti
May 16, 2026 Wives pray for husbands' longevity; also marks the birth of Lord Shani.Nirjala Ekadashi
June 25, 2026 The toughest of all 24 Ekadashis, observed without food or water.Jagannath Rath Yatra
July 16, 2026 The grand chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha.Guru Purnima
July 29, 2026 A day to honor spiritual and academic teachers and mentors.Hariyali Teej
August 15, 2026 Celebrating the monsoon and the union of Shiva and Parvati.Nag Panchami
August 17, 2026 Traditional worship of snakes or serpents for protection and blessings.Onam
August 26, 2026 The harvest festival of Kerala celebrating King Mahabali's spirit.Raksha Bandhan
August 28, 2026 Celebrating the protective bond between brothers and sisters.Kajari Teej
August 31, 2026 A festival for women involving songs, swings, and prayers for family welfare.Krishna Janmashtami
September 4, 2026 Celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.Ganesh Chaturthi
September 14, 2026 The 10-day festival honoring Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.Anant Chaturdashi
September 25, 2026 The final day of Ganeshotsav marked by the immersion of idols.Mahalaya Amavasya
October 10, 2026 A day for ancestral rites and the invitation to Goddess Durga.Sharad Navratri
Starts October 11, 2026 Nine nights of dance and devotion dedicated to Goddess Durga.Dussehra
October 20, 2026 The victory of Rama over Ravana and Goddess Durga over Mahishasura.Karwa Chauth
October 29, 2026 A dedicated fast by married women for the well-being of their husbands.Dhanteras
November 6, 2026 The start of Diwali, dedicated to wealth and health (Lord Dhanvantari).Diwali
November 8, 2026 The Festival of Lights celebrating Rama's return to Ayodhya.Govardhan Puja
November 9, 2026 Commemorating Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill.Bhai Dooj
November 11, 2026 Brother-sister bond celebration following Diwali.Chhath Puja
November 15, 2026 Sun God worship practiced with rigorous fasting and river rituals.Dev Deepavali
November 24, 2026 Celebrating the gods' victory over the demon Tripurasura in Varanasi.Gita Jayanti
December 20, 2026 Commemorating the day Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the date of Diwali in 2026?Diwali will be celebrated on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
When is Holi in 2026?Holi, the festival of colors, falls on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
When does the Hindu New Year start in 2026?The Lunar New Year (Ugadi/Gudi Padwa) starts on March 19, 2026.