Festival Guide · 2026
Hindu festivals 2026
Every major festival with its date, presiding deity, significance and story — dates computed with the Swiss Ephemeris. Open any festival for the full guide and puja muhurat.
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Makar Sankranti
Surya (Sun)
Sun's northward journey (Uttarayana) begins. Auspicious for new undertakings, charity, and holy dips.
Read the guide →Vasant Panchami
Saraswati
Goddess of knowledge, arts, and wisdom is worshipped. Students offer books and instruments.
Read the guide →Maha Shivaratri
Shiva
The Great Night of Shiva. All-night vigil, fasting, and Shiva Lingam worship grant liberation.
Read the guide →Holi
Krishna / Holika
Triumph of devotion over evil (Prahlad & Holika). Festival of colors celebrating Spring.
Read the guide →Ugadi / Gudi Padwa
Brahma
Hindu New Year. Lord Brahma is said to have created the universe on this day.
Read the guide →Chaitra Navratri
Durga
Nine nights of the Goddess in spring, beginning the Hindu lunar new year. Ram Navami crowns the ninth day.
Read the guide →Ram Navami
Rama
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama, 7th avatar of Vishnu. Reading Ramayana and fasting are observed.
Read the guide →Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman
Birth of Lord Hanuman, epitome of devotion and strength. Hanuman Chalisa recitation is traditional.
Read the guide →Mesha Sankranti
Surya (Sun)
Solar New Year marks Sun entering Aries. Celebrated as Assamese New Year (Rongali Bihu).
Read the guide →Akshaya Tritiya
Vishnu / Lakshmi
One of the most auspicious days of the year. Any good work started today yields inexhaustible results.
Read the guide →Guru Purnima
Vyasa
Honoring the Guru. Celebrated as the birth anniversary of Sage Vyasa, compiler of the Vedas.
Read the guide →Nag Panchami
Naga Devata (Serpent deities)
Worship of the serpent deities on Shravana Shukla Panchami. Milk and offerings are made to Nagas for protection.
Read the guide →Raksha Bandhan
Yama / Yamuna
Sacred bond of protection between siblings. Sisters tie rakhi; brothers pledge protection.
Read the guide →Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna
Midnight birth of Lord Krishna, 8th avatar of Vishnu. Fasting, bhajans, and Dahi Handi.
Read the guide →Hartalika Teej
Parvati / Shiva
Parvati's great vrat for Shiva. Women fast for marital happiness and the long life of their husbands.
Read the guide →Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesha
Birthday of Lord Ganesha, remover of obstacles. 10-day festival with elaborate processions.
Read the guide →Kanya Sankranti
Surya (Sun)
Sun enters Virgo. Lamps lit for the departed in paddy fields (Kongali Bihu).
Read the guide →Mahalaya Amavasya
Pitru (Ancestors)
Tarpan (water offerings) to ancestors. Devi Paksha begins—invoking Durga's arrival.
Read the guide →Sharad Navaratri
Durga / Devi
9 nights honoring Durga in her 9 forms. Each night a different form is worshipped.
Read the guide →Durga Ashtami
Durga (Mahagauri)
Maha Ashtami — the fiercest and most sacred day of Durga Puja. Sandhi Puja marks the slaying of Chanda and Munda.
Read the guide →Vijayadashami
Rama / Durga
Rama's victory over Ravana; Durga's over Mahishasura. Effigy burning and Ayudha Puja.
Read the guide →Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Lakshmi
Lakshmi wanders the Earth on this full moon night, blessing those awake with wealth.
Read the guide →Karwa Chauth
Parvati / Chandra (Moon)
Married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husbands' long life, breaking the fast on sighting the Moon through a sieve.
Read the guide →Dhanteras
Dhanvantari / Lakshmi / Kubera
Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean of milk with the pot of amrita. Gold, silver and new utensils are bought; Yama Deepa is lit.
Read the guide →Diwali
Lakshmi / Kali
Festival of Lights. Rows of diyas lit to welcome Lakshmi. Firecrackers dispel darkness.
Read the guide →Naraka Chaturdashi
Krishna / Kali
Choti Diwali — Krishna and Satyabhama slay Narakasura. Pre-dawn abhyanga snan removes the year's sins.
Read the guide →Govardhan Puja
Krishna (Govardhandhari)
Krishna lifts Govardhan hill on his little finger to shelter Braj from Indra's deluge. Annakut — the mountain of food — is offered.
Read the guide →Bhai Dooj
Yama / Yamuna
Sisters mark the brother's forehead with tilak for his long life — as Yamuna once welcomed her brother Yama.
Read the guide →Chhath Puja
Surya (Sun)
Four-day worship of the Sun. Devotees offer arghya at sunset and sunrise standing in water.
Read the guide →Tulsi Vivah
Tulsi / Vishnu (Shaligram)
The ceremonial wedding of Tulsi to Shaligram-Vishnu. Opens the Hindu marriage season after Chaturmas.
Read the guide →Dev Deepawali
Shiva / Devas
Festival of lights of the Gods. Thousands of lamps illuminate the Varanasi ghats.
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali 2026?
Diwali 2026 and its Lakshmi Puja muhurat are computed from Kartika Amavasya and the Pradosh Kaal for your location using the Swiss Ephemeris and Lahiri ayanamsa. See the Diwali guide for the exact date and puja timing.
How are Hindu festival dates calculated?
Festival dates follow the panchang — tithi, nakshatra, masa and paksha. Every date here is computed with the Swiss Ephemeris, accurate to the minute rather than copied from a printed almanac.
Why do festival dates change every year?
Most festivals are tied to the lunar tithi, so their Gregorian date shifts each year as the lunar and solar calendars realign. Solar festivals like Makar Sankranti stay near a fixed date.
How do I see the next upcoming festival?
The Upcoming Festivals & Vrats page lists everything in date order with a live countdown, including the recurring Ekadashi, Purnima and Amavasya vrats. The Hindu Calendar shows the full month grid.