Hindu Festivals 2026

Lohri

The Punjab bonfire night before Makar Sankranti. Sesame, jaggery and popcorn go into the fire and the winter harvest is thanked.

Makar Sankranti

The Sun turns north into Capricorn. The first sankranti of the calendar year, marked with a til-gud exchange and a dip in the river at dawn.

Also known as: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Magh Bihu (Assam), Uttarayan (Gujarat), Khichdi (UP and Bihar)

Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja)

Saraswati is worshipped at the onset of spring. Books and instruments are placed before her, and a child is often given its first letters today.

Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Shiva. Devotees keep the vigil through the four watches, offering bilva leaves and water on the lingam until dawn.

Holika Dahan

The bonfire on the Phalguna full moon that burns the old year. Prahlada walked out of the fire and Holika did not; the pyre is lit after sunset.

Holi (Dhulandi)

The day of colour, the morning after Holika Dahan. Elders are touched at the feet before colour is thrown on friends.

Ugadi / Gudi Padwa

The lunar new year in the Deccan and the west. A gudi is raised at the doorway in Maharashtra; the bevu-bella of neem and jaggery is eaten in the south.

Also known as: Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra), Ugadi (Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka)

Ram Navami

Rama was born at noon on the Chaitra ninth. The Ramayana is read and the cradle is rocked at midday.

Mahavir Jayanti

The birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. Jain temples hold the abhishekam of the idol and the day turns on non-violence and restraint.

Hanuman Jayanti

Hanuman was born on the Chaitra full moon. The Sundarakanda and the Hanuman Chalisa are read; sindoor and a garland go on the idol.

Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)

The solar new year at Mesha sankranti and the Punjab harvest. The Khalsa was founded on this day, so the gurudwara stays open from dawn.

Also known as: Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Pana Sankranti (Odisha), Pohela Boishakh (Bengal, Apr 15)

Vishu

Kerala's new year at the solar turn. The Vishukkani is arranged the night before so gold, grain and the image of Krishna are the first sight on waking.

Akshaya Tritiya

What begins today does not diminish. One of the four abhijit-style days when every hour is auspicious; gold and grain bought now are said to multiply.

Buddha Purnima

The Vaishakha full moon on which the Buddha was born, reached enlightenment and passed away. Bodhi trees are watered and lamps are lit at the vihara.

Ganga Dussehra

The day Ganga came down to earth. A dip in any river at first light carries the intent of a bath at Haridwar.

Nirjala Ekadashi

The one Ekadashi kept without a drop of water from sunrise to sunrise. Bhima kept only this one; a pot of water given away today carries the year's vrat.

Rath Yatra (Puri)

Jagannath leaves the Puri temple on the great chariot with Balabhadra and Subhadra. Odisha empties into the streets to pull the ropes.

Guru Purnima

Vyasa's day, when the teacher is honoured. Bow to the one whose words still shape your decisions; if the teacher is gone, light a lamp before their photograph.

Naga Panchami

The serpent gods are offered milk on the Shravana fifth. A day of protection from snakebite and of the old bond between the household and the naga.

Onam (Thiruvonam)

Kerala's harvest festival, the day King Mahabali returns to his people. The pookalam is laid and the sadya is served on a banana leaf.

Raksha Bandhan

The sister ties a thread on the brother's wrist and the brother promises protection for the year. Old bond, simple gesture, no substitute.

Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna was born at midnight on the eighth of Bhadrapada's dark fortnight. The fast is broken after the moon rises and the midnight abhishekam is done.

Hartalika Teej

Parvati's vrat to win Shiva, kept by married women without food or water. A sand lingam is made and the night is spent in worship.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha arrives in the home. The murti is installed with modak and durva grass, and stays until the visarjan.

Vishwakarma Puja

The divine architect is worshipped at Kanya sankranti. Workshops and craftsmen clean and garland their tools, and no work is done on them until the puja is over.

Anant Chaturdashi

The Vishnu vrat that also closes the ten-day Ganesha festival with the visarjan. A fourteen-knot thread is tied on the right wrist and endurance is asked of Ananta.

Sharad Navaratri (Day 1)

The nine nights of Durga begin. The ghat is installed and the akhand jyoti is lit; the vrat runs to Vijayadashami.

Dussehra (Vijayadashami)

Rama killed Ravana and Durga killed Mahishasura on the same day. Work begun on Vijayadashami is said to carry the victory of both.

Karva Chauth

Married women fast without water from sunrise until they see the moon at night, then look at the husband through a sieve.

Dhanteras

Dhanvantari rose from the ocean with the pot of amrita. A small metal vessel and a few coins are bought; what enters the home now is said to stay.

Diwali (Deepavali)

The festival of lights and the Lakshmi puja. Lakshmi visits homes that are clean, lit and welcoming; the puja is done in the pradosh window after sunset.

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)

Krishna killed Narakasura before dawn. An oil bath is taken at sunrise and a single diya is lit at the doorway before nightfall.

Govardhan Puja (Annakut)

Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill to shelter Vrindavan. The annakut is made, a small mountain of cooked food offered and then shared with the whole house.

Bhai Dooj

Yamuna fed her brother Yama. The sister applies tilak on the brother's forehead and the meal she serves is remembered through the year.

Chhath Puja

The four-day Surya vrat of the Bhojpuri belt, peaking with the sunset and sunrise arghya to the Sun standing in the river. One of the hardest vrats kept.

Tulsi Vivah

The ceremonial marriage of the tulsi plant to Vishnu that opens the wedding season. The courtyard tulsi is dressed as a bride at dusk.

Kartik Purnima

The full moon that closes the Kartik vrat month. Varanasi lights the ghats for Dev Deepawali; it is also Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Also known as: Dev Deepawali (Varanasi), Guru Nanak Jayanti

Gita Jayanti

The day Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the field of Kurukshetra. A chapter is read and the text is honoured on the home altar.

Dattatreya Jayanti

The birth of Dattatreya, the union of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Margashira full-moon evening is given to his worship and the reading of his charitra.