A month-by-month guide to major Hindu festivals, Ekadashi fasts, Purnima and Amavasya dates, and Pradosh Vrat for 2026. 2026 is a special year in the Hindu calendar — it carries an Adhik Maas (extra lunar month), which is why most festivals fall noticeably later than they did in 2025, and why there are 26 Ekadashis this year instead of the usual 24.
Dates follow the North Indian Hindu calendar and are based on tithi (lunar day), so they can shift by a day depending on your region and the panchang you follow. Always confirm with a local panchang before planning travel or ritual observances around these dates.
January 2026
- January 6 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- January 13 — Lohri
- January 14 — Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayan, Shattila Ekadashi
- January 16 — Monthly Shivaratri, Pradosh Vrat
- January 23 — Basant Panchami, Saraswati Puja
- January 29 — Jaya Ekadashi
February 2026
- February 5 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- February 13 — Vijaya Ekadashi
- February 15 — Mahashivaratri
- February 27 — Amalaki Ekadashi
March 2026
- March 3–4 — Holika Dahan and Holi
- March 6 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- March 15 — Papmochani Ekadashi
- March 19 — Chaitra Navratri begins, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa
- March 26 — Ram Navami — read The Birth of Rama
- March 29 — Kamada Ekadashi
April 2026
- April 2 — Hanuman Jayanti
- April 5 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- April 13 — Varuthini Ekadashi
- April 14 — Vaisakhi (Baisakhi)
- April 19 — Akshaya Tritiya
- April 27 — Mohini Ekadashi
May 2026
- May 1 — Buddha Purnima (Vaishakha Purnima)
- May 5 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- May 13 — Apara Ekadashi
- May 27 — Padmini Ekadashi (Adhik Maas)
June 2026
- June 3 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- June 11 — Param Ekadashi (Adhik Maas)
- June 24 — Ganga Dussehra
- June 25 — Nirjala Ekadashi
- June 28 — Vat Purnima Vrat (Maharashtra, Gujarat, South India)
July 2026
- July 3 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- July 10 — Yogini Ekadashi
- July 14 — Vat Savitri Amavasya Vrat (North India)
- July 16 — Jagannath Rath Yatra
- July 25 — Devshayani Ekadashi
- July 29 — Guru Purnima
August 2026
- August 2 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- August 9 — Kamika Ekadashi
- August 15 — Hariyali Teej
- August 17 — Nag Panchami
- August 23 — Shravan Putrada Ekadashi
- August 26 — Onam / Thiruvonam
- August 28 — Raksha Bandhan
- August 31 — Kajari Teej
September 2026
- September 4 — Janmashtami — read our Krishna stories
- September 7 — Aja Ekadashi
- September 14 — Ganesh Chaturthi, Hartalika Teej
- September 22 — Parivartini Ekadashi
- September 25 — Anant Chaturdashi
October 2026
- October 6 — Indira Ekadashi
- October 11 — Sharad Navratri begins, Ghatasthapana
- October 19–20 — Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami, Dussehra
- October 22 — Papankusha Ekadashi
- October 29 — Karva Chauth
November 2026
- November 5 — Rama Ekadashi
- November 6 — Dhanteras
- November 8 — Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Naraka Chaturdashi
- November 10 — Govardhan Puja
- November 11 — Bhai Dooj
- November 15 — Chhath Puja
- November 16 — Skanda Sashti
- November 20 — Devutthana Ekadashi
- November 24 — Kartik Purnima, Dev Diwali (Tripurari Purnima)
December 2026
- December 4 — Utpanna Ekadashi
- December 16 — Sagittarius Sankranti
- December 20 — Mokshada Ekadashi
Want the story behind a festival, not just the date? Browse our Puranas, Ramayana, and Mahabharata collections for the myths behind the rituals.