Hindu Festivals 2026
Dates, puja vidhi, significance, mantras & how to celebrate — from Diwali to Maha Shivaratri. Every guide is written for devotees searching festival name + year (e.g. Diwali 2026).
What are Hindu festivals?
Hindu festivals (utsav) are sacred occasions that mark cosmic events, divine birthdays, seasonal transitions and mythological victories celebrated across India. Major festivals include Diwali (Festival of Lights), Holi, Navratri, Maha Shivaratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Krishna Janmashtami and Rama Navami. Each festival has its own puja vidhi (worship ritual), fasting rules, mantras, and regional traditions passed down through generations.
This calendar covers 60+ Hindu festivals with accurate 2026 dates, step-by-step puja guides, mantras, significance and FAQs — across all regions of India.
Today & Upcoming in 2026
Rath Yatra 2026
Rath Yatra is the grand chariot festival of Lord Jagannath celebrated in Puri, Odisha, where massive wooden chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are pulled through the streets by millions of devotees.
Read full guideAmbubachi Mela 2026
Ambubachi Mela is an annual festival at Kamakhya Temple in Assam celebrating the menstruation of the goddess, one of India's most powerful Tantric Shakti gatherings.
Read full guideBonalu 2026
Bonalu is a vibrant Telangana festival dedicated to the Mother Goddess, celebrated across Hyderabad and Telangana during Ashadha and Shravan months, where women carry cooked rice offerings in decorated pots on their heads to the goddess's temples.
Read full guideShravan Somavar 2026
The Mondays of the holy month of Shravan are the most auspicious days for Lord Shiva worship, observed with fasting, Kanwar Yatra, and Ganga jal abhishek at Shiva temples across India.
Read full guideGuru Purnima 2026
Guru Purnima is the sacred full moon day dedicated to honouring spiritual teachers, celebrated on Ashadha Purnima as the birthday of sage Veda Vyasa.
Read full guideKajari Teej 2026
Kajari Teej is the third of the three Teej festivals, celebrated on Shravan Badi Tritiya with Kajari folk songs, swing festivities, neem worship, and a moderate fast by women in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Read full guideAadi Perukku 2026
Aadi Perukku is a Tamil water festival celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi, honoring rivers and water bodies for their life-giving monsoon waters.
Read full guideVaralakshmi Vratam 2026
Varalakshmi Vratam is a sacred vow observed by married Hindu women to worship Goddess Varalakshmi, the boon-giving form of Lakshmi, for the prosperity and well-being of their families.
Read full guideKrishna Janmashtami 2026
Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the divine birth of Lord Krishna on Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami with midnight pujas, fasting, and joyous festivities across India.
Read full guideHartalika Teej 2026
Hartalika Teej is the most sacred and austere of the three Teej festivals, observed by women with a strict nirjala fast and all-night vigil on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, worshipping sand idols of Shiva and Parvati.
Read full guideGanesh Chaturthi 2026
Ganesh Chaturthi is the 10-day celebration of Lord Ganesha's birthday, observed on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi with grand puja, idol installation, and immersion processions across India.
Read full guideHariyali Teej 2026
Hariyali Teej is the first and most joyous of the three major Teej festivals, celebrated by women on Shravan Shukla Tritiya with fasting, swings, henna, and prayers to Goddess Parvati for a happy married life.
Read full guideNag Panchami 2026
Nag Panchami is the Hindu festival of serpent worship celebrated on Shravan Shukla Panchami, when devotees offer milk and prayers to Nagas for protection from snake bites and evil.
Read full guideOnam 2026
Onam is Kerala's grandest harvest festival celebrated over 10 days to welcome King Mahabali's annual return, marked by Pookalam flower carpets, the lavish Onam Sadhya feast, and vibrant Vallam Kali snake boat races.
Read full guideRaksha Bandhan 2026
Raksha Bandhan is the sacred Hindu festival celebrating the bond of protection and love between brothers and sisters, observed on the full moon of Shravan month.
Read full guideBathukamma 2026
Bathukamma is a vibrant 9-day floral festival of Telangana honouring Goddess Gauri, celebrated from Bhadrapada Amavasya to Dasami with women stacking colourful flowers into conical towers and dancing with devotional folk songs.
Read full guideBrahmotsavam 2026
Brahmotsavam is the grand nine-day annual festival of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, the most celebrated temple festival in India, marked by spectacular vahana sevas and millions of pilgrims.
Read full guideKarva Chauth 2026
A sacred nirjala fast observed by married Hindu women from sunrise to moonrise for the long life, health, and prosperity of their husbands.
Read full guideKarthika Masam 2026
Karthika Masam is the most sacred month in the Hindu calendar dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, celebrated across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha with daily lamp lighting, temple visits, and special Monday Shivaratri observances.
Read full guideChhath Puja 2026
Chhath Puja is a four-day Vedic festival dedicated to the Sun god Surya and Chhathi Maiya, observed with rigorous fasting, standing in water, and offering arghya at sunset and sunrise.
Read full guideMaha Ashtami 2026
Maha Ashtami is the eighth and most powerful night of Navratri, dedicated to the fierce form of Goddess Durga, culminating in the sacred Sandhi Puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami.
Read full guideMaha Navami 2026
Maha Navami is the ninth and most auspicious day of Navratri, dedicated to Goddess Durga's final victory over Mahishasura, celebrated with Ayudha Puja, Kanya Puja, and all-night vigil.
Read full guideNavratri 2026
Navratri is the nine-night Hindu festival celebrating the nine divine forms of Goddess Durga with fasting, prayer, and joyful garba and dandiya dance.
Read full guideDurga Puja 2026
Durga Puja is the grand Bengali Hindu festival celebrating Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura, observed over five magnificent days from Saptami to Vijayadashami.
Read full guideDussehra 2026
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and Goddess Durga over Mahishasura on the tenth day of Ashwin Shukla Paksha.
Read full guideMysuru Dasara 2026
Mysuru Dasara is Karnataka's grand 10-day royal festival celebrating Vijayadashami with the iconic Jamboo Savari elephant procession and illuminated palace.
Read full guideSkanda Sashti 2026
Skanda Sashti is a six-day festival dedicated to Lord Murugan celebrating his victory over the demon Soorapadman.
Read full guideDhanteras 2026
Dhanteras marks the first day of Diwali festivities — a sacred day to purchase gold, silver, and new utensils and to worship Goddess Lakshmi, Kubera, and Lord Dhanvantari for health and prosperity.
Read full guideNarak Chaturdashi 2026
Narak Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) falls on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi — the eve of Diwali — commemorating Lord Krishna's victory over demon Narakasura, celebrated with the sacred Abhyanga Snanam oil bath before sunrise and lighting of 14 diyas.
Read full guideDiwali 2026
The Festival of Lights — when homes glow with diyas and Goddess Lakshmi blesses devotees on Kartik Amavasya.
Read full guideKali Puja 2026
Kali Puja is the midnight worship of Goddess Kali on Kartik Amavasya — Bengal's most intense Shakti festival celebrated on the same night as Diwali with elaborate clay idols and tantric rituals.
Read full guideGovardhan Puja 2026
Govardhan Puja commemorates Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan Hill to protect the villagers of Vrindavan from Indra's devastating rains, celebrated the day after Diwali with the grand Annakut offering of 56 food items.
Read full guideBhai Dooj 2026
Bhai Dooj is the sacred Hindu festival where sisters apply tilak on their brothers' foreheads and pray for their long life, celebrated two days after Diwali as the joyful culmination of the five-day Diwali festival cluster.
Read full guidePushkar Fair 2026
The Pushkar Fair is India's largest camel and livestock fair, held annually at the sacred Pushkar lake in Rajasthan during Kartik Purnima.
Read full guideDeepotsavam 2026
Deepotsavam is a grand festival of lamps celebrated at major Hindu temples during the Karthika month, with thousands of diyas illuminating gopurams, mandapams, and temple grounds to dispel inner and outer darkness.
Read full guideDev Deepawali 2026
Dev Deepawali is the Festival of Lights of the Gods, celebrated on Kartik Purnima in Varanasi with lakhs of lamps lit on the Ganga ghats, marking the gods' descent to earth and Shiva's victory over Tripurasura.
Read full guideKartik Purnima 2026
Kartik Purnima is the full moon of the sacred month of Kartik — celebrated as Tripurotsav, Dev Deepawali, and the peak of the Pushkar Camel Fair — one of the most auspicious days for holy dips, lamp lighting, and charity in the Hindu calendar.
Read full guideKarthigai Deepam 2026
Karthigai Deepam is a Tamil festival of lights celebrated on Karthigai Purnima, famous for the Maha Deepam lit atop Arunachala hill in Tiruvannamalai.
Read full guidePrabodhini Ekadashi 2026
Prabodhini Ekadashi marks the awakening of Lord Vishnu from his four-month Yoganidra sleep, ending Chaturmas and opening the auspicious season for weddings and new beginnings.
Read full guideTulsi Vivah 2026
Tulsi Vivah is the sacred ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu or His Shaligram form, celebrated on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi to mark the end of the Chaturmas period and the opening of the auspicious marriage season.
Read full guideUpcoming in 2027
Vaikunta Ekadasi 2027
The most auspicious Ekadasi of the year, celebrated on Margazhi Shukla Ekadasi when the Vaikunta Dwaram (gateway to heaven) is believed to open at Vishnu temples.
Read full guideArudra Darshan 2027
Arudra Darshan is the sacred festival celebrating Lord Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, observed when the Arudra (Thiruvathirai) star ascends in the Tamil month of Margazhi.
Read full guideHanuman Puja 2027
Hanuman Puja is the devoted weekly and special worship of Lord Hanuman — observed every Tuesday and Saturday with Hanuman Chalisa recitation, sindoor and oil offerings, and Sundar Kand path for strength, protection, and removal of fear.
Read full guideLohri 2027
Lohri is the vibrant Punjabi harvest festival celebrated with a sacred bonfire on the night before Makar Sankranti, marking the end of winter and the return of the sun's warmth with offerings of til, gur, and peanuts into the fire.
Read full guideMakar Sankranti 2027
Makar Sankranti is a major Hindu solar festival on January 14 marking the sun's entry into Capricorn, celebrated with kite flying, til-gul sweets, holy dips, and Surya worship across India.
Read full guideMakara Vilakku 2027
The sacred festival at Sabarimala when the celestial Makara Jyothi star appears on Ponnambalamedu hill, marking the culmination of the Mandalam pilgrimage season and Lord Ayyappa's divine blessings.
Read full guidePongal 2027
Pongal is a four-day Tamil harvest festival celebrated in mid-January to thank the Sun God, nature, and cattle for a bountiful harvest.
Read full guideThaipusam 2027
Thaipusam is the grand festival of Lord Murugan celebrated on Thai Purnima when devotees carry ornate Kavadi structures as acts of devotion and penance.
Read full guideVasant Panchami 2027
Vasant Panchami is the Hindu festival honouring Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, arts, and wisdom, observed on the fifth day of Magh Shukla Paksha marking the onset of spring.
Read full guideAttukal Pongala 2027
Attukal Pongala is the world's largest annual gathering of women, recognized by the Guinness World Record, where millions cook sweet rice Pongala as offering to the Attukal Bhagavathy goddess in Thiruvananthapuram.
Read full guide
Maha Shivaratri 2027
The Great Night of Lord Shiva when divine energy is at its highest.
Read full guideHoli 2027
Holi is the vibrant Hindu festival of colours celebrated on Phalgun Purnima, marking the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring.
Read full guideKumbh Mela 2027
Kumbh Mela is the world's largest peaceful human gathering, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage held at four holy river confluences in India on a rotating cycle.
Read full guideHanuman Jayanti 2027
Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the divine birth of Lord Hanuman on Chaitra Purnima with Hanuman Chalisa recitation, Sundara Kanda path, and sindoor abhisheka at temples across India.
Read full guideChaitra Navratri 2027
Chaitra Navratri is the nine-night spring festival dedicated to Goddess Durga, beginning on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada and concluding with Ram Navami, observed with fasting, prayer, and Durga Saptashati recitation.
Read full guideGudi Padwa 2027
Gudi Padwa is the Maharashtrian New Year celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, marked by erecting a decorated Gudi outside homes and feasting on traditional sweets.
Read full guideUgadi 2027
Ugadi is the Telugu and Kannada New Year celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, marking the start of a new Hindu lunar year with joy, rituals, and the iconic Ugadi Pachadi.
Read full guideBaisakhi 2027
Baisakhi is the vibrant Punjabi harvest festival and Sikh New Year celebrated on April 13-14, marking the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
Read full guideBihu 2027
Bihu is the vibrant harvest festival of Assam celebrated three times a year — Rongali, Kongali, and Bhogali — marking the agricultural seasons with dance, music, and community feasts.
Read full guideVishu 2027
Vishu is the auspicious Kerala and Tulunadu new year festival marking the solar new year (Mesha Sankranti), celebrated with the sacred Vishukkani first-sight ritual, Vishukkaineetam gift-giving, and a grand Sadhya feast.
Read full guideRama Navami 2027
Rama Navami is the sacred celebration of the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, observed on Chaitra Shukla Navami with fasting, Ramayana recitation, and devotional processions across India.
Read full guideChitra Pournami 2027
Chitra Pournami is the full moon of the Tamil month Chithirai, a sacred day for worshipping Chitragupta, performing Yama Tarpanam for ancestors, and taking holy baths in sacred tanks.
Read full guidePanguni Uttiram 2027
Panguni Uttiram is an auspicious Tamil festival marking the conjunction of Purnima and Uttara Phalguni star in the Tamil month of Panguni, celebrated as the day of divine marriages of Murugan-Devasena, Rama-Sita, and Shiva-Parvati.
Read full guideThrissur Pooram 2027
Thrissur Pooram is Kerala's most spectacular temple festival, a 36-hour celebration of elephant processions, Panchavadyam percussion, and fireworks at the Vadakkumnathan temple in Thrissur.
Read full guideAkshaya Tritiya 2027
Akshaya Tritiya is the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for new beginnings, gold purchase, and marriages, falling on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya.
Read full guideJanaki Navami 2027
Janaki Navami celebrates the birthday of Goddess Sita — daughter of King Janaka, consort of Lord Rama, and the supreme embodiment of virtue, devotion, and feminine strength.
Read full guide