Festival calendar — and the ritual for each.
Every major observance of the Hindu year, with the tithi that fixes it, what it is kept for, and the rite traditionally performed on it. Dates are given for your own city, because a festival can fall a day apart in Chennai and Toronto.
Why a festival moves. Almost every one is fixed by a tithi rather than a calendar date, and a tithi is read against your own sunrise — so the Gregorian date shifts each year, and can differ by a day between cities. Only the solar festivals, Pongal and Makar Sankranti among them, hold roughly steady.
Every observance, month by month
Past dates dim automatically and the next one is marked. Each entry names the tithi that fixes it, so you can see why the date moves.
Regional practice differs, and both are right. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bengal and the north keep some of these on different days, and a few — Deepavali and Ganesh Chaturthi among them — are observed over different numbers of days. Where your family or temple keeps a date, follow theirs.
January 20264 observances
Pongal · Makar Sankranti
Sun enters Makara — solarThe Sun turns north. One of the few festivals fixed by the solar calendar, so the date barely moves.
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Vasant Panchami
Shukla Panchami of MaghaSaraswathi's own day. Children are taught their first letters, and higher mantra counts are undertaken.
Ratha Saptami
Shukla Saptami of MaghaThe Sun's chariot turns. Kept for health, vitality and relief from Surya affliction.
February 20263 observances
Thai Poosam
Poosam nakshatra of ThaiMurugan's festival, kept with kavadi and fasting. Chiefly a Tamil observance.
Maha Shivaratri
Krishna Chaturdashi of MaghaThe great night of Shiva, kept with fasting and a vigil through four watches.
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
March 20263 observances
Ugadi · Gudi Padwa
The lunar new year in the Deccan. The year's panchang is read aloud.
Rama Navami
Shukla Navami of ChaitraRama's birth. Kept for dharma, steadfastness and family order.
Panguni Uthiram
Uthiram nakshatra of PanguniThe day of divine marriages. Strongly favoured for marriage remedies and for Murugan worship.
April 20265 observances
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
Tamil New Year · Vishu
Sun enters Mesha — solarThe solar new year in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The year's first sight is arranged to be auspicious.
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Akshaya Tritiya
Shukla Tritiya of VaishakhaWhatever is begun or given today is said not to diminish.
Narasimha Jayanti
Shukla Chaturdashi of VaishakhaThe man-lion's appearance, kept for protection against what cannot be faced directly.
May 20264 observances
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Vaikasi Visakam
Visakam nakshatra of VaikasiMurugan's birth star. The principal day of the year for Subrahmanya worship.
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
June 20263 observances
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Guru Purnima
Purnima of AshadhaThe highest festival of the Guru-Shishya tradition, especially meritorious for Guru Homa.
Dakshinamurti Jayanti
Purnima of AshadhaShiva as the cosmic Guru of all knowledge — the most auspicious day of the year for the Medha Dakshinamoorthy Homa.
July 20261 observance
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
August 20266 observances
Aadi Perukku
18th day of AadiThe Tamil monsoon festival of abundance — traditionally a day for Lakshmi and Varuna worship.
Aadi Amavasai
Amavasya falling in AadiThe new moon of Aadi, kept across Tamil Nadu for tarpanam to the ancestors — offerings at riversides and the family's own observance.
Naag Panchami
Shukla Panchami of ShravanaThe day of the serpent deities — the classical window for Kaal Sarp and Rahu-Ketu remedies.
Varalakshmi Vratham
Friday before Shravana PurnimaLakshmi as the granter of boons — observed for the prosperity and wellbeing of the whole family.
Onam · Thiruvonam
Thiruvonam nakshatra of AavaniKerala's harvest festival, kept on Thiruvonam nakshatra — the day Mahabali returns and Vamana is honoured.
Raksha Bandhan · Shravana Purnima
Purnima of ShravanaThe Purnima of Shravana — auspicious for Satyanarayana worship and rituals of protection.
September 20264 observances
Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Ashtami of ShravanaThe birth of Sri Krishna — for the wellbeing of children and the removal of obstacles to progeny.
Amavasya · New MoonNext
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Shukla Chaturthi of BhadrapadaThe great festival of Ganapathi — the strongest day of the year to clear obstructions before any undertaking.
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
October 20265 observances
Mahalaya Amavasya
Amavasya of BhadrapadaThe closing day of Pitru Paksha, when the ancestors are offered tarpanam.
Navaratri begins
Shukla Pratipada of AshvinaNine nights of the Goddess open.
Saraswathi Puja · Ayudha Puja
Shukla Navami of AshvinaTools, instruments and books are set down and worshipped.
Vijayadashami
Shukla Dashami of AshvinaThe day of victory, and the traditional day to begin learning.
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
November 20264 observances
Deepavali
Krishna Chaturdashi of AshvinaThe festival of lights, and the year's principal day for Lakshmi.
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Skanda Sashti
Shukla Sashti of KartikaMurugan's victory over Surapadman, closing six days of fasting.
Karthigai Deepam
Krittika nakshatra of KarthigaiLamps are lit in rows; the hill-top beacon at Thiruvannamalai is the great one.
December 20265 observances
Amavasya · New Moon
tithi at sunriseThe new moon, the month's day for the ancestors — tarpanam and remembrance.
Margazhi begins
Sun enters Dhanus — solarThe month of devotion opens — the hour before dawn is kept for singing.
Vaikunta Ekadashi
Shukla Ekadashi of MargashirshaThe gate of Vaikunta is said to stand open; the most kept ekadashi of the year.
Purnima · Full Moon
tithi at sunriseThe full moon. Kept with the Sathyanarayana vrat and puja in most households.
Arudra Darshanam
Arudra nakshatra of MargazhiShiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, is shown.
No observance matches that. Try clearing the search, or choose All months.
Certain days multiply the merit of certain rituals.
A homa performed on the deity’s own festival is held to carry more than the same rite on an ordinary day — which is why the calendar above names a ritual for each. Ours are performed individually at our Yagna Ashram in your name and gotra, and telecast live so you can watch it done for you.