Hindu Festivals Calendar 2025–2026 – Dates, Muhurat & Significance (हिंदू त्योहार कैलेंडर)

Complete list of Hindu festivals 2025–2026 with dates, muhurat timings, significance, rituals, and puja vidhi. Plan your celebrations with accurate Vedic calendar dates based on the traditional Panchang (Hindu lunar calendar).

Major Hindu Festivals (प्रमुख हिंदू त्योहार)

Diwali – Festival of Lights (दिवाली)

Diwali (Deepavali) is the most celebrated Hindu festival, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The five-day celebration includes Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. On the main day, devotees perform Lakshmi-Ganesh Puja during the Pradosh Kaal Muhurat for wealth, prosperity, and blessings. Homes are decorated with diyas, rangoli, and lights. Firecrackers, sweets, and family gatherings make this India's most joyous festival.

Holi – Festival of Colors (होली)

Holi celebrates the triumph of devotion (Prahlad) over evil (Holika). The festival begins with Holika Dahan on the evening of Purnima, where bonfires are lit to burn away negativity. The next day, known as Rangwali Holi or Dhuleti, people play with colors, dance, sing, and enjoy festive foods like gujiya, thandai, and puran poli. Holi marks the arrival of spring and is a celebration of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

Navratri – Nine Nights of Devi Worship (नवरात्रि)

Navratri is a nine-night festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine forms (Navadurga). Celebrated twice a year — Chaitra Navratri (March/April) and Sharad Navratri(September/October) — devotees observe fasts, perform Garba and Dandiya dances, and worship different forms of the Goddess each day. The festival culminates in Vijayadashami (Dussehra), celebrating Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and Goddess Durga's triumph over Mahishasura.

Janmashtami – Birth of Lord Krishna (जन्माष्टमी)

Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Devotees fast throughout the day and break their fast at midnight — the time of Krishna's birth. Temples are beautifully decorated, and jhankis (tableaux) depicting scenes from Krishna's life are displayed. The celebrations include Dahi Handi (breaking the butter pot), kirtan, bhajan, and abhishek of Krishna idols. It falls on Ashtami (8th day) of Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada month.

Ganesh Chaturthi – Lord Ganesha Festival (गणेश चतुर्थी)

Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and new beginnings. The 10-day festival involves installing Ganesh idols at homes and public pandals, daily aarti and modak offerings, and culminates in the grand Ganesh Visarjan procession. Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Pune, celebrates this festival with great grandeur. Devotees chant "Ganpati Bappa Morya" and seek blessings for wisdom, prosperity, and obstacle-free life.

Maha Shivaratri – Night of Lord Shiva (महाशिवरात्रि)

Maha Shivaratri is the great night of Lord Shiva, observed on the 14th day of Krishna Paksha in Phalguna month. Devotees observe a strict fast, perform Rudrabhishek (bathing the Shiva Linga with milk, honey, and water), and stay awake all night chanting "Om Namah Shivaya." The festival is celebrated at all twelve Jyotirlingas across India, with Varanasi, Ujjain, and Haridwar seeing especially large gatherings.

Ram Navami – Birth of Lord Rama (राम नवमी)

Ram Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu and the ideal king in Hindu tradition. Falling on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, devotees recite the Ramcharitmanas and Ramayana, visit Ram temples, and perform special pujas. Ayodhya, believed to be Lord Rama's birthplace, holds the grandest celebrations with massive processions and cultural events.

Durga Puja – Victory of Goddess Durga (दुर्गा पूजा)

Durga Puja is the grand celebration of Goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Particularly celebrated in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Bihar, the five-day festival (Shashti to Dashami) features elaborate pandals with stunning Durga idols, cultural performances, dhunuchi dance, sindoor khela, and the emotional Bisarjan ceremony on Vijayadashami.

Upcoming Fasts & Vrats (आगामी व्रत)

Important recurring vrats and fasts observed throughout the Hindu calendar:

  • Ekadashi (एकादशी): Observed twice a month (Shukla & Krishna Paksha). Each Ekadashi has unique significance — Nirjala Ekadashi, Devuthani Ekadashi, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and more. Fasting on Ekadashi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
  • Pradosh Vrat (प्रदोष व्रत): Observed on the 13th day of each lunar fortnight, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Puja is performed during the Pradosh Kaal (evening twilight).
  • Purnima (पूर्णिमा): Full moon day, considered auspicious for charity, puja, and spiritual practices. Special Purnimas include Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, and Kartik Purnima.
  • Amavasya (अमावस्या): New moon day, important for Pitra Tarpan and ancestral rites. Somvati Amavasya and Mahalaya Amavasya are especially significant.
  • Karva Chauth (करवा चौथ): Married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the long life of their husbands, especially popular in North India.
  • Chhath Puja (छठ पूजा): A four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God, involving strict fasting and standing in water to offer arghya. Widely celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, and UP.
  • Monday Fast (सोमवार व्रत): Weekly fast dedicated to Lord Shiva for marital bliss and spiritual growth.
  • Thursday Fast (गुरुवार व्रत): Dedicated to Lord Vishnu/Brihaspati for wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune.
  • Saturday Fast (शनिवार व्रत): Dedicated to Lord Shani for relief from Saturn-related afflictions and Sade Sati.

Regional Festivals (क्षेत्रीय त्योहार)

  • Onam: Harvest festival of Kerala celebrating King Mahabali's return, featuring Onasadya feast, Pookalam, and Vallam Kali boat races.
  • Pongal / Makar Sankranti: Harvest festival celebrating the Sun's transition into Capricorn. Known as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat, Lohri in Punjab, and Bihu in Assam.
  • Baisakhi: Celebrating the spring harvest and New Year in Punjab, also marks the founding of the Khalsa.
  • Rath Yatra: The grand chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha, attended by millions of devotees.
  • Teej: Celebrated by women in Rajasthan, UP, and Bihar for marital happiness, with fasting, singing, and swinging.

Plan Your Festival Celebrations

Use Cosmi Astro to find the best muhurat timings for festival pujas and rituals. Check our Daily Panchang for accurate tithi, nakshatra, and shubh muhurat information. You can also book pujas online for festivals and special occasions through our platform.