Festivals and pujas
Dates follow the Indian lunar calendar for New Delhi. In Nepal, Europe or the Americas some festivals may fall on the neighbouring day.
November 2026
- November 8Sun
Diwali, Lakshmi Puja
Festival of lights. In the evening people worship Lakshmi and Ganesha. In Nepal it is Tihar.
- November 10Tue
Govardhan Puja
Krishna lifted Govardhan hill to shelter the people of Vraja.
- November 15Sun
Chhath Puja
Worship of Surya at sunset and sunrise, standing in water.
- November 21Sat
Tulasi Vivah
The ritual wedding of Tulasi and Vishnu.
- November 24Tue
Kartika Purnima
Full moon of Kartika: bathing in sacred rivers and lighting lamps.
December 2026
- December 1Tue
Kalabhairav Jayanti
Appearance day of Bhairava, the fierce form of Shiva.
- December 20Sun
Gita Jayanti
The day Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
- December 23Wed
Dattatreya Jayanti
Appearance day of Dattatreya, the first teacher of yogis.
January 2027
- January 15Fri
Makar Sankranti
The Sun enters Capricorn. Ritual bathing and offerings to Surya.
February 2027
- February 11Thu
Vasant Panchami
Arrival of spring and worship of Saraswati, goddess of knowledge.
- February 13Sat
Ratha Saptami
Birthday of Surya, the Sun god.
March 2027
- March 6Sat
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Shiva, spent awake in meditation and mantra.
- March 21Sun
Holika Dahan
Night of bonfires: Vishnu saved Prahlada from the fire.
- March 22Mon
Holi
Festival of colours and spring, the play of Krishna and Radha.
April 2027
- April 7-15
Chaitra Navratri
Nine nights of Durga in spring. Day one opens the Hindu New Year.
- April 15Thu
Rama Navami
Birthday of Lord Rama.
- April 20Tue
Hanuman Jayanti
Birthday of Hanuman.
May 2027
- May 9Sun
Akshaya Tritiya
Day of imperishable merit: worship of Vishnu and Lakshmi, a day to begin good work.
- May 18Tue
Narasimha Jayanti
Appearance of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu.
- May 20Thu
Buddha Purnima
The day of the birth, awakening and passing of the Buddha.
June 2027
- June 13Sun
Ganga Dussehra
The descent of the Ganga from heaven to earth.
July 2027
- July 5Mon
Jagannath Rath Yatra
Chariot procession of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra.
- July 17 - August 17
Simhastha Kumbh Mela
Kumbh at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar: the holy baths of the sadhu akharas.
- July 18Sun
Guru Purnima
The full moon when students honour the teacher and the whole lineage.
August 2027
- August 6Fri
Nag Panchami
Worship of the nagas, the serpent deities.
- August 25Wed
Krishna Janmashtami
The birth of Krishna, celebrated at midnight.
September 2027
- September 4-14
Ganesh Chaturthi
Birthday of Ganesha. Celebrations run until Anant Chaturdashi.
- September 8Wed
Radha Ashtami
Appearance day of Radha.
- September 30 - October 8
Sharad Navratri
Nine nights of the Divine Mother. Durga Ashtami falls on October 7.
October 2027
- October 9Sat
Vijayadashami, Dussehra
Victory of Rama over Ravana and of Durga over Mahishasura. In Nepal it is the main day of Dashain.
- October 14Thu
Sharad Purnima
The autumn full moon and night of Lakshmi puja (Kojagara).
- October 27Wed
Dhanteras
Worship of Dhanvantari, god of healing, and Lakshmi. Diwali begins.
- October 29Fri
Diwali, Lakshmi Puja
Festival of lights. In the evening people worship Lakshmi and Ganesha. In Nepal it is Tihar.
- October 30Sat
Govardhan Puja
Krishna lifted Govardhan hill to shelter the people of Vraja.
November 2027
- November 4Thu
Chhath Puja
Worship of Surya at sunset and sunrise, standing in water.
- November 11Thu
Tulasi Vivah
The ritual wedding of Tulasi and Vishnu.
- November 14Sun
Kartika Purnima
Full moon of Kartika: bathing in sacred rivers and lighting lamps.
- November 20Sat
Kalabhairav Jayanti
Appearance day of Bhairava, the fierce form of Shiva.
December 2027
- December 9Thu
Gita Jayanti
The day Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
- December 13Mon
Dattatreya Jayanti
Appearance day of Dattatreya, the first teacher of yogis.
Ekadashi days
Ekadashi is the eleventh lunar day after the new moon and after the full moon, a day of Vishnu. People fast, usually without grains and beans, and break the fast the next morning.
November 2026
- November 20Fri
Devutthana Ekadashi
Vishnu awakens and Chaturmasya ends. Sadhus, monks and Vaishnavas fast the next day, November 21.
December 2026
- December 4Fri
Utpanna Ekadashi
Appearance day of the goddess Ekadashi. A traditional day to start keeping the fast.
- December 20Sun
Mokshada Ekadashi
Gita Jayanti falls on the same day.
January 2027
- January 3Sun
Saphala Ekadashi
- January 18Mon
Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
Sadhus, monks and Vaishnavas fast the next day, January 19.
February 2027
- February 2Tue
Shattila Ekadashi
- February 17Wed
Jaya Ekadashi
March 2027
- March 4Thu
Vijaya Ekadashi
- March 18Thu
Amalaki Ekadashi
April 2027
- April 2Fri
Papamochani Ekadashi
- April 17Sat
Kamada Ekadashi
May 2027
- May 2Sun
Varuthini Ekadashi
- May 16Sun
Mohini Ekadashi
June 2027
- June 1Tue
Apara Ekadashi
- June 14Mon
Nirjala Ekadashi
The strictest fast of the year: no food and no water.
- June 30Wed
Yogini Ekadashi
July 2027
- July 14Wed
Devshayani Ekadashi
Vishnu goes to sleep. The four months of Chaturmasya begin.
- July 29Thu
Kamika Ekadashi
Second fasting day (gauna) for sadhus and monks: July 30.
August 2027
- August 12Thu
Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
- August 28Sat
Aja Ekadashi
September 2027
- September 11Sat
Parsva Ekadashi
- September 26Sun
Indira Ekadashi
October 2027
- October 11Mon
Papankusha Ekadashi
- October 25Mon
Rama Ekadashi
Vaishnavas fast the next day, October 26.
November 2027
- November 10Wed
Devutthana Ekadashi
Vishnu awakens and Chaturmasya ends.
- November 24Wed
Utpanna Ekadashi
Appearance day of the goddess Ekadashi. A traditional day to start keeping the fast.
December 2027
- December 9Thu
Mokshada Ekadashi
Gita Jayanti falls on the same day.
- December 23Thu
Saphala Ekadashi
Dates checked against Drik Panchang