India Festivals Calendar 2026
Complete guide to all religious festivals in India with dates, significance, and celebrations
Introduction to India's Festival Calendar
India, known as the land of festivals, celebrates a diverse array of religious and cultural events throughout the year. This calendar provides a comprehensive guide to major festivals across all religions practiced in India, with specific focus on Telugu, Muslim, and Christian festivals.
Note on Festival Dates:
Most Indian festivals follow the lunar calendar, so dates vary each year in the Gregorian calendar. Muslim festivals follow the Islamic Hijri calendar.
Month-Wise Festival Calendar 2026
All religious festivals organized by month for easy reference:
| Month | Festival Name | Date 2026 | Religion/Category | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | ||||
| Jan | New Year's Day National | Jan 1, 2026 | National | Gregorian New Year |
| Jan | Makar Sankranti/Pongal Telugu | Jan 14, 2026 | Hindu/Telugu | Harvest festival, sun movement |
| Jan | Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Sikh | Jan 18, 2026 | Sikh | Birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh |
| February 2026 | ||||
| Feb | Vasant Panchami Telugu | Feb 1, 2026 | Hindu | Goddess Saraswati worship |
| Feb | Maha Shivaratri Telugu | Feb 16, 2026 | Hindu | Night of Shiva worship |
| March 2026 | ||||
| Mar | Holi Telugu | Mar 4, 2026 | Hindu | Festival of colors |
| Mar | Ramadan begins Muslim | Feb 18, 2026 | Muslim | Start of Islamic holy month of fasting |
| Mar | Good Friday Christian | Apr 3, 2026 | Christian | Commemoration of Jesus' crucifixion |
| Mar | Easter Sunday Christian | Apr 5, 2026 | Christian | Celebration of Jesus' resurrection |
| April 2026 | ||||
| Apr | Ugadi (Telugu New Year) | Mar 29, 2026 | Telugu | Telugu New Year |
| Apr | Vaisakhi Sikh | Apr 13, 2026 | Sikh | Sikh New Year, formation of Khalsa |
| Apr | Eid al-Fitr Muslim | Mar 20, 2026 | Muslim | End of Ramadan, festival of breaking fast |
| Apr | Mahavir Jayanti Jain | Mar 30, 2026 | Jain | Birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira |
| May 2026 | ||||
| May | Buddha Purnima Buddhist | May 2, 2026 | Buddhist | Birth, enlightenment, death of Buddha |
| May | Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) Muslim | May 27, 2026 | Muslim | Festival of Sacrifice |
| June 2026 | ||||
| Jun | Rath Yatra Odisha | Jun 15, 2026 | Hindu | Chariot festival of Lord Jagannath |
| Jun | Guru Purnima Telugu | Jul 29, 2026 | Hindu/Buddhist/Jain | Day dedicated to teachers and gurus |
| July 2026 | ||||
| Jul | Ashura Muslim | Jun 25, 2026 | Muslim | Day of mourning for Shia Muslims |
| Jul | Guru Purnima Telugu | Jul 29, 2026 | Hindu | Worship of spiritual teachers |
| August 2026 | ||||
| Aug | Raksha Bandhan Telugu | Aug 29, 2026 | Hindu | Brother-sister bond festival |
| Aug | Independence Day National | Aug 15, 2026 | National | India's Independence Day |
| Aug | Janmashtami Telugu | Aug 5, 2026 | Hindu | Birth of Lord Krishna |
| Aug | Varalakshmi Vratam | Aug 22, 2026 | Telugu | Worship of Goddess Lakshmi |
| Aug | Parsi New Year (Nowruz) Parsi | Aug 16, 2026 | Parsi | Zoroastrian New Year |
| September 2026 | ||||
| Sep | Ganesh Chaturthi Telugu | Sep 16, 2026 | Hindu/Telugu | Birth of Lord Ganesha |
| Sep | Eid Milad-un-Nabi Muslim | Sep 24, 2026 | Muslim | Birthday of Prophet Muhammad |
| Sep | Paryushana Jain | Sep 5-14, 2026 | Jain | 8-10 day festival of forgiveness |
| October 2026 | ||||
| Oct | Navratri begins Telugu | Oct 10-19, 2026 | Hindu | Nine nights of Goddess worship |
| Oct | Dasara/Dussehra Telugu | Oct 20, 2026 | Hindu/Telugu | Victory of good over evil |
| November 2026 | ||||
| Nov | Diwali/Deepavali Telugu | Nov 8, 2026 | Hindu/Telugu | Festival of lights |
| Nov | Guru Nanak Jayanti Sikh | Nov 24, 2026 | Sikh | Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev |
| December 2026 | ||||
| Dec | Christmas Christian | Dec 25, 2026 | Christian | Celebration of Jesus Christ's birth |
| Dec | New Year's Eve National | Dec 31, 2026 | National | Celebration before New Year |
Note on Festival Dates:
Hindu, Telugu, Jain & Buddhist festivals: Based on lunar calendar - dates vary each year.
Muslim festivals: Follow Islamic Hijri calendar - shift 10-11 days earlier annually.
Christian & National festivals: Mostly fixed dates in Gregorian calendar.
Sikh festivals: Some follow Nanakshahi calendar, others follow Hindu lunar calendar.
Comparative Festival Calendar by Religion
Month-wise comparison of festivals across all major religions in India:
| MONTH | DATE (2026) | TELUGU FESTIVALS | MUSLIM FESTIVALS | CHRISTIAN FESTIVALS | OTHER FESTIVALS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JANUARY 2026 | |||||
| January | Jan 1 | - | - | New Year's Day Christian | National Holiday National |
| January | Jan 14 | Sankranti/Pongal | - | - | Makar Sankranti Telugu Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Sikh |
| FEBRUARY 2026 | |||||
| February | Feb 16 | - | - | - | Maha Shivaratri Telugu |
| MARCH 2026 | |||||
| March | Feb 18 - Mar 19 | - | Ramadan Muslim | - | - |
| March | Mar 4 | - | - | - | Holi Telugu |
| March | Mar 30 | - | - | - | Mahavir Jayanti Jain |
| APRIL 2026 | |||||
| April | Apr 3 | - | - | Good Friday Christian | - |
| April | Apr 5 | - | - | Easter Sunday Christian | - |
| April | Apr 13 | - | - | - | Vaisakhi Sikh Baisakhi Telugu |
| April | Apr 14 | - | - | - | Ambedkar Jayanti National |
| MAY 2026 | |||||
| May | May 1 | - | - | - | Labour Day National |
| May | May 2 | - | - | - | Buddha Purnima Buddhist |
| May | May 27 | - | Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) Muslim | - | - |
| JUNE 2026 | |||||
| June | Jun 15 | - | - | - | Rath Yatra Odisha |
| June | Jun 21 | - | - | - | International Yoga Day National |
| June | Jun 25 | - | Ashura Muslim | - | - |
| JULY 2026 | |||||
| July | Jul 29 | - | - | - | Guru Purnima Telugu |
| AUGUST 2026 | |||||
| August | Aug 5 | - | - | - | Janmashtami Telugu |
| August | Aug 15 | - | - | - | Independence Day National |
| August | Aug 22 | Varalakshmi Vratam | - | - | Parsi New Year Parsi |
| August | Aug 29 | - | - | - | Raksha Bandhan Telugu |
| SEPTEMBER 2026 | |||||
| September | Sep 5-14 | - | - | - | Paryushana Jain |
| September | Sep 16 | Ganesh Chaturthi | - | - | Ganesh Chaturthi Telugu |
| September | Sep 24 | - | Eid Milad-un-Nabi Muslim | - | - |
| OCTOBER 2026 | |||||
| October | Oct 2 | - | - | - | Gandhi Jayanti National |
| October | Oct 10-19 | Navratri | - | - | Navratri Telugu |
| October | Oct 20 | Dasara/Vijayadashami | - | - | Dussehra Telugu |
| October | Oct 28 | - | - | - | Karva Chauth Telugu |
| NOVEMBER 2026 | |||||
| November | Nov 1 | - | - | All Saints' Day Christian | - |
| November | Nov 6-9 | - | - | - | Chhath Puja Telugu |
| November | Nov 8 | Deepavali | - | - | Diwali Telugu |
| November | Nov 24 | - | - | - | Guru Nanak Jayanti Sikh |
| DECEMBER 2026 | |||||
| December | Dec 25 | - | - | Christmas Christian | - |
| December | Dec 31 | - | - | New Year's Eve Christian | New Year's Eve National |
Key to Categories:
- Telugu Festivals: Celebrated primarily in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Muslim Festivals: Based on Islamic Hijri calendar
- Christian Festivals: Based on Gregorian calendar
- Other Festivals: Includes Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi & National festivals
Notes:
- Many festivals span multiple days (shown as date ranges)
- Some festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi are celebrated by both Telugu and Hindu communities
- National festivals are observed throughout India
- Dates for 2026 shown; 2027 dates shift for lunar-based festivals
Disclaimer
Important Notice
Note: This festival calendar includes only select major festivals and is based on AI-generated data. Festival dates may vary according to regional customs, local sightings, and different calendar calculations. For precise dates and official holiday declarations, please refer to government announcements or religious authorities.
Additional Information:
- This list is not exhaustive - India celebrates hundreds of regional and local festivals
- Dates are approximate and may shift based on moon sightings
- Some festivals may be celebrated on different dates in different regions
- Public holiday dates may differ by state