Festival Calendar — 2026
Śubhakāla’s festival library — classical observance details, nirṇaya, and pūjā vidhi, each computed from the Śubhakāla pañcāṅga engine (Lāhirī sidereal, Amānta, sunrise-anchored).
January 37
Pradoṣa Vrata
Thu, 1 Jan
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Gurū (Thursday) Vrata
Every Thursday (53× in 2026)
Thursday vrata for Guru/Viṣṇu & wisdom
Guru Pradoṣa
Thu, 1 Jan
Pradoṣa on Thursday — destroys enemies, grants merit
Śukravāra (Friday) Vrata
Every Friday (52× in 2026)
Friday vrata for wealth & contentment
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Sat, 3 Jan
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Śani (Saturday) Vrata
Every Saturday (52× in 2026)
Saturday fasting to propitiate Śani
Ravivāra (Sunday) Vrata
Every Sunday (52× in 2026)
Sunday vrata for the Sun; health & vitality
Soma Pradoṣa / Monday vrata
Every Monday (52× in 2026)
Monday fasting for Śiva
Maṅgala Tṛtīyā
Tue, 6 Jan
Tṛtīyā on Tuesday — Gaurī worship for marital welfare
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Sun, 11 Jan
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Ravi-Aṣṭamī
Sun, 11 Jan
Aṣṭamī on Sunday — combined Sun-Śakti potency
Makara Saṅkrānti eve — Bhogī
Tue, 13 Jan
Discarding the old; bonfire of old items
Lohṛī
Tue, 13 Jan
Bonfire harvest festival of Punjab
Makara Saṅkrānti
Wed, 14 Jan
Sun's northward journey (uttarāyaṇa) begins; harvest thanksgiving
Thai Pongal
Wed, 14 Jan
Tamil harvest thanksgiving to the Sun
Poush Parbon
Wed, 14 Jan
Bengali harvest; pithe-puli sweets
Makar Saṅkrānti (Mah)
Wed, 14 Jan
Til-gul exchange ('til-gul ghya, god god bola')
Uttarāyaṇa (Guj)
Wed, 14 Jan
International kite festival
Ṣaṭtilā Ekādaśī
Wed, 14 Jan
Use of sesame (til) in six ways; charity emphasised
Makara Saṅkrānti
Wed, 14 Jan
Sun turns north (uttarāyaṇa); most celebrated saṅkrānti
Māṭṭu Pongal
Thu, 15 Jan
Worship of cattle
Pradoṣa Vrata
Thu, 15 Jan
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Kāṇum Pongal
Fri, 16 Jan
Family outings; community bonding
Bhṛgu / Śukra Pradoṣa
Fri, 16 Jan
Pradoṣa on Friday — for wealth & marital happiness
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Sun, 18 Jan
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Bhānuvatī / Sūrya Amāvāsyā
Sun, 18 Jan
New moon on Sunday — Sūrya & ancestor propitiation
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Thu, 22 Jan
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Gaṇeśa Jayantī
Thu, 22 Jan
Birth of Gaṇeśa (Māgha reckoning)
Vasanta Pañcamī
Fri, 23 Jan
Worship of Sarasvatī; onset of spring; learning & arts
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Sat, 24 Jan
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Bhānu / Ratha Saptamī
Sun, 25 Jan
Saptamī on Sunday — supremely meritorious Sun worship
Mahānavamī (Tue/Sun)
Tue, 27 Jan
Navamī on a fierce-planet day — heightened Devī worship
Jayā Ekādaśī
Thu, 29 Jan
Grants victory; frees from pretā-yoni
Pradoṣa Vrata
Fri, 30 Jan
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Śani Pradoṣa
Sat, 31 Jan
Pradoṣa on Saturday — for progeny & removal of Śani affliction
Śani Trayodaśī
Sat, 31 Jan
Trayodaśī on Saturday — Śiva worship counters Śani-doṣa
Saphalā Ekādaśī
Sun, 3 Jan
'Fruitful' Ekādaśī; success in undertakings
February 19
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Sun, 1 Feb
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Lalitā Jayantī
Sun, 1 Feb
Appearance of Goddess Lalitā
Ravidās Jayantī
Sun, 1 Feb
Birth of the Bhakti saint
Holī
Mon, 2 Feb
Festival of colours; spring; play of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Mon, 9 Feb
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Bhaumāṣṭamī / Maṅgalāṣṭamī
Tue, 10 Feb
Aṣṭamī on Tuesday — fierce Goddess/Bhairava worship
Dayānanda Jayantī
Thu, 12 Feb
Birth of the Ārya Samāj founder
Vijayā Ekādaśī
Fri, 13 Feb
Rāma observed it before crossing to Laṅkā; grants victory
Kumbha Saṅkrānti
Fri, 13 Feb
Sun enters Aquarius; Māgha-melā/Kumbha bathing period
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sat, 14 Feb
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Ravi Pradoṣa
Sun, 15 Feb
Pradoṣa on Sunday — for longevity & good health
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Tue, 17 Feb
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Bhaumavatī Amāvāsyā
Tue, 17 Feb
New moon on Tuesday — for relief from ṛṇa (debt) & Maṅgala-doṣa
Rāmakṛṣṇa Jayantī
Thu, 19 Feb
Birth of the Bengali mystic
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Sat, 21 Feb
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Nāga / Ravi Pañcamī
Sun, 22 Feb
Pañcamī on Sunday — penitential & purificatory
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Mon, 23 Feb
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Āmalakī Ekādaśī
Fri, 27 Feb
Worship of the āmalakī (amla) tree; precedes Holi
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sat, 28 Feb
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
March 23
Ravi Pradoṣa
Sun, 1 Mar
Pradoṣa on Sunday — for longevity & good health
Holikā Dahana
Mon, 2 Mar
Bonfire marking burning of Holikā; triumph of devotion
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Tue, 3 Mar
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Kāmadā / Kāmadeva
Tue, 3 Mar
Kāmadeva commemoration (Holi season)
Caitanya Jayantī
Tue, 3 Mar
Birth of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava saint
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Wed, 11 Mar
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Budhāṣṭamī
Wed, 11 Mar
Aṣṭamī on Wednesday — special vrata for sin-removal & wishes
Pāpamocanī Ekādaśī
Sun, 15 Mar
Removes the gravest sins (pāpa-mocana)
Mīna Saṅkrānti
Sun, 15 Mar
Sun enters Pisces; end of solar year approaching
Pradoṣa Vrata
Mon, 16 Mar
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhauma Pradoṣa
Tue, 17 Mar
Pradoṣa on Tuesday — for health, freedom from debt & disease
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Thu, 19 Mar
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Vaiśākha Vrata
Thu, 19 Mar
Holy month of dawn bathing & water-charity (jala-dāna)
Matsya Jayantī
Sat, 21 Mar
Fish avatāra who saved the Vedas & Manu
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Sun, 22 Mar
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Tue, 24 Mar
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī (Tue)
Tue, 24 Mar
Ṣaṣṭhī on Tuesday — Murugan (warrior) worship intensified
Rāma Navamī
Thu, 26 Mar
Birth of Śrī Rāma at madhyāhna
Rāma Navamī
Thu, 26 Mar
Birth of Rāma (madhyāhna)
Kāmadā Ekādaśī
Sun, 29 Mar
Fulfils desires; first Ekādaśī after New Year
Pradoṣa Vrata
Mon, 30 Mar
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhauma Pradoṣa
Tue, 31 Mar
Pradoṣa on Tuesday — for health, freedom from debt & disease
Mahāvīra Jayantī
Tue, 31 Mar
Birth of the 24th Tīrthaṅkara
April 35
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Thu, 2 Apr
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Guru Pūrṇimā (Thu yoga)
Thu, 2 Apr
Full moon on Thursday — Guru's day; ideal for dīkṣā
Hanumān Jayantī (Caitra)
Thu, 2 Apr
Birth of Hanumān (North reckoning)
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Fri, 10 Apr
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Varūthinī Ekādaśī
Mon, 13 Apr
Grants protection (varūtha) & merit
Vallabha Jayantī
Mon, 13 Apr
Birth of the Śuddhādvaita / Puṣṭimārga ācārya
Vaiśākhī
Tue, 14 Apr
Punjabi harvest & Sikh Khalsa founding day (1699)
Poḥela Boiśākh
Tue, 14 Apr
Bengali New Year (Noboborsho)
Bohāg Bihu
Tue, 14 Apr
Assamese New Year & spring harvest
Puthāṇḍu
Tue, 14 Apr
Tamil New Year
Viṣu
Tue, 14 Apr
Malayali astronomical New Year
Maha Vishuva Saṅkrānti
Tue, 14 Apr
Odia New Year
Jur Sital
Tue, 14 Apr
Maithili New Year
Vishu (Kerala)
Tue, 14 Apr
Malayali New Year; first-sight ritual
Meṣa Saṅkrānti
Tue, 14 Apr
Solar New Year; start of solar calendar
Pradoṣa Vrata
Wed, 15 Apr
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Budha Pradoṣa
Wed, 15 Apr
Pradoṣa on Wednesday — for fulfilment of all desires
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Fri, 17 Apr
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Ugādi / Gudi Padwa
Sat, 18 Apr
Lunar New Year (Amānta); start of new saṃvatsara
Cheti Chand
Sat, 18 Apr
Sindhi New Year; birth of Jhulelal
Gudhī Pāḍvā
Sat, 18 Apr
Marathi New Year; gudi (victory banner) hoisted
Ugādi (Telugu/Kannada)
Sat, 18 Apr
Telugu & Kannada New Year
Akṣaya Tṛtīyā
Mon, 20 Apr
'Imperishable third'; auspicious for new beginnings, gold
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Mon, 20 Apr
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Paraśurāma Jayantī
Mon, 20 Apr
Warrior-sage avatāra
Ādi Śaṅkara Jayantī
Tue, 21 Apr
Birth of the Advaita ācārya
Sūrdās Jayantī
Tue, 21 Apr
Birth of the Braj-bhakti poet
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Wed, 22 Apr
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Gaṅgā Saptamī
Thu, 23 Apr
Re-birth of Gaṅgā from Brahmā's kamaṇḍalu
Sītā Navamī
Sat, 25 Apr
Birth (appearance) of Sītā
Mohinī Ekādaśī
Mon, 27 Apr
Frees from delusion (moha); Mohinī avatāra
Pradoṣa Vrata
Tue, 28 Apr
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhauma / Maṅgala Dvādaśī
Tue, 28 Apr
Dvādaśī on Tuesday — pāraṇā with Hanumān worship
Budha Pradoṣa
Wed, 29 Apr
Pradoṣa on Wednesday — for fulfilment of all desires
Narasiṃha Jayantī
Thu, 30 Apr
Man-lion avatāra who slew Hiraṇyakaśipu
May 14
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Fri, 1 May
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Kūrma Jayantī
Fri, 1 May
Tortoise avatāra of the cosmic churning
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Sun, 10 May
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Ravi-Aṣṭamī
Sun, 10 May
Aṣṭamī on Sunday — combined Sun-Śakti potency
Aparā Ekādaśī
Wed, 13 May
Bestows limitless (aparā) merit
Pradoṣa Vrata
Thu, 14 May
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhṛgu / Śukra Pradoṣa
Fri, 15 May
Pradoṣa on Friday — for wealth & marital happiness
Vṛṣabha Saṅkrānti
Fri, 15 May
Sun enters Taurus
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Sat, 16 May
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Śanaiścarī Amāvāsyā
Sat, 16 May
New moon on Saturday — most potent for Śani-śānti & pitṛ-tarpaṇa
Śani Jayantī
Sat, 16 May
Birth of Śani
Maṅgala Tṛtīyā
Tue, 19 May
Tṛtīyā on Tuesday — Gaurī worship for marital welfare
Kamalā Ekādaśī
Tue, 26 May
Rare Ekādaśī of the intercalary month (every ~3 yrs)
Bhṛgu / Śukra Pradoṣa
Fri, 29 May
Pradoṣa on Friday — for wealth & marital happiness
June 17
Kamalā Ekādaśī (Kṛṣṇa)
Thu, 11 Jun
Second rare Ekādaśī of the leap month
Śani Pradoṣa
Sat, 13 Jun
Pradoṣa on Saturday — for progeny & removal of Śani affliction
Śani Trayodaśī
Sat, 13 Jun
Trayodaśī on Saturday — Śiva worship counters Śani-doṣa
Somavatī Amāvāsyā
Mon, 15 Jun
New moon on Monday — rare; for marital longevity & ancestors
Mithuna Saṅkrānti
Mon, 15 Jun
Sun enters Gemini; Odisha's Raja (earth's menses) festival
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Thu, 18 Jun
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Sat, 20 Jun
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Bhānu / Ratha Saptamī
Sun, 21 Jun
Saptamī on Sunday — supremely meritorious Sun worship
Mahānavamī (Tue/Sun)
Tue, 23 Jun
Navamī on a fierce-planet day — heightened Devī worship
Gaṅgā Daśaharā
Wed, 24 Jun
Descent (avataraṇa) of Gaṅgā to earth
Nirjalā Ekādaśī
Thu, 25 Jun
Waterless fast equal in merit to all 24 Ekādaśīs
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sat, 27 Jun
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Śani Pradoṣa
Sat, 27 Jun
Pradoṣa on Saturday — for progeny & removal of Śani affliction
Śani Trayodaśī
Sat, 27 Jun
Trayodaśī on Saturday — Śiva worship counters Śani-doṣa
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Mon, 29 Jun
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Soma Pūrṇimā
Mon, 29 Jun
Full moon on Monday — Candra & Śiva strongly favoured
Kabīr Jayantī
Mon, 29 Jun
Birth of the Nirguṇa saint-poet
July 18
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Wed, 8 Jul
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Budhāṣṭamī
Wed, 8 Jul
Aṣṭamī on Wednesday — special vrata for sin-removal & wishes
Yoginī Ekādaśī
Sat, 11 Jul
Removes sins, cures afflictions
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sun, 12 Jul
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Ravi Pradoṣa
Sun, 12 Jul
Pradoṣa on Sunday — for longevity & good health
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Tue, 14 Jul
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Bhaumavatī Amāvāsyā
Tue, 14 Jul
New moon on Tuesday — for relief from ṛṇa (debt) & Maṅgala-doṣa
Jagannātha Ratha Yātrā
Thu, 16 Jul
Chariot procession of Jagannātha, Balabhadra, Subhadrā
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Fri, 17 Jul
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Karka Saṅkrānti
Fri, 17 Jul
Sun turns south (dakṣiṇāyana); 'night of the devas'
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Sun, 19 Jul
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Sūrya Ṣaṣṭhī
Sun, 19 Jul
Ṣaṣṭhī on Sunday — Sūrya-Skanda worship
Bhaumāṣṭamī / Maṅgalāṣṭamī
Tue, 21 Jul
Aṣṭamī on Tuesday — fierce Goddess/Bhairava worship
Devaśayanī Ekādaśī
Sat, 25 Jul
Viṣṇu begins yoga-nidrā; Cāturmāsya begins
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sun, 26 Jul
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Soma Pradoṣa
Mon, 27 Jul
Pradoṣa on Monday — for wish-fulfilment & peace
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Wed, 29 Jul
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
August 29
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Thu, 6 Aug
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Kāmikā Ekādaśī
Sun, 9 Aug
Merit of bathing in sacred rivers; first of Cāturmāsya
Pradoṣa Vrata
Mon, 10 Aug
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Pola
Wed, 12 Aug
Worship of bullocks/oxen by farmers
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Wed, 12 Aug
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Haryālī Tīj
Sat, 15 Aug
The green Tīj of Śrāvaṇa — Pārvatī's union with Śiva.
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Sun, 16 Aug
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Siṃha Saṅkrānti
Mon, 17 Aug
Sun enters Leo; Kerala's Chingam/Onam month
Maṅgala Gaurī Vrata
Tue, 18 Aug
The Tuesdays of Śrāvaṇa — Gaurī honored by the married woman.
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Tue, 18 Aug
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī (Tue)
Tue, 18 Aug
Ṣaṣṭhī on Tuesday — Murugan (warrior) worship intensified
Kalki Jayantī
Tue, 18 Aug
Anticipated future avatāra
Tulsīdās Jayantī
Wed, 19 Aug
Birth of the Rāmcaritmānas author
Putradā Ekādaśī (Śrāvaṇa)
Sun, 23 Aug
Boon of progeny; pavitra-āropaṇa to deity
Maṅgala Gaurī Vrata
Tue, 25 Aug
The Tuesdays of Śrāvaṇa — Gaurī honored by the married woman.
Pradoṣa Vrata
Tue, 25 Aug
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhauma / Maṅgala Dvādaśī
Tue, 25 Aug
Dvādaśī on Tuesday — pāraṇā with Hanumān worship
Budha Pradoṣa
Wed, 26 Aug
Pradoṣa on Wednesday — for fulfilment of all desires
Fri, 28 Aug
The vrata of the boon-granting Mother, on the Friday before Śrāvaṇa Pūrṇimā.
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Fri, 28 Aug
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Hayagrīva Jayantī
Fri, 28 Aug
Horse-headed deity of knowledge
Kajarī Tīj
Mon, 31 Aug
The dark-fortnight Tīj — sung in for the monsoon and the household.
September 29
Maṅgala Gaurī Vrata
Tue, 1 Sep
The Tuesdays of Śrāvaṇa — Gaurī honored by the married woman.
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Fri, 4 Sep
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Ajā Ekādaśī
Mon, 7 Sep
Absolves sins (King Hariścandra legend)
Maṅgala Gaurī Vrata
Tue, 8 Sep
The Tuesdays of Śrāvaṇa — Gaurī honored by the married woman.
Pradoṣa Vrata
Tue, 8 Sep
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Budha Pradoṣa
Wed, 9 Sep
Pradoṣa on Wednesday — for fulfilment of all desires
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Fri, 11 Sep
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Mahālayā / Pitṛ Pakṣa
Sat, 12 Sep
Fortnight of ancestral offerings (śrāddha, tarpaṇa)
Bathukamma
Sat, 12 Sep
Floral-stack festival of women
Gaṇeśa Caturthī
Mon, 14 Sep
Birth of Gaṇeśa; 10-day Ganeshotsav
Vināyaka Chaviti (Telugu)
Mon, 14 Sep
Telugu Gaṇeśa festival
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Mon, 14 Sep
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Varāha Jayantī
Mon, 14 Sep
Boar avatāra who raised the earth
Gaṇeśotsava
Tue, 15 Sep
Public 10-day Gaṇeśa festival
Vināyakī Aṅgāraka
Tue, 15 Sep
Bright-fortnight Caturthī on Tuesday — auspicious Gaṇeśa yoga
Nuākhāī
Wed, 16 Sep
New-rice harvest thanksgiving
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Thu, 17 Sep
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Kanyā Saṅkrānti
Thu, 17 Sep
Sun enters Virgo; Viśvakarmā Pūjā (artisans)
Viśvakarmā Pūjā
Thu, 17 Sep
Divine architect; tools & machinery worshipped
Rādhāṣṭamī
Sat, 19 Sep
Birth of Rādhā
Pārśva Ekādaśī
Tue, 22 Sep
Viṣṇu turns side in cosmic sleep (parivartana)
Vāmana Jayantī
Wed, 23 Sep
Dwarf avatāra who subdued Bali
Pradoṣa Vrata
Thu, 24 Sep
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Guru Pradoṣa
Thu, 24 Sep
Pradoṣa on Thursday — destroys enemies, grants merit
Ananta Caturdaśī
Fri, 25 Sep
Worship of Ananta-Viṣṇu; immersion of Gaṇeśa
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Sat, 26 Sep
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Maṅgala Tṛtīyā
Tue, 29 Sep
Tṛtīyā on Tuesday — Gaurī worship for marital welfare
October 32
Indirā Ekādaśī
Tue, 6 Oct
Observed for liberation of ancestors (falls in Pitṛ Pakṣa)
Vasubāras
Wed, 7 Oct
Worship of cow & calf; Marathi Diwali begins
Pradoṣa Vrata
Thu, 8 Oct
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Guru Pradoṣa
Thu, 8 Oct
Pradoṣa on Thursday — destroys enemies, grants merit
Kārtīka Māsa (Karn/AP)
Sat, 10 Oct
Holy Kārttika; Monday Śiva-vrata; lamp-lighting
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Sat, 10 Oct
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Kārttika Vrata
Sat, 10 Oct
Holiest lunar month; dawn river-bath, lamp-offering
Śanaiścarī Amāvāsyā
Sat, 10 Oct
New moon on Saturday — most potent for Śani-śānti & pitṛ-tarpaṇa
Śāradīya Navarātri
Sun, 11 Oct
Nine nights of the Goddess; ghaṭa-sthāpana
Navarātri Garbā
Sun, 11 Oct
Nine nights of garbā & dāṇḍiyā-rāsa dance
Dasara (Mysuru)
Sun, 11 Oct
Karnataka state festival; Mysuru palace & jamboo savari
Maṅgala Tṛtīyā
Tue, 13 Oct
Tṛtīyā on Tuesday — Gaurī worship for marital welfare
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Wed, 14 Oct
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Durgā Pūjā (Bengali)
Fri, 16 Oct
Grand 5-day Goddess festival; pandals & idols
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Fri, 16 Oct
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Bhānu / Ratha Saptamī
Sun, 18 Oct
Saptamī on Sunday — supremely meritorious Sun worship
Tulā Saṅkrānti
Sun, 18 Oct
Sun enters Libra; Odisha Garbhana Sankranti, Kati Bihu
Durgāṣṭamī
Mon, 19 Oct
Great eighth night; sandhi pūjā at Aṣṭamī-Navamī junction
Mahānavamī
Tue, 20 Oct
Ninth night; Āyudha Pūjā (tools/weapons worship) in South
Vijayadaśamī
Tue, 20 Oct
Victory of Rāma over Rāvaṇa & Durgā over Mahiṣa
Mahānavamī (Tue/Sun)
Tue, 20 Oct
Navamī on a fierce-planet day — heightened Devī worship
Madhva Jayantī
Tue, 20 Oct
Birth of the Dvaita ācārya
Pāpāṅkuśā Ekādaśī
Thu, 22 Oct
'Goad against sin'; grants heaven & health
Pradoṣa Vrata
Fri, 23 Oct
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Śani Pradoṣa
Sat, 24 Oct
Pradoṣa on Saturday — for progeny & removal of Śani affliction
Śani Trayodaśī
Sat, 24 Oct
Trayodaśī on Saturday — Śiva worship counters Śani-doṣa
Kojāgarī Lakṣmī Pūjā
Mon, 26 Oct
Night Lakṣmī roams asking 'ko jāgarti' (who is awake)
Lakṣmī Pūjā (Bengali)
Mon, 26 Oct
Bengali Lakṣmī worship on Sharad Purnima
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Mon, 26 Oct
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Soma Pūrṇimā
Mon, 26 Oct
Full moon on Monday — Candra & Śiva strongly favoured
Vālmīki Jayantī
Mon, 26 Oct
Birth of Ādikavi Vālmīki (Rāmāyaṇa author)
Mīrābāī Jayantī
Mon, 26 Oct
Birth of the Kṛṣṇa-bhakti saint-poetess
November 32
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Mon, 2 Nov
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Ramā Ekādaśī
Thu, 5 Nov
Named for Ramā (Lakṣmī); precedes Diwali
Dhanteras
Fri, 6 Nov
Beginning of Diwali; buying metal/gold; Dhanvantari Jayanti
Pradoṣa Vrata
Fri, 6 Nov
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Śani Pradoṣa
Sat, 7 Nov
Pradoṣa on Saturday — for progeny & removal of Śani affliction
Śani Trayodaśī
Sat, 7 Nov
Trayodaśī on Saturday — Śiva worship counters Śani-doṣa
Naraka Caturdaśī
Sun, 8 Nov
Kṛṣṇa slays Narakāsura; abhyaṅga-snāna
Dīpāvalī Lakṣmī Pūjā
Sun, 8 Nov
Festival of lights; Lakṣmī-Gaṇeśa pūjā; Rāma's return
Kālī Pūjā
Sun, 8 Nov
Night worship of Goddess Kālī (coincides with Diwali)
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Mon, 9 Nov
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Somavatī Amāvāsyā
Mon, 9 Nov
New moon on Monday — rare; for marital longevity & ancestors
Govardhana Pūjā
Tue, 10 Nov
Kṛṣṇa lifts Govardhana; annakūṭa offering; Bali Pūjā
Nūtana Varṣa (Guj)
Tue, 10 Nov
Gujarati New Year (day after Diwali)
Bhāī Dūja
Wed, 11 Nov
Sisters honour brothers; Yama-Yamunā legend
Chaṭha Pūjā
Fri, 13 Nov
Rigorous fast; arghya to setting & rising Sun
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Fri, 13 Nov
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Sun, 15 Nov
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Sūrya Ṣaṣṭhī
Sun, 15 Nov
Ṣaṣṭhī on Sunday — Sūrya-Skanda worship
Bhaumāṣṭamī / Maṅgalāṣṭamī
Tue, 17 Nov
Aṣṭamī on Tuesday — fierce Goddess/Bhairava worship
Vṛścika Saṅkrānti
Tue, 17 Nov
Sun enters Scorpio; Ayyappa Maṇḍala-vrata begins
Ayyappa Maṇḍala Pūjā
Tue, 17 Nov
41-day austerity culminating at Sabarimala
Jagaddhātrī Pūjā
Wed, 18 Nov
Worship of Goddess Jagaddhātrī
Prabodhinī Ekādaśī
Sat, 21 Nov
Viṣṇu awakens; Cāturmāsya ends; wedding season opens
Bhīṣma Pañcaka
Sat, 21 Nov
Five-day fast concluding Kārttika (Bhīṣma's homage)
Tulasī Vivāha
Sun, 22 Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulasī to Śālagrāma-Viṣṇu
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sun, 22 Nov
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Ravi Pradoṣa
Sun, 22 Nov
Pradoṣa on Sunday — for longevity & good health
Kārttika Pūrṇimā
Tue, 24 Nov
Śiva slays Tripurāsura; Dev Diwali at Kashi; Kārttika-snāna ends
Rāsa Pūrṇimā
Tue, 24 Nov
Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā with the gopīs
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Tue, 24 Nov
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Nimbārka Jayantī
Tue, 24 Nov
Birth of the Dvaitādvaita ācārya
Guru Nānak Jayantī
Tue, 24 Nov
Birth of the first Sikh Guru
December 26
Māgha Vrata
Sat, 20 Dec
Holy month of cold-dawn sacred bathing
Putradā Ekādaśī (Pauṣa)
Wed, 31 Dec
Boon of progeny; in South = Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Tue, 1 Dec
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava
Bhaumāṣṭamī / Maṅgalāṣṭamī
Tue, 1 Dec
Aṣṭamī on Tuesday — fierce Goddess/Bhairava worship
Utpannā Ekādaśī
Fri, 4 Dec
Birth of Goddess Ekādaśī from Viṣṇu (slays Mura)
Pradoṣa Vrata
Sun, 6 Dec
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Ravi Pradoṣa
Sun, 6 Dec
Pradoṣa on Sunday — for longevity & good health
Amāvāsyā / Darśa
Tue, 8 Dec
New-moon ancestral tarpaṇa & vrata
Bhaumavatī Amāvāsyā
Tue, 8 Dec
New moon on Tuesday — for relief from ṛṇa (debt) & Maṅgala-doṣa
Vināyaka Caturthī (monthly)
Sun, 13 Dec
Monthly bright-fortnight Gaṇeśa worship
Ṣaṣṭhī Vrata
Tue, 15 Dec
Monthly Murugan/Skanda vrata
Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī (Tue)
Tue, 15 Dec
Ṣaṣṭhī on Tuesday — Murugan (warrior) worship intensified
Skanda / Subrahmaṇya Ṣaṣṭhī
Tue, 15 Dec
Birth/victory of Skanda
Mārgaśīrṣa / Dhanurmāsa start
Wed, 16 Dec
Holy month of Dhanurmāsa; pre-dawn Tiruppāvai/Tiruvempāvai
Dhanurmāsa Vrata
Wed, 16 Dec
Pre-dawn Tiruppāvai / Tiruvempāvai recitation
Dhanu Saṅkrānti
Wed, 16 Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius; holy Dhanurmāsa (Margazhi) begins
Gītā Jayantī
Sun, 20 Dec
Day Kṛṣṇa spoke the Bhagavad Gītā to Arjuna
Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī
Sun, 20 Dec
Vaikuṇṭha's gate (Vaikuṇṭha-dvāra) opens; supreme Ekādaśī
Mokṣadā Ekādaśī
Sun, 20 Dec
Bestows mokṣa; Gītā was spoken this day
Pradoṣa Vrata
Mon, 21 Dec
Twilight Śiva worship on both Trayodaśīs each month
Bhauma Pradoṣa
Tue, 22 Dec
Pradoṣa on Tuesday — for health, freedom from debt & disease
Dattātreya Jayantī
Thu, 24 Dec
Birth of Dattātreya (Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Śiva)
Pūrṇimā Vrata
Thu, 24 Dec
Full-moon fast; Satyanārāyaṇa kathā commonly performed
Guru Pūrṇimā (Thu yoga)
Thu, 24 Dec
Full moon on Thursday — Guru's day; ideal for dīkṣā
Annapūrṇā Jayantī
Thu, 24 Dec
Goddess of nourishment; kitchen/food worship
Aṣṭamī (Kālāṣṭamī)
Thu, 31 Dec
Monthly worship of Kāla Bhairava