As 2025 comes to an end, many people have already started looking ahead to 2026. Families are planning holidays, booking travel, fixing wedding dates and marking important school breaks. A clear idea of festival and holiday dates helps people plan their year better and avoid last-minute rush.
The 2026 calendar brings several important festivals and public holidays spread throughout the year. Holi will be celebrated in March, while Diwali will fall in November. A few key holidays fall close to weekends, which may offer long breaks for office-goers and students.
The year includes festivals from all communities, including Makar Sankranti, Eid, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Christmas and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
With early planning, families can better organise travel, festivals and personal events. Hence we have listed a month-by-month list of major festivals and public holidays in India for 2026, according to Drik Panchang.
1. January 2026
- January 1 (Thursday): English New Year
- January 2 (Friday): Hazrat Ali’s Birthday
- January 9 (Friday): Vivekananda Jayanti (Samvat)
- January 12 (Monday): Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, National Youth Day
- January 13 (Tuesday): Lohri
- January 14 (Wednesday): Makar Sankranti, Pongal
- January 23 (Friday): Vasant Panchami, Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti
- January 26 (Monday): Republic Day
- January 30 (Friday): Gandhi Punyatithi
2. February 2026
- February 1 (Sunday): Guru Ravidas Jayanti
- February 12 (Thursday): Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti
- February 14 (Saturday): Valentine’s Day
- February 15 (Sunday): Maha Shivaratri
- February 19 (Thursday): Ramakrishna Jayanti, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
3. March 2026
- March 3 (Tuesday): Chhoti Holi, Holika Dahan, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Jayanti
- March 4 (Wednesday): Holi
- March 6 (Friday): Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
- March 8 (Sunday): International Women’s Day
- March 19 (Thursday): Ugadi, Gudi Padwa
- March 20 (Friday): Jhulelal Jayanti, Vernal Equinox, Ramadan begins, Eid al-Fitr, Parsi New Year
- March 26 (Thursday): Rama Navami (Smarta)
- March 27 (Friday): Rama Navami (ISKCON)
- March 31 (Tuesday): Mahavir Swami Jayanti
4. April 2026
- April 1 (Wednesday): Bank Holiday
- April 3 (Friday): Good Friday
- April 5 (Sunday): Easter
- April 13 (Monday): Vallabhacharya Jayanti
- April 14 (Tuesday): Solar New Year, Ambedkar Jayanti, Baisakhi
- April 21 (Tuesday): Shankaracharya Jayanti, Surdas Jayanti
- April 22 (Wednesday): Earth Day
5. May 2026
- May 1 (Friday): Buddha Purnima, International Workers’ Day
- May 3 (Sunday): World Laughter Day
- May 7 (Thursday): Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti
- May 10 (Sunday): Mother’s Day
- May 27 (Wednesday): Eid al-Adha / Bakrid
- May 31 (Sunday): World No Tobacco Day
6. June 2026
- June 5 (Friday): World Environment Day
- June 17 (Wednesday): Maharana Pratap Jayanti, Islamic New Year
- June 21 (Sunday): Longest Day of the Year, Father’s Day, International Yoga Day
- June 26 (Friday): Muharram, Day of Ashura
- June 29 (Monday): Kabirdas Jayanti
7. July 2026
- July 16 (Thursday): Jagannath Rath Yatra
- July 29 (Wednesday): Guru Purnima
8. August 2026
- August 2 (Sunday): Friendship Day
- August 15 (Saturday): Independence Day
- August 19 (Wednesday): Tulsidas Jayanti
- August 26 (Wednesday): Onam, Milad-un-Nabi
- August 28 (Friday): Raksha Bandhan
9. September 2026
- September 4 (Friday): Krishna Janmashtami
- September 5 (Saturday): Teachers’ Day
- September 14 (Monday): Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindi Diwas
- September 15 (Tuesday): Visvesvaraya Jayanti, Engineers’ Day
- September 23 (Wednesday): Autumnal Equinox
10. October 2026
- October 2 (Friday): Gandhi Jayanti
- October 11 (Sunday): Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti
- October 19 (Monday): Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami
- October 20 (Tuesday): Dussehra
- October 21 (Wednesday): Madhvacharya Jayanti
- October 26 (Monday): Valmiki Jayanti, Meerabai Jayanti
- October 29 (Thursday): Karwa Chauth
11. November 2026
- November 8 (Sunday): Lakshmi Puja, Narak Chaturdashi, Diwali
- November 10 (Tuesday): Govardhan Puja
- November 11 (Wednesday): Bhaiya Dooj
- November 14 (Saturday): Nehru Jayanti, Children’s Day
- November 15 (Sunday): Chhath Puja
- November 24 (Tuesday): Guru Nanak Jayanti
12. December 2026
- December 1 (Tuesday): World AIDS Day
- December 22 (Tuesday): Shortest Day of the Year
- December 23 (Wednesday): Hazrat Ali’s Birthday
- December 25 (Friday): Christmas
