Festivals

Each guide answers five things: when it falls where you are, what it is, why it is observed, how a household keeps it, and whether it applies to your region and tradition.

• Raksha Bandhan A sister ties a thread on her brother's wrist; he undertakes her protection. On the same P… tomorrow Fri, 28 Aug
• Krishna Janmashtami The birth of Krishna at midnight in the prison at Mathura. Kept with a fast through the da… in 8 days Fri, 4 Sep
• Ganesh Chaturthi The birth of Ganesha. A clay image is installed at home or in a public pandal, worshipped … in 18 days Mon, 14 Sep
• Sharada Navaratri Nine nights of worship of the Goddess, concluding in Vijayadashami. What is actually done … in 45 days Sun, 11 Oct
• Vijayadashami The tenth day. Durga's victory over Mahishasura in the east and south; Rama's victory over… in 54 days Tue, 20 Oct
• Karwa Chauth A day-long fast without food or water, kept by married women for their husband's long life… in 63 days Thu, 29 Oct
• Deepavali The festival of lamps, spread over up to five days: Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, the Lak… in 73 days Sun, 8 Nov
• Chhath Puja A four-day observance of the Sun and Chhathi Maiya: Nahay-Khay, Kharna, the evening arghya… in 80 days Sun, 15 Nov
• Kartik Purnima The full moon of Kartika: river bathing at dawn, lamps at dusk, and — on the same date — G… in 89 days Tue, 24 Nov
• Vaikunta Ekadashi The Ekadashi on which the Vaikuntha Dvara — the gate of the Paramapada — is opened in Vish… in 115 days Sun, 20 Dec
• Makar Sankranti The day the Sun begins its northward course. Observed as a harvest festival across almost … in 140 days Thu, 14 Jan
• Maha Shivaratri The great night of Shiva. Kept with a day-long fast, an all-night vigil in four watches, a… in 191 days Sat, 6 Mar
• Holi Two linked observances. On the first evening a bonfire (Holika Dahan) is lit and circumamb… in 207 days Mon, 22 Mar
• Rama Navami The birth of Rama, at noon in Ayodhya. It closes Chaitra Navaratri. Kept with recitation o… in 231 days Thu, 15 Apr
• Guru Purnima The day the teacher is honoured — Vyasa as the archetype, and one's own teacher in practic… in 325 days Sun, 18 Jul
• Akshaya Tritiya A day held to be auspicious throughout, on which what is begun or given is said not to dim… no date published

Everything else

The calculation engine publishes many more observances than we have written guides for — regional festivals, temple utsavams, and the recurring lunar days. They all appear on the monthly calendar with their dates. We add a guide when we can write one properly, not to fill a page: a plausible-sounding page about someone's family tradition is worse than an honest gap.