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.

These are the annual festivals. The observances that return every month or fortnight — Ekadashi, Pradosh, Sankashti, Purnima, Amavasya — are kept separately under vrats and fasting days, because what you need from them is the next date, not the story.

• Maha Shashthi The day the Goddess's face is unveiled and she is formally invited in. Bodhon is her awake… in 4 days Fri, 16 Oct
• Maha Saptami The second day of the Durga Puja, opening with the Nabapatrika bath at dawn. Nine plants b… in 5 days Sat, 17 Oct
• Durga Ashtami The great eighth day, and for many households the one day of Navaratri they keep if they k… in 7 days Mon, 19 Oct
• Vijayadashami The tenth day. Durga's victory over Mahishasura in the east and south; Rama's victory over… in 8 days Tue, 20 Oct
• Maha Navami The ninth day and the last of the puja proper. The Navami homa is offered, and in the sout… in 8 days Tue, 20 Oct
• Kojagari Lakshmi Puja The full-moon night five days after the immersion, kept in Bengal as the household Lakshmi… in 13 days Sun, 25 Oct
• Karwa Chauth A day-long fast without food or water, kept by married women for their husband's long life… in 17 days Thu, 29 Oct
• Govatsa Dwadashi The day cows and their calves are honoured, opening the Diwali week. Wheat and milk produc… in 24 days Thu, 5 Nov
• Dhanteras The day the Diwali lamps begin. Households buy metal — traditionally silver or gold, in pr… in 25 days Fri, 6 Nov
• Kali Chaudas The night of Kali in the dark fortnight before Diwali. Where it is kept as Bhoot Chaturdas… in 26 days Sat, 7 Nov
• Deepavali The festival of lamps, spread over up to five days: Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, the Lak… in 27 days Sun, 8 Nov
• Narak Chaturdashi The morning of the ceremonial oil bath, kept before sunrise. Sesame oil and ubtan are appl… in 27 days Sun, 8 Nov
• Govardhan Puja The day Krishna lifted Govardhan hill. A mound of food — the annakut, literally a mountain… in 29 days Tue, 10 Nov
• Bhai Dooj The day sisters apply the tilak to their brothers and feed them, and brothers give a gift … in 30 days Wed, 11 Nov
• Gurgaddi Diwas Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji The anniversary of the day Guru Gobind Singh ended the line of human Gurus and conferred t… in 30 days Wed, 11 Nov
• Chhath Puja A four-day observance of the Sun and Chhathi Maiya: Nahay-Khay, Kharna, the evening arghya… in 34 days Sun, 15 Nov
• Tulsi Vivaha The ceremonial marriage of the tulsi plant to Vishnu in his Shaligrama form, performed as … in 40 days Sat, 21 Nov
• Kartik Purnima The full moon of Kartika: river bathing at dawn, lamps at dusk, and — on the same date — G… in 43 days Tue, 24 Nov
• Guru Nanak Jayanti The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Gurdwaras hold a for… in 43 days Tue, 24 Nov
• Shaheedi Diwas Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji The martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, executed at Chandni Chowk. Gurdwaras hold Akhand P… in 63 days Mon, 14 Dec
• Vaikunta Ekadashi The Ekadashi on which the Vaikuntha Dvara — the gate of the Paramapada — is opened in Vish… in 69 days Sun, 20 Dec
• Dattatreya Jayanti The appearance day of Dattatreya, the three-headed form combining Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva… in 72 days Wed, 23 Dec
• New Year's Eve The last night of the Gregorian year, marked socially.… in 80 days Thu, 31 Dec
• New Year's Day The first day of the Gregorian year. Widely marked socially; it is not the new year of any… in 81 days Fri, 1 Jan
• Lohri The Punjab bonfire night marking the end of winter. Sesame, jaggery, popcorn and rewri are… in 93 days Wed, 13 Jan
• Makar Sankranti The day the Sun begins its northward course. Observed as a harvest festival across almost … in 94 days Thu, 14 Jan
• Republic Day The anniversary of the Constitution of India coming into effect. Marked by the parade in N… in 106 days Tue, 26 Jan
• Vasant Panchami Spring's first day and Saraswati's. Yellow is worn, the goddess is worshipped with books a… in 122 days Thu, 11 Feb
• Maha Shivaratri The great night of Shiva. Kept with a day-long fast, an all-night vigil in four watches, a… in 145 days Sat, 6 Mar
• Holika Dahan The bonfire on the night before Holi. A pyre is built through the preceding weeks, and lit… in 160 days Sun, 21 Mar
• Holi Two linked observances. On the first evening a bonfire (Holika Dahan) is lit and circumamb… in 161 days Mon, 22 Mar
• Ugadi The first day of the lunar year for the Deccan and the west. The year's new panchanga is r… in 177 days Wed, 7 Apr
• Baisakhi The Punjab harvest festival and the day the Khalsa was founded. Gurdwaras hold the Akhand … in 184 days Wed, 14 Apr
• Rama Navami The birth of Rama, at noon in Ayodhya. It closes Chaitra Navaratri. Kept with recitation o… in 185 days Thu, 15 Apr
• Mahavir Jayanti The birth anniversary of Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara. Jain temples ho… in 189 days Mon, 19 Apr
• Hanuman Jayanti Hanuman's appearance day. Temples hold day-long recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa and the … in 190 days Tue, 20 Apr
• May Day International Workers' Day. Observed by trade unions with processions and meetings; a publ… in 201 days Sat, 1 May
• Parashurama Jayanti The appearance day of Parashurama, the sixth avatara — the Brahmin who took up the axe. Ke… in 208 days Sat, 8 May
• Akshaya Tritiya A day held to be auspicious throughout, on which what is begun or given is said not to dim… in 209 days Sun, 9 May
• Buddha Purnima The Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana, held to have fallen on the same full mo… in 220 days Thu, 20 May
• Vat Savitri A married woman's vrat for her husband's long life. The banyan tree is circled with a thre… in 249 days Fri, 18 Jun
• Rath Yatra The Puri chariot festival. Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra leave the temple on three en… in 266 days Mon, 5 Jul
• Guru Purnima The day the teacher is honoured — Vyasa as the archetype, and one's own teacher in practic… in 279 days Sun, 18 Jul
• Solar Eclipse The traditional observance around a solar eclipse: the sutak period beforehand during whic… in 294 days Mon, 2 Aug
• Hariyali Teej The monsoon Teej. Women wear green, swings are hung from trees, and the Gauri puja is perf… in 296 days Wed, 4 Aug
• Independence Day The anniversary of independence in 1947. The Prime Minister addresses the country from the… in 307 days Sun, 15 Aug
• Raksha Bandhan A sister ties a thread on her brother's wrist; he undertakes her protection. On the same P… in 309 days Tue, 17 Aug
• Krishna Janmashtami The birth of Krishna at midnight in the prison at Mathura. Kept with a fast through the da… in 317 days Wed, 25 Aug
• Hartalika Teej A day-long fast kept by women for Gauri, with an overnight vigil. Unmarried women keep it … in 326 days Fri, 3 Sep
• Ganesh Chaturthi The birth of Ganesha. A clay image is installed at home or in a public pandal, worshipped … in 327 days Sat, 4 Sep
• Radha Ashtami Radha's appearance day, kept most intensely in the Braj country — Barsana, Vrindavan and M… in 331 days Wed, 8 Sep
• Sharada Navaratri Nine nights of worship of the Goddess, concluding in Vijayadashami. What is actually done … in 353 days Thu, 30 Sep
• Gandhi Jayanti The birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Prayer meetings are held at Raj Ghat,… in 355 days Sat, 2 Oct
• Anant Chaturdashi Two observances on one day. The Anant Vrat is kept for Vishnu as Ananta, with a fourteen-k… no date published
• Parkash Utsav Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji The anniversary of the first installation of the Guru Granth Sahib. Gurdwaras mark the day… no date published
• Vishwakarma Puja The day tools, machines and workshops are worshipped. Factories, garages, workshops and st… no date published

• Kati Bihu Assam (Assamese) Sun, 18 Oct
• Bijoya Dashami Bengal (Bengali), Odisha (Odia), Assam (Assamese) Wed, 21 Oct
• Kerala Piravi Kerala (Malayalam) Sun, 1 Nov
• Kannada Rajyotsava Karnataka (Kannada) Sun, 1 Nov
• Labh Pancham Gujarat (Gujarati), Goa & Konkan (Konkani) Sat, 14 Nov
• Mandala Kalam Kerala (Malayalam), Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Karnataka (Kannada) Tue, 17 Nov
• Jagaddhatri Puja Bengal (Bengali) Wed, 18 Nov
• Lachit Divas Assam (Assamese) Tue, 24 Nov
• Karthigai Deepam Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam) Tue, 24 Nov
• Prathamastami Odisha (Odia) Tue, 1 Dec
• Kadalekai Parishe Karnataka (Kannada) Mon, 7 Dec
• Subrahmanya Shashti Karnataka (Kannada), Maharashtra (Marathi), Andhra & Telangana (Telugu) Tue, 15 Dec
• Dhanu Sankranti Odisha (Odia), Kerala (Malayalam) Wed, 16 Dec
• Arudhra Darisanam Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam) Thu, 24 Dec
• Bhogi Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Andhra & Telangana (Telugu), Karnataka (Kannada) Thu, 14 Jan
• Thai Pongal Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Fri, 15 Jan
• Magh Bihu Assam (Assamese) Fri, 15 Jan
• Maattu Pongal Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Sat, 16 Jan
• Kaanum Pongal Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Sun, 17 Jan
• Thai Poosam Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam), Andhra & Telangana (Telugu) Fri, 22 Jan
• Maasi Magam Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam) Sun, 21 Feb
• Panguni Uthiram Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam) Mon, 22 Mar
• Bohag Bihu Assam (Assamese) Wed, 14 Apr
• Puthandu Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Wed, 14 Apr
• Vishu Kerala (Malayalam), Tulu Nadu (Tulu) Thu, 15 Apr
• Poila Boishakh Bengal (Bengali) Thu, 15 Apr
• Thrissur Pooram Kerala (Malayalam) Sat, 17 Apr
• Bengaluru Karaga Karnataka (Kannada) Tue, 20 Apr
• Vaikasi Visakam Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Kerala (Malayalam) Thu, 20 May
• Jamai Sasthi Bengal (Bengali) Thu, 10 Jun
• Raja Parba Odisha (Odia) Tue, 15 Jun
• Bonalu Andhra & Telangana (Telugu) Sun, 11 Jul
• Aadi Krithigai Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Wed, 28 Jul
• Aadi Perukku Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Tue, 3 Aug
• Aadi Pooram Tamil Nadu (Tamil) Thu, 5 Aug
• Nuakhai Odisha (Odia) Sun, 5 Sep
• Gowri Habba Karnataka (Kannada), Andhra & Telangana (Telugu), Maharashtra (Marathi)
• Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi Kerala (Malayalam)

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.