India is renowned for its vibrant festivals, and Indians have an undeniable love for them. However, our enthusiasm often leads us to eagerly anticipate the dates of upcoming festivals, even checking calendars for the next year. Isn’t that true? To help you all with that, unstumbled has compiled a list of the top 10 festival dates to know in 2026 that you shouldn’t miss. From Holi to Diwali, here are the dates!
Top 10 Festival Dates to Know In 2026
1. Mahashivratri
Date: February 15, 2026
Mahashivratri is celebrated to mark the divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Devotees fast on this, visit Shiva temples to offer bilva leaves and milk to the Shiva linga to seek Mahadev’s blessings and attain Moksha and inner peace. In many states, people stay awake the whole night doing bhajans and japs of Lord Shiva, as it is believed that he comes down to earth from Kailash with his wife to meet his devotees.
2. Holi
Date: Holika Dahan: March 3, 2024; Rang Panchami: March 4, 2026
Holi is known as the festival of colours, and the celebrations are divided into two days: Holika Dahan and Rang Panchami. Holika Dahan is the night before Rang Panchami, when people pray for luck and prosperity by offering various sweets to the huge bonfire that symbolizes triumph over evil. Rang Panchami is the day when people feast on gujiyas and thandai and play with colours.
3. Gudi Padwa
Date: March 19, 2026
Gudi Padwa is known as the Maharashtrian New Year. On this day, Maharashtrians wake up early and hoist gudis, which are adorned by mango leaves, sugar sheaves, and flowers on their rooftops. Families visit each other’s houses to wish each other and relish puran poli with ghee.
4. Eid
Date: March 20, 2026
The end of Ramadan is known as Eid. On this day, Muslims wear new clothes, visit mosques to offer prayers, and visit each other’s houses to wish them. Special food preparations like Biryani and Sheer Kurma, which is basically a vermicelli pudding, are served and shared across families.
5. Onam
Date: August 16 to August 25, 2026
Known as Kerala’s harvest festival, Onam honors their mythical King Mahabali and his humbleness. During this 10-day-long festival, Malayalis adorn the entrances of their houses with stunning pookalam flower rangoli. Each of these 10 days has a unique ritual that is followed by everyone. They also feast on Onam Sadhya, which is a nice Malayali thali with over 24 vegetarian dishes in it.
6. Raksha Bandhan
Date: August 28, 2026
Raksha Bandhan is a sweet festival in India that celebrates the beautiful bond between a brother and sister. On this day, sisters tie sacred threads known as rakhi on their brother’s right wrist, praying for his prosperity, while brothers promise to protect their sisters from every problem. This day is also celebrated as Narali Purnima in many parts of Maharashtra.
7. Janmasthami
Date: September 4, 2026
Janmasthami is the celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth on earth. On this day in many parts of India, like Vrindavan and Mathura, midnight aartis and bhog take place as thousands of devotees flock in to celebrate Kanha’s birthday. The day is celebrated as Gokul Ashtami in Mumbai, where human pyramids are made to break pots of dahi hanging from great heights.
8. Ganesh Chaturthi
Date: September 14, 2026
Ganesh Chaturthi is known as one of the most loved and awaited festivals in India. It is an 11-day-long festival where it is believed that Lord Ganesha comes down to earth from his abode Kailash, to spend time with his devotees. People bring small idols of Ganesha to their homes, while many pandals host humongous idols of the deity, celebrating his presence on earth.
9. Navratri
Date: October 11 to October 20, 2026
Navratri is a nine-day-long festival that celebrates the divine power of Shakti, that is, Goddess Durga. For all nine days, people worship Shakti by bringing small idols of Goddess Durga to their houses and participating in dandiya and garba nights in chaniya cholis and kediyu. The festival is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and ends on the 10th day, known as Dussehra.
10. Diwali
Date: November 8, 2026
Known famously as the festival of lights, Diwali is a five-day festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness. The festival begins with Dhanteras, when people tend to buy gold for luck and prosperity. It is followed by Choti Diwali, and then the third day is Badi Diwali or the main festival of Diwali. The fourth day is known as Govardhan Puja, and the festival is commemorated with Bhai Duj, which is celebrated on the fifth day.
Summing Up
From dates to their significance and celebration in brief, this list has all the important festivals celebrated in India. So make sure you mark these days well in advance for pre-planned celebrations in 2026.
FAQs
What is Dhanteras 2026 shubh muhurat?
Dhanteras 2026 will fall on November 6, and 05:30 PM to 8:00 PM is the shubh muhrat for pooja and buying gold.
What is Ramadan 2026 start and end date?
Ramadan 2026 is expected to start on February 18 and end on March 20.
What is the difference between Gazetted holidays vs restricted holidays 2026?
Gazetted holidays are majorly mandatory government-declared holidays, while restricted holidays depend on the company policy.
What are the Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha 2026 dates?
November 8 is the start of Shukla Paksha, and December 25 is the start of Krishna Paksha.
