India is known as the land of festivals. Every month holds a festival that is celebrated in some part of the country. As September 2026 unfolds, the country enters the grandest festive stretch, with many festivals lined up. It simply transitions from monsoon harvest festivals to multi-day festivals with lights and music. Now that Shravan is ending, we have listed all the upcoming Indian festivals that everyone is surely looking forward to, with dates and related information. Check it out!
Upcoming Indian Festivals In 2026
1. Ganesh Chaturthi
Known as one of Maharashtra’s favourite festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi is a vibrant Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. He is an elephant-headed deity who is known as the god of prosperity, wisdom, and new beginnings. Ganesh Chaturthi is marked by the installation of Ganesha idols. The festival typically lasts for 10 days and ends on Ananth Chaturdashi, which is the grand immersion ceremony. People bring small Ganesh idols home for 1.5, 3, 5, or 7 days, while there are pandals that bring large idols for 11 days. The festival is synonymous with traditional Maharashtrian sweets like Modak, Puran Polis, and more that are prepared in every household. It is a festival of culture, devotion, and togetherness.
Date: September 14, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Shubh Muhurat: 11:02 AM to 1:31 PM on September 14, 2026
Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: 5 Best Places In Maharashtra To Experience Ganeshotsav
2. Navratri 2026 Date
Navratri, or Sharadiya Navratri, is an annual Hindu festival that is observed in honor of the supreme Hindu goddess, Goddess Durga, and celebrates the divine feminine. It lasts for over nine days and falls in the Hindu month Sharad, which gives it its name. The festival celebrates an epic nine-day-long cosmic battle between Goddess Durga and the shape-shifting buffalo demon Mahishasura. It is believed that after nine days of fierce battle, the goddess defeated the demon and symbolized the win of good over evil. Devotees worship Navdurga with every single roop, or form, representing distinct qualities. It is celebrated with people playing garba and dandiya every day for nine nights.
Date: October 11, 2026 to October 20, 2026
Shubh Muhurat: 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM on October 11, 2026
3. Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 Date
Dussehra or Vijayadashami is a major Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is believed to be the day when Lord Rama defeated the ten-headed demon king Ravana after a fierce battle. In eastern India, this day is celebrated as Vijayadashami, which marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahisahsura. The festival falls right after the nine days of Navratri and Durga Puja. On this day, people stage theatrical plays called Ramleela that tell the epic story of the Ramayana. In some parts of India, large effigies of the demon king Ravana, his brother, and his son are burned up in an open field. It is believed that this day is the perfect one for new beginnings as well as buying property or vehicles.
Date: October 21, 2026
Shubh Muhurat: 02:05 PM to 02:51 PM on October 21, 2026
4. Karva Chauth 2026 Date
Karva Chauth is a one-day traditional festival that is annually celebrated by married Hindu women. On this day, married women fast from sunrise to moonrise to pray for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. Women generally consume a pre-dawn meal that is given by their mother-in-law, after which they need to abstain from food and water for all day until they see the moon. All the women dress in traditional attire like a red saree or red dresses, apply mehendi, and gather to listen to folk tales together. To break the fast, they have to look at the moon through a sieve, offer water, and then look at their husband through the same sieve.
Date: October 29, 2026
Shubh Muhurat: 05:38 PM to 06:56 PM on October 29, 2026
Also Read: Top 10 Best Andaman and Nicobar Festivals To Celebrate
5. Diwali 2026 Date
Diwali is a major Hindu festival of lights that symbolizes the spiritual victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It celebrates Dharma (good) triumphing over Adharma (evil) and knowledge over ignorance. This five-day celebration begins with Dhanteras and continues with Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. People clean their homes, buy gold and silver utensils for good luck, and also decorate their homes with clay lamps and rangolis. Families pray to Goddess Lakshmi for wealth, share a feast, and also light fireworks to celebrate. Gujaratis also celebrate their new year on Diwali while merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books.
Date: November 5, 2026 to November 11, 2026
Shubh Muhurat: 05:54 PM to 07:56 PM on November 8, 2026
6. Chhath Puja 2026 Date
Chhath Puja is an ancient sacred four-day-long Hindu festival that is dedicated to worshipping Chhathii Maiya and the Sun God. It is celebrated primarily in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Bihar, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. On the first day, the devotees take a bath in the river, eat Sattvic food, and clean their house. They fast the entire day on the second day and in the evening consume Kheer-Puri prasad that is prepared on a clay stove. After this, the 36-hour-long Nirjala fast begins. This means that the devotees cannot eat or drink anything for the next 36 hours. Arghya is offered to the setting sun by going to the river, which marks the conclusion of this difficult fast.
Date: November 13, 2026 to November 16, 2026
7. Kartik Purnima 2026 Date
Kartik Purnima is a Hindu, Jain, and Silk cultural festival that is celebrated on Purnima of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik. It is also known as Deva-Deepavali or Tripurari Purnima. This festival is celebrated to mark major divine triumphs like Lord Vishnu’s Matsya avatar and the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasura. Devotees bathe in sacred rivers like Ganga to wash away their sins and gain spiritual merit. They also light diyas at homes, temples, and river ghats to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. Some people also donate food and clothes to the needy,y as it is considered to be highly auspicious,
Date: November 24, 2026
Purnima Tithi: 11:42 PM on November 23 to 8:23 PM on November 24, 2026
8. Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 Date
Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab, is a sacred Indian festival that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. He is the founder of Sikhism, the first of the ten Sikh Gurus and one of the most celebrated and important gurus of Sikhism. It is a day dedicated to reflecting on the philosophy and wisdom imparted by Guru Nanak Dev. There are early morning processions that feature devotional hymns. A continuous 48-hour reading of the Guru Granth Sahib also takes place in the Gurudwaras. People also participate in vibrant street processions led by the Panj Pyare.
Date: November 24, 2026
Author’s Note
The country is gearing up for the upcoming festivals, and if you ask me, I am super excited for Ganesh Chaturthi and Navratri. Both these festivals are my super favorite, and I can’t wait to go pandal-hopping with my friends.
Summing Up
From Ganesh Chaturthi to Guru Nanak Jayanti, we have listed all the upcoming festivals in India as September unfolds. We have also listed the dates and muhurat for your reference. So make sure you save this article and also share it with your friends.
