This page lists the main Hindu festivals and fasts from July to September 2026. These are the holy months of Ashadha, Shravan and Bhadrapada. For each day, you will find what it means, what to do, and where it comes from in our scriptures.
Two calendars, two dates. North India (UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Delhi) starts each Hindu month after Purnima. Maharashtra, Gujarat and South India start each month after Amavasya. This is why Shravan Mondays and a few local festivals fall on different dates in different states. We show both where it matters.
Last verified: 25 September 2026. Dates are checked against published panchangs, including Drik Panchang (New Delhi). For some tithis, your city may differ by one day. Please confirm puja timings with your local panchang or family pandit.
July 2026
आषाढ़ मास
Ashadha month. Shravan begins on 30 July in North India.
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 16 JulThu | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Puri and all India |
| 25 JulSat | Devshayani (Ashadhi) Ekadashi | All India |
| 29 JulWed | Guru Purnima | All India |
| 30 JulThu | Shravan month begins, Kanwar Yatra | North India |
Jagannath Rath Yatra
Puri, Odisha, and many cities across India
Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and his sister Subhadra come out of the Puri temple. They ride three large wooden chariots to the Gundicha Temple. Lakhs of devotees pull the ropes. Pulling the chariot, or even seeing it, is believed to bring great blessings.
What to do: If you cannot travel, watch the live telecast from Puri and chant "Jai Jagannath". The deities begin their return journey (Bahuda Yatra) on 24 July.
Source: Skanda Purana, Utkala Khanda (Purushottama Kshetra Mahatmya). Note: Ahmedabad and ISKCON centres also hold large Rath Yatras.
Devshayani Ekadashi
All India. Also called Ashadhi Ekadashi
Lord Vishnu goes into His four-month divine rest (Yoga Nidra) on this day. This begins Chaturmas, a holy time for prayer and simple living. Weddings and house-warming ceremonies are usually not held until Lord Vishnu wakes in November.
What to do: Fast or eat only fruits and milk. Avoid rice and grains. Read or listen to the Vishnu Sahasranama. Break the fast the next morning after sunrise.
Source: Bhavishyottara Purana, story of King Mandhata. Maharashtra: The Pandharpur Wari reaches Lord Vitthal's temple on this day.
Guru Purnima
All India. Also called Vyasa Purnima
The full moon of Ashadha is the day to honour your Guru, your teacher. It is linked with Sage Vyasa, who arranged the Vedas and wrote the Mahabharata. He is seen as the Guru of all Gurus.
What to do: Visit your Guru and touch their feet, or pray at home before your family deity. Thank a teacher who has guided your life.
Source: Vishnu Purana, Book 3 (Vyasa arranges the Vedas). Note: Buddhists also mark this day as the day of the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath.
Shravan month begins
North India. Maharashtra, Gujarat and South India begin Shravan on 13 August
Shravan (Sawan) is Lord Shiva's most loved month. During the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), a deadly poison called Halahala came out. Lord Shiva drank it to save the world. Pouring water and milk on the Shivalinga in Shravan recalls this act. The Kanwar Yatra also begins, as devotees carry holy Ganga water to Shiva temples.
What to do: Offer water, milk and bel leaves to the Shivalinga. Chant "Om Namah Shivaya". See our 12 Jyotirlingas guide for a Shravan pilgrimage.
Source: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 8 (Samudra Manthan and Halahala).
August 2026
श्रावण मास
Shravan (Sawan) month. The holiest month for Lord Shiva.
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 3 AugMon | Shravan Somvar 1 | North India |
| 9 AugSun | Kamika Ekadashi | All India |
| 10 AugMon | Shravan Somvar 2 | North India |
| 12 AugWed | Hariyali Amavasya | North India |
| 15 AugSat | Hariyali Teej | North India |
| 17 AugMon | Nag Panchami. Shravan Somvar (see table below) | All India |
| 21 AugFri | Varalakshmi Vratam | South India |
| 23 AugSun | Shravana Putrada Ekadashi | All India |
| 24 AugMon | Shravan Somvar (see table below) | All India |
| 26 AugWed | Onam (Thiruvonam) | Kerala |
| 28 AugFri | Raksha Bandhan, Shravan Purnima | All India |
| 31 AugMon | Kajari Teej. Shravan Somvar (Maharashtra, Gujarat, South) | UP, Bihar, MP |
Shravan Somvar: all four Mondays
Your dates depend on which calendar your family follows
Monday (Somvar) is the Moon's day, and Lord Shiva wears the crescent moon in His hair. So every Monday of Shravan is a special fasting day for Shiva devotees.
| Somvar | North India | West and South |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 Aug | 17 Aug |
| 2nd | 10 Aug | 24 Aug |
| 3rd | 17 Aug | 31 Aug |
| 4th | 24 Aug | 7 Sep |
West and South means Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa.
What to do: Visit a Shiva temple early in the morning, before the queues grow. Offer water, bel leaves and white flowers. Fast on fruits and milk, or eat one simple meal. Can't go to the temple? Watch live darshan from the Jyotirlingas.
Source: The Shravan Somvar vrat is described in the Shravan Mahatmya tradition linked to the Skanda Purana.
Kamika Ekadashi
All India
The first Ekadashi of Shravan in North India. It is special because devotees worship both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. It is believed to wash away past sins.
What to do: Offer Tulsi leaves to Lord Vishnu and bel leaves to Lord Shiva. Avoid rice and grains. Break the fast the next morning.
Source: Brahma Vaivarta Purana, as told by Lord Krishna to Yudhishthira.
Hariyali Amavasya
North India. Maharashtra calls this new moon Gatari or Deep Amavasya
"Hariyali" means greenery. By now the monsoon has made the land green. This new moon is a day to remember ancestors and to thank nature.
What to do: Offer water and sesame seeds (tarpan) for your ancestors. Plant a tree, like a peepal, neem or Tulsi.
Source: Garuda Purana (offerings to ancestors on Amavasya). Tree planting on this day is a regional tradition.
Hariyali Teej
Rajasthan, UP, MP, Haryana, Delhi
A joyful women's festival of the monsoon. It celebrates the union of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva after her long penance. Women wear green, put on mehendi, sing folk songs and swing on decorated jhoolas.
What to do: Married women fast for their husband's long life. Worship Shiva and Parvati in the evening. This year it falls on Independence Day too.
Source: Parvati's penance is told in the Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita. Teej customs are regional folk tradition.
Nag Panchami
Most of India. Gujarat observes Nag Pancham about 15 days later
A day to worship the Naga Devtas, the serpent deities. Snakes protect the fields from rats, so farmers have always respected them. Nag Panchami also falls on a Shravan Monday this year.
What to do: Draw a serpent with turmeric or sandalwood near the door and offer milk, flowers and rice at a Naga shrine. Do not harm snakes. Please do not force milk on live snakes; it hurts them.
Source: Mahabharata, Adi Parva. King Janamejaya's snake sacrifice was stopped by the young sage Astika, and serpents have been honoured since.
Varalakshmi Vratam
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu
Held on the Friday before Shravan Purnima. Married women worship Goddess Lakshmi in her form as Varalakshmi, the giver of boons. They pray for the health and wealth of the family.
What to do: Set up a kalash decorated as the Goddess. Offer flowers and sweets, and tie a sacred yellow thread on the right wrist.
Source: Traditionally linked to the Skanda Purana (story of the devoted woman Charumati).
Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
All India
"Putrada" means "giver of children". Couples pray to Lord Vishnu for a child and for the well-being of their children.
What to do: Fast, worship Lord Vishnu with Tulsi leaves and read the vrat katha.
Source: Bhavishyottara Purana, story of King Mahijit.
Onam (Thiruvonam)
Kerala and Malayali families everywhere
Kerala's biggest festival. It welcomes King Mahabali, who is believed to visit his people once a year. Onam follows Kerala's solar calendar, not the lunar one. It falls when the Thiruvonam star is in the month of Chingam.
What to do: Make a flower rangoli (pookalam), share the Onam sadhya feast on a banana leaf, and watch the snake boat races.
Source: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 8 (Lord Vamana and King Mahabali). Onam customs are Kerala tradition.
Raksha Bandhan
All India. Shravan Purnima
Sisters tie a rakhi on their brothers' wrists and pray for their safety. Brothers promise to protect their sisters. On the same full moon, Brahmin men change their sacred thread (Shravani, or Avani Avittam in the South). Coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat celebrate Nariyal Purnima by offering coconuts to the sea.
What to do: Tie the rakhi outside Bhadra Kaal. Check your local panchang for the exact time.
Source: Bhavishya Purana (Indrani ties a protective thread on Indra's wrist). The story of Draupadi and Krishna is a popular tradition. Note: A few panchangs show 27 August because Purnima begins that day. Most Indian panchangs give 28 August.
Kajari Teej
UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan
The second Teej of the season, also called Kajali or Satudi Teej. Women fast, worship Goddess Parvati and sing Kajari folk songs of the rainy season. In many homes, the neem tree is also worshipped.
What to do: Fast through the day and break the fast after seeing the moon.
Source: Regional folk tradition based on Parvati's devotion to Shiva.
September 2026
भाद्रपद मास
Bhadrapada month. Janmashtami, Ganesh Utsav and the start of Pitru Paksha.
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 4 SepFri | Krishna Janmashtami | All India |
| 5 SepSat | Dahi Handi | Maharashtra |
| 7 SepMon | Aja Ekadashi | All India |
| 14 SepMon | Ganesh Chaturthi and Hartalika Teej | All India |
| 22 SepTue | Parsva (Parivartini) Ekadashi | All India |
| 25 SepFri | Anant Chaturdashi, Ganesh Visarjan | All India |
| 26 SepSat | Bhadrapada Purnima, Pitru Paksha begins | All India |
Krishna Janmashtami
All India. Grandest in Mathura and Vrindavan
The birthday of Lord Krishna, born at midnight in a prison in Mathura. The guards fell asleep and the doors opened. His father Vasudeva carried the baby across the flooded Yamuna to Gokul.
What to do: Fast during the day. At midnight, place Bal Gopal in a small cradle, sing bhajans and offer makhan-mishri. Maharashtra celebrates Dahi Handi the next day, 5 September.
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे॥ Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. To protect the good, to end the wicked and to re-establish dharma, I appear in every age. Bhagavad Gita 4.8
Source: Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10, Chapter 3. Note: Some Smarta families keep the fast on 3 September, when Ashtami is present at midnight. Follow your family tradition.
Aja Ekadashi
All India
"Aja" means "unborn", a reminder that the soul never dies. King Harishchandra observed this fast and was freed from his great suffering. This is also the last Shravan Monday for Maharashtra, Gujarat and South India.
What to do: Fast, worship Lord Vishnu and listen to the story of King Harishchandra.
Source: Brahma Vaivarta Purana, story of King Harishchandra.
Ganesh Chaturthi
All India. Biggest in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana
The birthday of Lord Ganesha, remover of obstacles and lord of new beginnings. Clay idols are brought home and to pandals for up to 10 days. Lokmanya Tilak made it a public community festival in 1893.
What to do: Install a clay idol in the right muhurat, offer modaks and durva grass, and do aarti morning and evening. Plan a visit to the AshtaVinayak temples.
Source: Ganesha Purana and Mudgala Purana.
Hartalika Teej
UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra
The strictest of the three Teej fasts. "Hartalika" means "taken away by a friend". Parvati's friend took her to the forest so she could continue her penance for Lord Shiva. This year it falls on the same day as Ganesh Chaturthi.
What to do: Many women keep a waterless fast and worship clay idols of Shiva and Parvati. Elderly women or those with health problems may keep a fruit fast instead.
Source: Traditional Hartalika Vrat Katha, based on Parvati's penance in the Shiva Purana. Note: Some families in UP and Bihar keep this fast on 13 September.
Parsva (Parivartini) Ekadashi
All India. Also called Vamana Ekadashi
"Parivartini" means "the one who turns". Lord Vishnu, resting since Devshayani Ekadashi, is believed to turn onto His other side on this day.
What to do: Fast and worship Lord Vishnu in His Vamana form.
Source: Brahma Vaivarta Purana.
Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan
All India. Grand processions in Mumbai and Pune
Lord Vishnu is worshipped as Ananta, the Endless One. A thread with 14 knots, the Anant Sutra, is tied on the arm for protection. It is also the last day of Ganesh Utsav, when idols are taken for immersion with the cry "Ganpati Bappa Morya".
What to do: Worship Lord Vishnu and tie the Anant Sutra. For visarjan, choose an artificial pond or immerse the clay idol in a bucket at home.
Source: Bhavishya Purana, story of Kaundinya and Sushila.
Bhadrapada Purnima and the start of Pitru Paksha
All India
This full moon is a good day for the Satyanarayan Puja. It also opens Pitru Paksha, the 15-day fortnight for honouring our ancestors, which ends on Sarva Pitru Amavasya in October. Shraddha is done on the tithi when the ancestor passed away.
What to do: Find your ancestor's Shraddha date with our Pitru Paksha Shraddha Tithi Finder. Offer food, water and sesame, and feed a cow, a crow and a needy person.
Source: Garuda Purana (rules for Shraddha). Skanda Purana (Satyanarayan Katha).
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
Why do festivals come so late in 2026?
2026 has an extra Hindu month, called Adhik Maas or Purushottam Maas, from 17 May to 15 June. It pushes every festival after it about 2 to 3 weeks later than in 2025. For example, Raksha Bandhan was on 9 August in 2025 and is on 28 August in 2026.
Why does my Marathi or Gujarati calendar show different Shravan dates?
Maharashtra, Gujarat and South India end each Hindu month on Amavasya. North India ends it on Purnima. So Shravan starts on 30 July in the North and on 13 August in the West and South. Both calendars are correct. Follow the one your family uses.
Which Ekadashis fall between July and September 2026?
There are five: Devshayani Ekadashi on 25 July, Kamika Ekadashi on 9 August, Shravana Putrada Ekadashi on 23 August, Aja Ekadashi on 7 September and Parsva (Parivartini) Ekadashi on 22 September.
Is Janmashtami on 3 or 4 September 2026?
Most panchangs give 4 September. Some Smarta families fast on 3 September because the Ashtami tithi is present at midnight that night. Both follow valid rules, so follow your family tradition.
Why do some calendars show Raksha Bandhan on 27 August?
The Purnima tithi begins on 27 August, so a few panchangs list that day. Most Indian panchangs give 28 August. Whichever day you choose, tie the rakhi outside Bhadra Kaal and check your local panchang for the exact time.
Are Ganesh Chaturthi and Hartalika Teej on the same day in 2026?
Yes. Both fall on Monday, 14 September 2026. Some families in UP and Bihar keep the Hartalika Teej fast one day earlier, on 13 September.
What is Chaturmas and when does it begin?
Chaturmas is a four-month holy period when Lord Vishnu is believed to rest. In 2026 it begins on Devshayani Ekadashi, 25 July, and ends in November when He wakes on Devuthani Ekadashi. Many families avoid weddings and house-warming ceremonies during this time.
Why is Onam not on a lunar tithi like other festivals?
Onam follows Kerala's solar calendar. It falls on the day the Thiruvonam star is present in the solar month of Chingam. In 2026 that day is Wednesday, 26 August.
Can elderly people or those with health problems keep these fasts?
Yes. Our tradition allows a lighter fast of fruits and milk (phalahar) for the elderly, the sick and pregnant women. If you have diabetes, blood pressure or take regular medicines, please speak to your doctor before a waterless fast. Sincere prayer matters more than a strict fast.
When does Pitru Paksha begin in 2026?
Pitru Paksha begins after Bhadrapada Purnima on Saturday, 26 September 2026, and ends on Sarva Pitru Amavasya in October. Use our Pitru Paksha Shraddha Tithi Finder to find the exact Shraddha date for your ancestor.
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Om Namah Shivaya. Jai Shri Krishna. Ganpati Bappa Morya.