In 2026, Holi falls on Wednesday 4 March, Diwali on Sunday 8 November, Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October, Eid-ul-Fitr around Saturday 21 March, and Christmas on Friday 25 December. Browse the full month-by-month calendar below — with weekdays for every major festival — to plan holidays, travel and time off.
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Because it lands on a Sunday, there is no automatic long weekend — but taking Monday 9 November off creates a four-day break, and many offices in any case declare the Monday after Diwali a holiday. The five-day festival runs from Dhanteras (Friday 6 November) through Bhai Dooj (Tuesday 10 November), so plan travel and shopping across that whole window, not just the main day.
When is Holi in 2026?
Holi is on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, with Holika Dahan the evening before (Tuesday 3 March). A mid-week Holi means colour parties cluster on the day itself rather than stretching across a weekend — book venues and travel early, because trains and flights around Holi sell out fast. March 2026 is unusually festival-dense: Ugadi/Gudi Padwa (19 March), Eid-ul-Fitr (around 21 March), Ram Navami (26 March) and Mahavir Jayanti (31 March) all fall within four weeks, so leave planners should look at the whole month together.
Which 2026 festivals fall on weekends or make long weekends?
The best long-weekend opportunities: Republic Day on Monday 26 January gives a three-day weekend outright; Good Friday (3 April) plus Easter Sunday (5 April) brackets a long weekend; Eid-ul-Adha on Wednesday 27 May pairs with one leave day for five days off; Raksha Bandhan on Friday 28 August plus the weekend is a natural three-day break; Gandhi Jayanti on Friday 2 October does the same; and Christmas on Friday 25 December closes the year with a long weekend. Diwali (Sunday 8 November) and Chhath Puja (Sunday 15 November) both fall on Sundays — the compensation is that the surrounding weekdays are the ones to take off.
How are 2026 Islamic festival dates decided?
Eid-ul-Fitr (around 21 March), Eid-ul-Adha (around 27 May) and Milad-un-Nabi (around 26 August) follow the lunar Islamic calendar, so their exact dates depend on the sighting of the moon and can shift by a day — dates marked with * above are the expected dates. Employers and schools in India typically confirm the holiday a day or two beforehand. If you are booking non-refundable travel around these dates, build in a buffer day on either side.
What are the biggest festivals of each season in 2026?
Spring belongs to Holi (4 March) and the March new-year festivals (Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand); summer to Eid-ul-Adha (27 May) and Rath Yatra (16 July); the monsoon to Raksha Bandhan (28 August), Janmashtami (4 September) and Ganesh Chaturthi (14 September); and autumn — India’s grand festival season — to Dussehra (20 October), Diwali (8 November), Chhath Puja (15 November) and Guru Nanak Jayanti (24 November). Winter closes with Christmas (25 December) and the harvest festivals of mid-January (Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Lohri).
How should I use this calendar for planning?
Use the month filter above to focus on one period, then check three things: whether the festival is a gazetted holiday in your state (states add regional holidays like Pongal, Onam and Bihu), whether it falls near a weekend for leave planning, and whether it is moon-dependent (book flexibly). For office holiday lists, cross-check against your state government’s official gazette — festival dates are widely agreed, but holiday declarations vary by state.
What are this calendar’s limitations?
Islamic dates (*) are expected dates subject to moon sighting and may move by a day. Regional festivals (Bihu, Pongal state holidays, state-specific new years) and restricted holidays are not all listed — this calendar covers the major pan-India festivals plus the most widely observed regional ones. Holiday declarations differ by state and employer, so confirm time off with your organisation’s official list.
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Sunday, 8 November 2026. The five-day festival runs from Dhanteras (6 November) to Bhai Dooj (10 November).
When is Holi in 2026?
Wednesday, 4 March 2026, with Holika Dahan on the evening of Tuesday, 3 March.
When is Eid-ul-Fitr in 2026?
Expected around Saturday, 21 March 2026, subject to moon sighting — the exact date may shift by a day.
When is Dussehra in 2026?
Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
When is Christmas 2026?
Friday, 25 December 2026 — a long weekend.
Are these dates the same in every Indian state?
The festival dates are widely agreed, but which days are declared public holidays varies by state government gazette — always check your state's official list.