Hindu Festivals 2026 — Global Dates for USA, UK, Canada, UAE, Singapore & Australia | Daanyam

Hindu festivals are anchored to the Tithi (तिथि — the lunar day), not the Gregorian calendar — which means the date you celebrate in New Jersey, London, Toronto, Dubai, Singapore, or Melbourne can shift by ±1 day from the date observed in India. Daanyam's 2026 global festival calendar gives you the IST date alongside the correct local date for the major diaspora hubs, so you can plan your puja, fast, or family gathering with confidence.

**Open the live 2026 calendar →** · **Check today's Panchāṅg →**

Why festival dates differ across timezones

A Tithi begins and ends at a specific UTC moment, but it's *observed* based on the local sunrise. If the relevant Tithi is active during your local sunrise, that is your festival day — even if it differs from the IST date.

Example: If Pūrṇimā (full moon) begins at 22:00 IST on Day 1 and ends at 19:00 IST on Day 2, India observes Pūrṇimā on Day 2 (because the Tithi is alive at Indian sunrise on Day 2). But in California (PT, IST−12:30), the same Pūrṇimā begins at 09:30 on Day 1 PT and ends at 06:30 on Day 2 PT — meaning Pūrṇimā is active during California's Day 2 sunrise *only just barely*, and depending on the exact tithi-end time, you may observe it on Day 1 PT.

The rule of thumb most diaspora paṇḍits follow: prefer the local sunrise calculation for your city, not the IST date. Daanyam's Panchāṅg tool does this automatically for any location.

The 12 major Hindu festivals of 2026

> Dates marked (verify) are computed from current ephemeris but should be re-checked closer to the date using /panchang, since Tithi crossover near midnight can shift by hours as we refine.

1. Makar Sankrānti — Sun's transit into Capricorn

Sankrānti is one of the few festivals that follows the solar (Sūrya Siddhānta) calendar, so the date is stable globally. From abroad: sesame-and-jaggery sweets (til-guḍ), an early-morning Sūrya Namaskāra session, and donation to a verified gaushala via Gau Seva. In the UK and Canada, Lohri (the related Punjabi harvest festival) is celebrated on Jan 13.

2. Mahā Śivarātri — the Great Night of Shiva

A night-long vigil festival, so the date is whatever night the Chaturdaśī tithi of Phālguna Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa is active. From abroad: the four prahara (three-hour watches) of the night can be marked individually. A streaming darśan from Kāśī Viśvanāth (live from Varanasi) is widely available. Offer bilva leaves and milk on a home Śivaliṅga or photo.

3. Holi — Festival of Colors

Holikā Dahana (the bonfire) is the night before. From abroad: most Indian cultural associations in the US, UK, and Australia run Holi events the *closest weekend* to the actual date — both are valid. The dharmic observance is the Holikā Dahana evening (Mar 3); the celebration of colors is the morning after.

4. Rāma Navamī — Birth of Śrī Rāma

The ninth day of Caitra Śukla Pakṣa. From abroad: noon is the auspicious birth-moment of Rāma; a short Sundara Kāṇḍa pāṭha (recitation from the Rāmāyaṇa) at home is ideal. Many Hindu temples in NJ, Houston, Toronto, and London stream live abhiṣeka.

5. Hanumān Jayantī — Birth of Hanumān

Caitra Pūrṇimā. From abroad: 11 or 108 repetitions of the Hanumān Cālīsā, ideally at sunrise. A small offering of jaggery and gram (chana-guḍ) on the home altar.

6. Buddha Pūrṇimā — Vesak

Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā — birth, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa of Bhagavān Buddha. In Singapore this is a national holiday (Vesak Day). From abroad: dāna (giving) is the central practice — donating food, sponsoring a meal, or contributing to a gaushala or shelter.

7. Guru Pūrṇimā — Honoring the Teacher

Āṣāḍha Pūrṇimā. The day to honor one's spiritual teacher, lineage, or the ādi-guru (Vyāsa, by tradition). From abroad: a phone call or written letter of gratitude to your teacher; sponsoring a class or scripture-reading at a temple back home.

8. Janmāṣṭamī — Birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Kṛṣṇa is born at midnight on Bhādrapada Kṛṣṇa Aṣṭamī. Because the observance moment is midnight local time, the calendar date shown depends on which side of midnight your local Aṣṭamī tithi is active. From abroad: midnight ārati with a small Kṛṣṇa mūrti or photo, jhānki for the children, and a meal of dahi-pohā or makhan-miśrī. Gau Seva on this day is especially auspicious — Kṛṣṇa's lifelong relationship with cows is the dharmic basis. Sponsor gau seva for Janmāṣṭamī →

9. Gaṇeśa Caturthī — Birth of Gaṇeśa

A 10-day festival ending in visarjana (immersion). From abroad: a small clay (eco-friendly) Gaṇeśa for the home altar, modaka offering, and the 21 names recitation. Many diaspora communities do a backyard or community-pool visarjana on Day 10.

10. Navarātri / Daśerā — Nine Nights of the Devī

Nine nights honoring the nine forms of Devī, ending in Vijayadaśamī (Daśerā). See our dedicated Navarātri 2026 from Abroad guide. From abroad: ghaṭasthāpana on Day 1, one-form-per-day mantra practice, garba on the weekends.

11. Karwā Cauth — Wives' Fast for Husband's Wellbeing

The fast is broken when the moon is sighted in your local sky — so the moonrise time matters enormously. From abroad: check moonrise for your exact city via Panchāṅg; the wait can be significantly longer or shorter than IST moonrise. Use a small chālanī (sieve) for the chandra-darśana ritual; many couples now also video-call family in India to share the moment.

12. Dīpāvalī (Diwali) — Festival of Lights

Lakṣmī Pūjā is performed during Pradoṣa Kāla (the period after sunset, before night fully sets in) on Amāvasyā. From abroad: the muhūrta is calculated to *your local sunset*, not IST sunset — this is one of the most commonly mis-observed details by diaspora households. Daanyam computes the correct Lakṣmī Pūjā window for your city. The 5-day Dīpāvalī arc (Dhanteras → Bhai Dūj) runs Nov 6 to Nov 10.

Plan the year ahead

Bookmark /festivals/2026 for the live, location-aware version of this calendar. For day-by-day Tithi, Nakṣatra, and Muhūrta in your city, use Panchāṅg. For tithi-aligned seva (donating on Ekādaśī, Pradoṣa, Pūrṇimā), see Gau Seva.

FAQ

Why does the Diwali date for the US sometimes differ from India?

Because Lakṣmī Pūjā is observed on the evening of Amāvasyā during Pradoṣa Kāla. When the Amāvasyā Tithi straddles two evenings in IST, India picks one based on Pradoṣa Kāla overlap; the US — being 9.5 to 13.5 hours behind — can have the same Tithi overlapping a *different* evening locally. In 2026 the dates align (Sun Nov 8), but in some years they shift by a day.

How do I know whether to follow the IST date or the local date for a festival?

For tithi-based festivals (Janmāṣṭamī, Śivarātri, Karwā Cauth, Dīpāvalī, Ekādaśī fasts), follow the local-sunrise rule — observe on the day the Tithi is active during your city's sunrise. For nakṣatra-based or solar festivals (Sankrānti), the IST date is usually identical worldwide. Panchāṅg does this calculation for you.

Are festival dates the same for Sanātanī, ISKCON, Swaminarayan, and Arya Samaj communities?

Largely yes, with two small differences: ISKCON often emphasises Vaiṣṇava-specific Ekādaśīs and follows the *Smarta* or *Vaiṣṇava* tithi rule for Janmāṣṭamī (which can differ by a day). Arya Samaj observes a narrower festival set. Daanyam shows the dominant Sanātanī (Smarta) calendar; ISKCON/Vaiṣṇava-specific variants are available as an option in the Panchāṅg.

Can I get Daanyam to remind me before each festival?

Yes — when you sign in and set your city, festival reminders are sent 3 days before and on the morning of each major festival, with the correct local timing, muhūrta windows, and a quick "how to observe from here" note. Reminders are timezone-aware.

What if my city isn't a major hub — does Daanyam still get the date right?

Yes. The calculation is done from latitude, longitude, and timezone — so Auckland, Doha, Kigali, Stockholm, or rural Pennsylvania all get the correct local date. The hub cities (NJ, Toronto, London, Dubai, Singapore, Melbourne) are listed here for convenience; the underlying tool works for any inhabited location on earth.

*Dharma from anywhere. Your stars. Your seva.*