Hindu Calendar & Panchang 2026

Today’s Hindu Date (Panchang)
Date Hindu Tithi Paksha Day
Date 31 Dec 2025 Hindu Tithi Pausha Shukla Dwadashi
(पौष शुक्ल द्वादशी)
Note: Twelfth day of the waning phase of the Moon — Shukla Dwadashi of Pausha (Agahan) month.
Paksha Shukla Paksha Day Wednesday
Location baseline: New Delhi, India (IST)

* Tithi timings follow lunar movement and may transition near midnight. This table reflects the current Hindu date in Indian Standard Time.

The Hindu calendar is one of the oldest and most fascinating time-keeping systems in the world. But with its different months, special days, and calculations based on the sun and moon, it can often seem very complex to a beginner. You may have wondered why the dates for festivals like Diwali and Holi change every year. They follow the rhythm of this traditional calendar because of this.
This simple guide is here to help. We are not going to dive into complicated astrology. Instead, we will break down the basics in an easy-to-understand way. We will explain the most important concepts and provide you with a clear list of the main Hindu festival dates for the current month, helping you stay connected to these important cultural and spiritual events.

Hindu Calendar 2026

This Hindu Calendar follows the traditional lunisolar system, where months are governed by lunar phases and days are defined by Tithis instead of fixed dates.

Tithis are calculated based on the Moon–Sun angular distance and may change at any time during the day. The calendar flows continuously through Shukla and Krishna Paksha, with Purnima and Amavasya marking key transitions.

Calculations are aligned to IST; regional variations may exist.

🌕 Full Moon · 🌑 Dark Moon · IST (Delhi)
Tithis follow standard Panchang calculations (IST, India). Regional calendars and local observances may vary.

Key Hindu Festivals in January 2026

Here is a list of the most important and widely celebrated Hindu festival dates for January 2026:

Hindu Festivals — January 2026
Festival Date Day
Festival Pausha Putrada Ekadashi Date 1 January 2026 DayThursday
Festival Pausha Purnima Date 3 January 2026 DaySaturday
Festival Makar Sankranti Date 14 January 2026 DayWednesday
Festival Sakat Chauth Date 17 January 2026 DaySaturday
Festival Mauni Amavasya Date 18 January 2026 DaySunday
Festival Vasant Panchami Date 23 January 2026 DayFriday

These are the key festivals for the current month. Explore the full Hindu Festivals 2026 month-by-month table to discover all major Hindu celebrations, including dates, Tithis, and weekdays.

How this Calendar Works?

Unlike the simple Gregorian calendar we use every day, the traditional Hindu calendar is “lunisolar.” This just means it keeps track of time using both the cycles of the Moon (for the dates) and the Sun (for the year and seasons). This is why it feels so connected to nature. The most important parts to understand are the lunar days (Tithis), the fortnights (Pakshas), and the months (Masas).

Tithi – The Lunar Day

The first thing to know is that a Hindi calendar date is called a Tithi. A tithi is not a 24-hour day like we are used to. It is a lunar day, which is the time it takes for the angle between the sun and the moon to change by 12 degrees. Because of this, a tithi can sometimes be slightly shorter or longer than a regular day. Every lunar month has 30 tithis.

Paksha – The Moon’s Two Fortnights

Those 30 tithis are split into two halves, each lasting about 15 days. Each half is called a Paksha. Think of it as the moon’s journey from dark to light and back again.

Krishna Paksha (The Dark Fortnight): This is the period of the waning moon, when it shrinks from a full moon back to a new moon.

Shukla Paksha (The Bright Fortnight): This is the period of the waxing moon, when it grows from a new moon (Amavasya) to a full moon (Purnima). This is generally considered an auspicious time.

Masa – The Lunar Month

A “Masa” is the name for a lunar month. The year is made up of 12 of these months, each with a beautiful, traditional name.

The 12 Months of the Hindu Calendar

Hindu Months (Masa)
Sr Month (Masa) Hindi Greg
Sr1. MasaChaitra Hindiचैत्र GregMarch – April
Sr2. MasaVaishakha Hindiवैशाख GregApril – May
Sr3. MasaJyeshtha Hindiज्येष्ठ GregMay – June
Sr4. MasaAshadha Hindiआषाढ़ GregJune – July
Sr5. MasaShravana Hindiश्रावण GregJuly – August
Sr6. MasaBhadrapada Hindiभाद्रपद GregAugust – September
Sr7. MasaAshvina Hindiआश्विन GregSeptember – October
Sr8. MasaKartika Hindiकार्तिक GregOctober – November
Sr9. MasaMargashirsha Hindiमार्गशीर्ष GregNovember – December
Sr10. MasaPausha Hindiपौष GregDecember – January
Sr11. MasaMagha Hindiमाघ GregJanuary – February
Sr12. MasaPhalguna Hindiफाल्गुन GregFebruary – March

What is the Panchang?

You may have heard the word Panchang. The traditional Hindu calendar is technically called a Panchang. The word literally means “Five Limbs” (Panch = Five, Ang = Limbs). This is because for any given day, it tracks five key pieces of information:

  1. Vara: The weekday (Sunday, Monday, etc.)
  2. Tithi: The lunar day (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
  3. Nakshatra: The star constellation the moon is aligned with.
  4. Yoga: A special calculation of time considered lucky or unlucky.
  5. Karana: Half of a tithi.

While this seems very complicated, you do not need to know all of these details to follow the calendar. For most people, knowing the Tithi is the most important part, as this is what determines the date of all the major festivals.

Practical Tips for Using the Calendar

Beyond just knowing the festival dates, you can use this calendar and Panchang in many practical ways. For many families, it is a guide for daily life. People often consult the calendar to find auspicious days (known as ‘muhurat’) for starting important life events, such as a new business, building a home, or even setting a wedding date. By understanding the rhythm of the tithis, you can also follow specific fasting days that are important to your family’s traditions and connect with the spiritual energy of days like Purnima and Amavasya.

How the Hindu Calendar Connects Communities

The calendar is more than just a system for tracking time; it is a powerful thread that connects communities. When millions of people across India and the world celebrate Holi on the same Purnima, or light their lamps for Diwali on the same Amavasya, it creates a massive shared experience. This collective celebration strengthens family bonds and community ties. It ensures that no matter where you are in the world, you can look at the calendar and feel connected to your heritage and to others who are celebrating the same traditions at the same time.

Conclusion

The Hindu calendar may seem complex at first, but it is a beautiful and ancient system deeply connected to the natural cycles of the sun and moon. It is what gives the year its spiritual rhythm, from the joyful colors of Holi to the warm lights of Diwali. We hope this simple guide helps you feel more connected to these timeless traditions and makes it easy for you and your family to plan for all the special festival days of 2026.

FAQs

Ans: The most commonly used Hindu calendar year is the Vikram Samvat. To find the current Vikram Samvat year, you simply add 57 years to the Gregorian year. So, the year 2026 corresponds to the Vikram Samvat year 2082.

Ans: The dates change because they are based on the lunar calendar (tithis). A lunar year is about 11 days shorter than a solar year (the one we use every day). This difference causes the dates of Hindu festivals to shift on the English calendar each year.

Ans: These are two different ways of calculating the lunar month. In the Amanta system (common in Southern India), the month ends on the new moon (Amavasya). In the Purnimanta system (common in Northern India), the month ends on the full moon (Purnima). The festivals are the same, but the start and end dates of the months can differ.

Ans: Both are popular Hindu calendar systems. The main difference is their starting year and when the new year begins. The Vikram Samvat, which is more common in Northern India, is about 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar and its new year is in the month of Chaitra. The Shaka Samvat, the official civil calendar of India, is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar.

Ans: Because the lunar year (based on the moon) is about 11 days shorter than the solar year (based on the sun), the dates of festivals would drift out of their seasons over time. To fix this, the Hindu lunisolar calendar adds an extra month, called “Adhik Maas,” approximately every three years. This clever adjustment realigns the calendar with the seasons, ensuring that festivals like Diwali always fall in the autumn and Holi always falls in the spring.

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Do you love following the Hindu calendar? We invite you to share your family’s Diwali traditions, your favorite Holi memories, or stories about Navratri celebrations. Get in touch via our Contact Us page—your story could be featured on our site! For daily Tithi updates and festival reminders, be sure to follow us on Facebook.