Panchang 2026: Hindu Calendar, Festivals and Muhurats
The 2026 Panchang (Hindu Vedic almanac) covers the major festivals, tithi calendar, auspicious muhurat windows, planetary transits, and eclipses of the Vikram Samvat 2082-83 year. Whether you are planning a wedding, a religious ceremony, a new business, or a pilgrimage, the Panchang provides the astrological foundation for choosing the right moment.
Major Hindu Festivals in Panchang 2026
| Festival/Event | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti | January 14, 2026 | Sun enters Capricorn, kite festival, Pongal |
| Chaitra Navratri begins | March 20, 2026 | Hindu New Year, Kalash Sthapana |
| Holika Dahan | March 2, 2026 | Bonfire eve of Holi |
| Rangwali Holi | March 3, 2026 | Festival of colors |
| Akshaya Tritiya | April 21, 2026 | Auspicious for gold, marriage, new beginnings |
| Guru Purnima | July 15, 2026 | Honoring teachers and Jupiter exalted in Cancer |
| Raksha Bandhan | July 29, 2026 | Shravan Purnima, sibling bond |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | August 16, 2026 | 10-day festival begins |
| Shardiya Navratri begins | October 13, 2026 | Kalash Sthapana, nine nights of Devi |
| Dussehra | October 22, 2026 | Victory of Rama over Ravana |
| Karwa Chauth | October 31, 2026 | Women fast for husbands' longevity |
| Dhanteras | November 8, 2026 | Purchase of gold and vessels |
| Diwali | November 10, 2026 | Lakshmi Puja, festival of lights |
| Chhath Puja begins | November 15, 2026 | Sun worship, 4-day festival |
| Vivah Muhurat season reopens | November 15, 2026 | Post-Diwali marriage season begins |
Key Planetary Events of 2026
| Planet | Event | Date (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter (Guru) | Enters exalted Cancer | June 2, 2026 |
| Rahu-Ketu | Shift to Aquarius-Leo axis | March 29, 2026 |
| Saturn | Continues in Pisces (Meen) | Through 2026 |
| Mercury | 3 retrograde periods | ~Jan-Feb, May-Jun, Sep-Oct |
Frequently asked questions
What is a Panchang and what does it contain?
A Panchang (also spelled Panchanga) is the Vedic almanac used throughout India and the Hindu diaspora to determine auspicious timings for ceremonies, festivals, and daily activities. The word comes from Pancha (five) + Anga (limb): the five elements it tracks are Tithi (lunar day), Vara (weekday), Nakshatra (lunar mansion), Yoga (planetary combination), and Karana (half-day unit). Together these five elements determine the quality of any given moment for specific types of activities.
How do I read today's Panchang?
To read today's Panchang, note the current Tithi (which of the 30 lunar days you are in), the Nakshatra (which of the 27 star clusters the Moon currently occupies), the Vara (weekday), the Yoga (which of the 27 yoga combinations is active), and the Karana (which half-day unit is current). Most Indian calendar apps and websites show this daily. The most practically useful elements for daily timing are the Tithi, Nakshatra, and the Rahu Kalam and Yama Ghantam (inauspicious time blocks) for the weekday.
What is the difference between a panchang and a regular calendar?
A regular calendar tracks solar days. A Panchang tracks the lunar calendar alongside the solar, showing how the Moon progresses through its cycle and how it interacts with the Sun, planets, and fixed stars. Indian festivals are determined by the panchang rather than the solar calendar, which is why they fall on different solar dates each year. The panchang also includes seasonal markers (solstices, equinoxes), solar transitions (Makar Sankranti, other Sankrantis), eclipse predictions, and auspicious muhurat windows not captured by any solar calendar.
What are the five elements (Pancha Anga) of a Panchang?
The five elements (Pancha Anga) are: 1) Tithi: the lunar day, determined by the angular separation between the Sun and Moon (each 12 degrees = one tithi, 30 tithis per lunar month). 2) Vara: the weekday, each governed by a specific planet. 3) Nakshatra: the lunar mansion, the 27-fold division of the zodiac through which the Moon passes. 4) Yoga: the auspicious or inauspicious combination formed by adding the longitudes of the Sun and Moon. 5) Karana: the half-tithi, determining the quality of each half of the lunar day.
What are the most auspicious tithis in the 2026 panchang?
The most universally auspicious tithis are Dwitiya (2nd), Tritiya (3rd), Panchami (5th), Saptami (7th), Dashami (10th), Ekadashi (11th, especially for Vishnu worship), Trayodashi (13th), and Purnima (15th, full moon). The inauspicious tithis to generally avoid for new beginnings are the Rikta tithis: Chaturthi (4th), Navami (9th), and Chaturdashi (14th), as well as Amavasya (30th/new moon). These patterns repeat through the lunar months in the 2026 panchang.
What are Rahu Kalam and Yama Ghantam in the panchang?
Rahu Kalam is an approximately 1.5-hour inauspicious period each day associated with Rahu. Each weekday has a fixed Rahu Kalam window (Monday morning, Saturday morning-noon, Friday afternoon, etc.) during which starting important activities is traditionally avoided. Yama Ghantam (also called Yamaganda Kalam) is a similar inauspicious period in each weekday associated with Yama. Both are folk panchang timing tools, distinct from full muhurat analysis, but widely followed in South India especially for journey starts and new business activities.
What is Abhijit Muhurat in the panchang and when does it occur?
Abhijit Muhurat is the most universally auspicious time of each day, occurring around noon. It lasts approximately 48 minutes and falls roughly between 11:45 AM and 12:30 PM local time (adjusted for the sun's actual noon for each location). Abhijit corresponds to the 8th nakshatra from the current Moon nakshatra in some calculations, but in daily practice it is the noon window when the Sun is highest and its energy is most concentrated. Important decisions, starts, and ceremonies can use Abhijit as a safe muhurat on any day, even one without an ideal panchang profile.
What is the 2026 Shubh Vivah Muhurat calendar in the panchang?
The 2026 marriage muhurat calendar (Shubh Vivah Muhurat) follows periods when Jupiter (Guru) and Venus (Shukra) are both direct, unafflicted, and favorably placed. The major marriage seasons in 2026 are: January 14 to February 17 (winter season), April 21 to mid-June (spring season after Akshaya Tritiya), and November 15 to December 25 (winter season post-Diwali). The months of July through mid-November have very limited muhurats due to Chaturmas and the planetary conditions of mid-year 2026.
What is Sarvarthasiddhi Yoga in the panchang?
Sarvarthasiddhi Yoga is an especially auspicious combination in the panchang that occurs when specific weekdays align with specific nakshatras. The name means 'all purposes accomplished,' indicating that any activity begun during this combination tends to succeed. Some examples: Sunday with Hasta, Mula, Pushya, or Uttara nakshatras. Wednesday with Rohini, Anuradha, or Revati. This yoga is considered powerful enough to override minor panchang defects, making it a preferred timing for important events even when the tithi is not perfect.