Dates for 2026, what each festival means, and how to celebrate — even if you're just getting started. No prior knowledge needed.
Everything is written in plain English, with Sanskrit terms explained as you go.
Every major festival in 2026 — when it falls, what it celebrates, and how to observe it.
Step-by-step instructions for common pujas (worship rituals), from a simple morning prayer to a housewarming ceremony.
Short verses from the Gita and Upanishads — the original Sanskrit, what it says, and when it helps.
All festival and fasting dates, month by month. Add any of them to your phone calendar in one tap.
Three foundational mantras (sacred chants) — their meaning, and a syllable-by-syllable pronunciation guide.
The Satyanarayan Katha (a popular devotional story) told as an illustrated, easy-to-follow visual story.
Punditji is an AI guide to Hindu festivals, rituals and daily practice, grounded in classical sources like the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the Puranas. It's not a substitute for your family priest — think of it as a friendly first stop.
Every guide cites where its steps and verses come from, and festival dates are checked against established panchang (Hindu calendar) sources. Spotted something off? Tell us — corrections are welcome.
More about Punditji.ai →The next dates on the Hindu calendar, with a short note on what each one means.
"Anant" means endless — this day honours Vishnu in his infinite form, and devotees tie a sacred thread with fourteen knots for protection through the year. It is also the final day of Ganesh festivities, when Ganesha idols are carried in procession and immersed in water.
Pitru Paksha is a fortnight devoted to remembering and honouring our ancestors. Families offer food and water (tarpan) in their loved ones' memory, feed the needy, and avoid starting new ventures, keeping these days quiet and reflective. It runs until Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 10 October 2026.
Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the last and most important day of Pitru Paksha, when offerings can be made for all ancestors — even those whose death dates are forgotten. Families perform shraddha rituals, give food in charity, and light a lamp in loving memory of those who came before.
Sharad Navratri is the great autumn festival of the Goddess — nine nights honouring Durga's nine forms. People fast, set up the sacred kalash at home, dance garba and dandiya late into the night, and in Bengal celebrate it as Durga Puja with magnificent pandals.
Durga Ashtami is the eighth and one of the holiest days of Navratri, dedicated to the goddess in her fiercest, most protective form. Many devotees fast, perform kanya puja — honouring young girls as forms of the goddess — and join the powerful Sandhi Puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami. In 2026, Ashtami and Navami fall on the same day.
Maha Navami is the ninth and final night of Navratri, when Goddess Durga is worshipped as Mahishasuramardini — the slayer of the buffalo demon. Devotees complete their Navratri fasts, perform havan (fire ceremony), and in the south, tools and books are honoured in Ayudha Puja. In 2026 it shares the day with Durga Ashtami.
Get an email a few days before each festival, with the date and a simple guide on how to prepare.
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