In millions of Indian homes, a wall calendar is never just a grid of dates. It hangs in the puja room or the kitchen, and the whole family turns to it before fixing a wedding date, starting a new business, checking when the next Ekadashi falls, or deciding whether today is the right day to sign an important document. The Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar is one of the names people search for every year when they want exactly this kind of guidance.
This guide brings together everything a family needs from a Hindu Panchang for 2026 — the full twelve-month festival table, the complete Ekadashi list, the Adhik Maas period that makes this year unusual, the Vivah Muhurat windows, eclipse dates, and a plain-English explanation of Rahu Kaal and Choghadiya. Every date here has been cross-checked against multiple current Panchang references rather than copied from a single listing, so you can use it as a reliable quick-reference for the whole year.
A note before you start: exact Tithi timings, Muhurat windows, and Rahu Kaal shift by a few minutes from city to city depending on local sunrise. Use this page for the dates, and confirm exact timings with your printed Panchang or a local pandit before any major ceremony.
Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar 2026 PDF
Most families today want their Panchang on the phone, not just on the wall. A printed calendar stays at home, but a digital copy travels with you — so you can check a Muhurat while you’re at the market, confirm a Tithi during a temple visit, or settle a date over a family video call without running back to the puja room.
| Month | Festival & Vrat Guide |
|---|---|
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar January 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar February 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar March 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar April 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar May 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar June 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar July 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar August 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar September 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar October 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar November 2026 | View Calendar |
| Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar December 2026 | View Calendar |
These monthly pages are our own compiled festival and Vrat summaries, based on standard Panchang calculations. They are not scanned reproductions of the printed Babu Lal Chaturvedi Panchang.
Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar 2026: Month-by-Month Festival Table
Here is the complete twelve-month overview for 2026, covering major festivals, Vrats, and national holidays.
| Month | Key Festivals and Observances (2026) |
|---|---|
| January | New Year’s Day (1 Jan) · Lohri (13 Jan) · Makar Sankranti / Pongal (14 Jan) · Shattila Ekadashi (14 Jan) · Mauni Amavasya (18 Jan) · Vasant Panchami / Saraswati Puja (23 Jan) · Republic Day (26 Jan) · Jaya Ekadashi (29 Jan) |
| February | Magha Purnima / Thai Pooyam / Guru Ravidas Jayanti (1 Feb) · Vijaya Ekadashi & Kumbha Sankranti (13 Feb) · Maha Shivratri (15 Feb) · Phalguna Amavasya + annular solar eclipse, not visible in India (17 Feb) · Shivaji Jayanti (19 Feb) · Amalaki Ekadashi (27 Feb) |
| March | Holika Dahan + total lunar eclipse (3 Mar) · Holi / Dhulandi (4 Mar) · Rang Panchami (8 Mar) · Papmochani Ekadashi (15 Mar) · Kharmas begins with Meena Sankranti (15 Mar) · Chaitra Navratri begins / Gudi Padwa / Ugadi (19 Mar) · Gangaur (21 Mar) · Ram Navami (26 Mar) · Kamada Ekadashi (29 Mar) |
| April | Hanuman Jayanti (2 Apr) · Varuthini Ekadashi (13 Apr) · Mesha Sankranti / Vishu / Baisakhi (around 14 Apr) · Akshaya Tritiya & Parashurama Jayanti (19 Apr) · Mohini Ekadashi (27 Apr) |
| May | Buddha Purnima / Vaishakh Purnima (1 May) · Narasimha Jayanti (8 May) · Apara Ekadashi (13 May) · Jyeshtha Amavasya & Shani Jayanti (16 May) · Adhik Maas (Purushottam Maas) begins 17 May · Padmini Ekadashi (27 May) · Adhik Maas Purnima (31 May) |
| June | Parama Ekadashi (11 Jun) · Adhik Maas ends 15 Jun · Nirjala Ekadashi (25 Jun) · Vat Savitri Vrat and Ganga Dussehra fall later than usual this year because of Adhik Maas |
| July | Yogini Ekadashi (10 Jul) · Jagannath Rath Yatra (mid-Jul) · Karka Sankranti / Dakshinayan begins (around 16 Jul) · Devshayani Ekadashi — Chaturmas begins, weddings pause (25 Jul) · Guru Purnima (29 Jul) · Sawan begins in North India (30 Jul) |
| August | Sawan Somwars (3, 10, 17, 24 Aug) · Kamika Ekadashi (9 Aug) · Hariyali Amavasya (12 Aug) · Total solar eclipse, not visible in India (12 Aug) · Hariyali Teej & Independence Day (15 Aug) · Nag Panchami (17 Aug) · Shravana Putrada Ekadashi (23 Aug) · Raksha Bandhan (28 Aug) + partial lunar eclipse |
| September | Krishna Janmashtami (4 Sep) · Aja Ekadashi (7 Sep) · Ganesh Chaturthi & Hartalika Teej (14 Sep) · Rishi Panchami (15 Sep) · Vishwakarma Puja (17 Sep) · Radha Ashtami (19 Sep) · Parivartini Ekadashi (22 Sep) · Anant Chaturdashi / Ganesh Visarjan (25 Sep) · Pitru Paksha begins (27 Sep) |
| October | Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct) · Indira Ekadashi (6 Oct) · Sharad Navratri begins (11 Oct) · Thulam / Tula Sankranti (17 Oct) · Durga Ashtami (18 Oct) · Maha Navami (19 Oct) · Dussehra / Vijayadashami (20 Oct) · Papankusha Ekadashi (22 Oct) · Sharad Purnima (25–26 Oct) · Karwa Chauth (29 Oct) |
| November | Ahoi Ashtami (1 Nov) · Rama Ekadashi (5 Nov) · Dhanteras (6 Nov) · Choti Diwali (7 Nov) · Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (8 Nov) · Govardhan Puja & Somvati Amavasya (9 Nov) · Bhai Dooj (10 Nov) · Chhath Puja Sandhya Arghya (15 Nov) · Dev Uthani Ekadashi & Tulsi Vivah — Chaturmas ends (20 Nov) · Weddings resume (21 Nov) · Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepawali / Guru Nanak Jayanti (24 Nov) |
| December | Utpanna Ekadashi (4 Dec) · Vivah Panchami (14 Dec) · Dhanu Sankranti — Kharmas begins (16 Dec) · Gita Jayanti & Mokshada Ekadashi (20 Dec) · Margashirsha Purnima & Dattatreya Jayanti (23 Dec) · Christmas (25 Dec) |
Adhik Maas 2026: Why This Year Is Different
The single most important thing to understand about the 2026 calendar is Adhik Maas, and it’s the reason several familiar mid-year festivals land later than you might expect.
Adhik Maas — also called Purushottam Maas or Mal Maas — is an extra lunar month inserted roughly once every two to three years to keep the lunar calendar aligned with the solar year. Without it, Hindu festivals would slowly drift out of their proper seasons entirely.
In 2026, Adhik Maas runs from 17 May to 15 June, and because it attaches itself to the Jyeshtha month, this year features a rare double Jyeshtha — a thirteen-month lunar year.
What this means in practice
- No weddings, engagements, Griha Pravesh, or Mundan ceremonies are traditionally held during this month. If you were planning a late-May or early-June wedding, this is the reason your pandit will likely say no.
- Festivals shift later. Nirjala Ekadashi, Vat Savitri Vrat, and Ganga Dussehra all fall later in 2026 than in a normal year. If you are working from an older calendar or from memory, double-check these.
- Two extra Ekadashis appear — Padmini Ekadashi on 27 May and Parama Ekadashi on 11 June. These occur only during an Adhik Maas and are considered rare opportunities for Vishnu worship.
- Spiritually, the month is considered extremely auspicious. According to tradition, the month was initially rejected by every deity as “impure” until Lord Vishnu accepted it as His own and gave it His name, Purushottam. Fasting, charity, Satyanarayan Katha, and Vishnu Sahasranama recitation during this period are believed to carry multiplied merit.
So the rule of thumb for 2026 is simple: worldly ceremonies pause, devotional practice intensifies.
Complete Ekadashi List 2026
Ekadashi falls on the eleventh lunar day of each fortnight, giving two Ekadashis per lunar month — one in the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and one in the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is the most widely observed fast in the Hindu calendar.
Here are all twenty-four Ekadashi dates falling within 2026, including the two rare Adhik Maas Ekadashis:
| Date | Ekadashi | Date | Ekadashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Shattila | 25 Jul | Devshayani (Chaturmas begins) |
| 29 Jan | Jaya | 9 Aug | Kamika |
| 13 Feb | Vijaya | 23 Aug | Shravana Putrada |
| 27 Feb | Amalaki | 7 Sep | Aja |
| 15 Mar | Papmochani | 22 Sep | Parivartini |
| 29 Mar | Kamada | 6 Oct | Indira |
| 13 Apr | Varuthini | 22 Oct | Papankusha |
| 27 Apr | Mohini | 5 Nov | Rama |
| 13 May | Apara | 20 Nov | Devutthana (Chaturmas ends) |
| 27 May | Padmini (Adhik Maas) | 4 Dec | Utpanna |
| 11 Jun | Parama (Adhik Maas) | 20 Dec | Mokshada / Vaikuntha |
| 25 Jun | Nirjala | ||
| 10 Jul | Yogini |
Three of these deserve special attention. Nirjala Ekadashi (25 June) is observed without even a drop of water and is believed to carry the merit of all the year’s Ekadashi fasts combined. Devshayani Ekadashi (25 July) marks the start of Chaturmas, when Lord Vishnu enters Yoga Nidra. Devutthana Ekadashi (20 November) marks His awakening — and the reopening of the wedding season.
Purnima, Amavasya and Pradosh Vrat
Purnima (full moon) is closely associated with Satyanarayan Puja, charity, and community meals. Amavasya (new moon) is traditionally reserved for Pitru Tarpan — remembrance of ancestors. Two Amavasyas carry extra weight when they align with particular weekdays: Somvati Amavasya falling on a Monday, and Shanishchari Amavasya falling on a Saturday. In 2026, both occur — Shani Amavasya on 16 May and Somvati Amavasya on 9 November, the day of Govardhan Puja.
Pradosh Vrat, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, falls twice a month on the Trayodashi Tithi and is observed during Pradosh Kaal — roughly the ninety minutes surrounding sunset. Som Pradosh (Monday) and Shani Pradosh (Saturday) are considered especially powerful.
Vivah Muhurat 2026: Wedding Dates and the Periods to Avoid
Hindu wedding dates are never picked at random. Families look for a Shubh Muhurat — a favourable combination of Tithi, Nakshatra, and planetary position. For 2026, the broad picture looks like this:
Favourable windows: roughly late January through mid-May (Magha, Phalguna, and Vaishakha months), and then again from 21 November through December, once Chaturmas ends.
Periods to avoid in 2026:
- Kharmas / Malmas (15 March to mid-April): begins when the Sun enters Pisces at Meena Sankranti. Weddings pause.
- Adhik Maas (17 May to 15 June): no weddings, Griha Pravesh, or other major auspicious ceremonies.
- Chaturmas (25 July to 20 November): the four-month period from Devshayani to Devutthana Ekadashi, when Lord Vishnu is believed to be in cosmic sleep. This is the longest restriction of the year.
- Kharmas again (from 16 December): begins with Dhanu Sankranti, when the Sun enters Sagittarius, and continues into mid-January 2027.
This is why late November and December 2026 see such a concentration of weddings — it is the first clear window after a four-month gap, and it closes again on 16 December.
One important caution: a calendar can only tell you the generally accepted auspicious windows. For the actual Mandap ceremony, a personal Muhurat should be calculated against the birth charts of both the bride and groom by a qualified astrologer. Guru and Shukra Tara Vedh — periods when Jupiter or Venus are astrologically weak — can rule out a date that otherwise looks favourable on paper.
Rahu Kaal and Choghadiya, Explained Simply
Rahu Kaal is a window of roughly ninety minutes that occurs once every day, at a different time depending on the weekday and your city’s sunrise. Vedic tradition treats this period as unsuitable for starting anything new — signing a deal, buying a vehicle, or beginning a long journey. A good Panchang marks it clearly, usually in red, so the family can plan around it without calculating anything themselves. Note that Rahu Kaal is generally considered a caution for beginning something new, not a reason to halt work already underway.
Choghadiya divides both the day and the night into eight slots of roughly ninety minutes each, labelling every slot as favourable or unfavourable. Amrit, Shubh, and Labh Choghadiya are considered the best windows to begin something important, while Rog, Kaal, and Udveg are generally avoided. A task planned outside Rahu Kaal and inside a good Choghadiya slot is traditionally considered to have the best chance of success.
Eclipses in 2026 and Sutak Kaal
2026 is an unusually active eclipse year, and two of the four eclipses fall on dates that matter religiously:
| Date | Eclipse | Visible in India? |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Feb 2026 | Annular solar eclipse | No |
| 3 Mar 2026 | Total lunar eclipse — coincides with Holika Dahan | Partially, region-dependent |
| 12 Aug 2026 | Total solar eclipse | No |
| 28 Aug 2026 | Partial lunar eclipse — coincides with Raksha Bandhan | Partially, region-dependent |
Sutak Kaal is the period before an eclipse when temple doors close and cooking, eating, and auspicious activities are traditionally avoided — nine hours before a lunar eclipse and twelve hours before a solar one. Crucially, Sutak is generally observed only where the eclipse is actually visible. Because the two solar eclipses of 2026 are not visible from India, Sutak restrictions do not apply for them locally.
The 3 March lunar eclipse falling on Holika Dahan is worth planning around, since some temples and regions adjust the bonfire timing that evening. Your local priest is the better authority on how your community handles it.
What a Good Panchang Wall Calendar Includes
If you are buying a printed Panchang for 2026, these are the features worth checking for:
- Daily Tithi and Nakshatra, so you know the lunar date, not just the English one
- Rahu Kaal timings, marked separately
- Choghadiya timings for both day and night
- A full list of Vrats and festivals, including every Ekadashi, Purnima, and Amavasya
- Auspicious dates for weddings (Vivah Muhurat), Griha Pravesh, Mundan, and Vidyarambh
- Eclipse dates with the associated Sutak Kaal
- Information on Panchak, Bhadra, and other periods considered sensitive for new work
- City-wise sunrise and sunset timings, or at least a reference city close to yours
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar 2026 available as a free PDF? The original printed edition is a copyrighted publication, so a complete scanned copy cannot be legally shared for free online. You can buy the printed version from a local stationery or pooja shop, or from a trusted online seller, and use this page as a free quick-reference summary of the year’s dates.
Why do Hindu festival dates change every year? Most major festivals — Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Navratri — are fixed to a lunar Tithi, not a fixed English date. Because the lunar and Gregorian calendars don’t align exactly, these dates shift by roughly ten to twenty days each year. Solar festivals like Makar Sankranti stay close to the same date annually.
What is Adhik Maas and when does it fall in 2026? Adhik Maas is an extra lunar month added roughly every two to three years to keep the lunar and solar calendars aligned. In 2026 it runs from 17 May to 15 June as Adhik Jyeshtha. Weddings, Griha Pravesh, and other major auspicious ceremonies are traditionally avoided during this period, though devotional practice is considered especially rewarding.
When is Diwali in 2026? Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, with the five-day celebration running from Dhanteras on 6 November through Bhai Dooj on 10 November.
When do weddings resume after Chaturmas in 2026? Wedding ceremonies resume from 21 November 2026, the day after Dev Uthani Ekadashi. That window closes again on 16 December when Kharmas begins with Dhanu Sankranti.
How many Ekadashi fasts are there in 2026? Twenty-four Ekadashi dates fall within the 2026 calendar year, including the two rare Adhik Maas Ekadashis — Padmini on 27 May and Parama on 11 June.
When is Nirjala Ekadashi in 2026? Nirjala Ekadashi falls on 25 June 2026 — later than usual this year because of Adhik Maas. If you have seen an earlier date listed elsewhere, it is likely from a source that did not account for the extra month.
Can I rely on a printed calendar’s Muhurat for my wedding without consulting an astrologer? A printed Panchang gives you the generally accepted auspicious windows, which is an excellent starting point for narrowing down dates. For the exact date and time of the ceremony, it is best to also have a personal Muhurat checked against the Kundli of both the bride and groom.
Are there any eclipses affecting festivals in 2026? Yes. A total lunar eclipse falls on 3 March, the same evening as Holika Dahan, and a partial lunar eclipse falls on 28 August, the day of Raksha Bandhan. The two solar eclipses of the year, on 17 February and 12 August, are not visible from India, so Sutak restrictions do not apply locally for those.
Where can I check today’s Tithi or Rahu Kaal for my city? Your printed Panchang will give it for a reference city. For exact-to-the-minute timings for your own location, a dedicated Panchang website or app, or a local astrologer, is the most accurate source.
Final Thoughts
A calendar like the Babu Lal Chaturvedi Panchang survives in Indian homes for one simple reason: it turns something as complex as Vedic astronomy into a daily habit anyone in the family can follow. Whether you are checking today’s Tithi, working around the unusual Adhik Maas period this year, planning a wedding in the narrow November–December window, or just wanting to know when the next Ekadashi falls, 2026 is a year where having the dates straight genuinely matters — the extra lunar month shifts enough festivals that older calendars and half-remembered patterns will lead you wrong.