Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar March 2026 is one of the most eventful months on the Hindu calendar. It carries the final fortnight of Phalguna month, watches Vikram Samvat 2082 give way to Vikram Samvat 2083 (Saka Samvat 1948), and opens the door to Chaitra — the very first month of the Hindu lunar new year. For readers following the Babu Lal Chaturvedi Calendar tradition across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Chhattisgarh, this month brings Holi, a rare total lunar eclipse on the very day of Holika Dahan, Chaitra Navratri, the Hindu New Year, and Ram Navami — all inside 31 days.
This edition has been cross-checked against standard Vikram Samvat Panchang calculations for Central India (Ujjain reference point) so that tithi, nakshatra and festival dates are dependable. Note that exact sunrise, sunset and tithi-transition minutes shift slightly depending on your exact city — always confirm hyper-local timings with a live Panchang tool before fixing a muhurat for something as important as a wedding or Griha Pravesh.
📅 March 2026: Complete 31-Day Panchang Table
| Date | Day | Tithi & Paksha | Nakshatra | Sunrise | Sunset | Festival / Vrat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1 | Sun | Phalguna Shukla Trayodashi | Pushya | 6:48 AM | 6:29 PM | — |
| Mar 2 | Mon | Phalguna Shukla Chaturdashi | Ashlesha | 6:47 AM | 6:30 PM | Holashtak ends |
| Mar 3 | Tue | Phalguna Purnima | Magha | 6:47 AM | 6:30 PM | Holika Dahan, Total Lunar Eclipse, Satyanarayan Puja |
| Mar 4 | Wed | Phalguna Krishna Pratipada | Purva Phalguni | 6:46 AM | 6:31 PM | Holi / Rangwali Holi / Dhulandi |
| Mar 5 | Thu | Krishna Dwitiya | Uttara Phalguni | 6:45 AM | 6:31 PM | — |
| Mar 6 | Fri | Krishna Tritiya | Hasta | 6:44 AM | 6:32 PM | — |
| Mar 7 | Sat | Krishna Chaturthi | Chitra | 6:43 AM | 6:32 PM | Sankashti Chaturthi |
| Mar 8 | Sun | Krishna Panchami | Swati | 6:42 AM | 6:33 PM | Rang Panchami |
| Mar 9 | Mon | Krishna Shashthi | Vishakha | 6:41 AM | 6:33 PM | — |
| Mar 10 | Tue | Krishna Saptami | Anuradha | 6:40 AM | 6:33 PM | — |
| Mar 11 | Wed | Krishna Ashtami | Jyeshtha | 6:39 AM | 6:34 PM | Sheetala Ashtami / Basoda |
| Mar 12 | Thu | Krishna Navami | Mula | 6:38 AM | 6:34 PM | — |
| Mar 13 | Fri | Krishna Dashami | Purva Ashadha | 6:37 AM | 6:35 PM | — |
| Mar 14 | Sat | Krishna Dashami (spans to next day) | Uttara Ashadha | 6:36 AM | 6:35 PM | — |
| Mar 15 | Sun | Krishna Ekadashi | Shravana | 6:36 AM | 6:35 PM | Papmochani Ekadashi, Meena Sankranti |
| Mar 16 | Mon | Krishna Dwadashi | Dhanishtha | 6:35 AM | 6:36 PM | — |
| Mar 17 | Tue | Krishna Trayodashi | Shatabhisha | 6:34 AM | 6:36 PM | Pradosh Vrat (Krishna Paksha) |
| Mar 18 | Wed | Krishna Chaturdashi | Purva Bhadrapada | 6:33 AM | 6:37 PM | Masik Shivratri |
| Mar 19 | Thu | Krishna Amavasya → Chaitra Shukla Pratipada begins | Uttara Bhadrapada | 6:32 AM | 6:37 PM | Chaitra Amavasya, Hindu New Year (VS 2083), Navratri Ghatasthapana, Gudi Padwa, Ugadi |
| Mar 20 | Fri | Chaitra Shukla Dwitiya | Revati | 6:31 AM | 6:37 PM | Navratri Day 2 – Maa Brahmacharini |
| Mar 21 | Sat | Chaitra Shukla Tritiya | Ashwini | 6:30 AM | 6:38 PM | Navratri Day 3 – Maa Chandraghanta, Gangaur |
| Mar 22 | Sun | Chaitra Shukla Chaturthi | Bharani | 6:29 AM | 6:38 PM | Navratri Day 4 – Maa Kushmanda |
| Mar 23 | Mon | Chaitra Shukla Panchami | Krittika | 6:28 AM | 6:38 PM | Navratri Day 5 – Maa Skandamata, Shaheed Diwas |
| Mar 24 | Tue | Chaitra Shukla Shashthi | Rohini | 6:27 AM | 6:39 PM | Navratri Day 6 – Maa Katyayani |
| Mar 25 | Wed | Chaitra Shukla Saptami | Mrigashirsha | 6:26 AM | 6:39 PM | Navratri Day 7 – Maa Kalaratri |
| Mar 26 | Thu | Chaitra Shukla Ashtami | Ardra | 6:25 AM | 6:40 PM | Navratri Day 8 – Maa Mahagauri, Durga Ashtami, Ram Navami* |
| Mar 27 | Fri | Chaitra Shukla Navami | Punarvasu | 6:24 AM | 6:40 PM | Navratri Day 9 – Maa Siddhidatri, Navratri Parana |
| Mar 28 | Sat | Chaitra Shukla Dashami | Pushya | 6:23 AM | 6:40 PM | — |
| Mar 29 | Sun | Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi | Ashlesha | 6:22 AM | 6:41 PM | Kamada Ekadashi |
| Mar 30 | Mon | Chaitra Shukla Dwadashi | Magha | 6:21 AM | 6:41 PM | — |
| Mar 31 | Tue | Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi | Purva Phalguni | 6:20 AM | 6:41 PM | Pradosh Vrat (Shukla Paksha) |
*Ram Navami note: Because the Navami tithi spans two sunrises this year, some Panchangs place Ram Navami on the 26th (madhyahna rule, followed by most North Indian calendars) and others on the 27th. This calendar follows the more widely observed date of March 26.
🌙 Week-by-Week Panchang Overview
Week 1 (Mar 1–7): Holashtak to Holi. The final days of Phalguna Shukla Paksha close out Holashtak (the eight-day period before Holi considered inauspicious for new beginnings). Phalguna Purnima on March 3 brings Holika Dahan — and this year it coincides with a total lunar eclipse, visible across most of India as the moon rises already partially shadowed. Holi arrives the next day, March 4, opening the Krishna Paksha of Phalguna.
Week 2 (Mar 8–14): Rang Panchami to Basoda. Rang Panchami on March 8 marks the traditional close of the Holi colour season in many households. Krishna Ashtami on March 11 is observed as Sheetala Ashtami (Basoda) in large parts of MP, Rajasthan and UP, where the previous day’s cooked food is offered cold to Sheetala Mata.
Week 3 (Mar 15–19): Ekadashi to the Hindu New Year. Papmochani Ekadashi falls on March 15, the same day the Sun transits into Pisces (Meena Sankranti) — this begins the one-month Kharmas / Malmas period, traditionally treated as unsuitable for weddings, Griha Pravesh and other fixed muhurats until the Sun enters Aries in mid-April. The month then turns decisively: Krishna Amavasya on March 19 gives way to Chaitra Shukla Pratipada the same day — Vikram Samvat 2083 begins, Chaitra Navratri opens with Ghatasthapana, and Gudi Padwa/Ugadi are celebrated in western and southern states.
Week 4 (Mar 20–27): Navratri to Ram Navami. Nine days of Durga worship follow, each tied to one of the Navdurga forms. Gangaur is celebrated by married women in Rajasthan and MP on March 21. The festival builds to Durga Ashtami and Ram Navami around March 26, with Navratri Parana (breaking the fast) the next morning.
Final days (Mar 28–31): The month winds down with Kamada Ekadashi on March 29 and a Shukla Paksha Pradosh Vrat on March 31, setting up for Chaitra Purnima and Hanuman Jayanti in early April.
Rahukaal & Abhijit Muhurat
Rahukaal timing follows a fixed weekday order (each day from sunrise to sunset is split into 8 equal parts). For Central India in March 2026 (sunrise ranging 6:20–6:48 AM, sunset 6:29–6:41 PM), the approximate windows are:
- Sunday: ~4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Monday: ~7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
- Tuesday: ~3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Wednesday: ~12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
- Thursday: ~1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
- Friday: ~10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday: ~9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Abhijit Muhurat (considered auspicious for starting new work) falls roughly around 12:00 noon to 12:48 PM through the month in Central India. Both windows shift by a few minutes across the month and vary by city — treat these as a general guide, not minute-exact timings, and check a location-specific Panchang before fixing an important muhurat.
🕉️ Major Vrat & Festivals of March 2026: Vidhi and Significance
1. Ekadashi Vrat (Papmochani – Mar 15, Kamada – Mar 29): Ekadashi is dear to Lord Vishnu. Vrati (observers) traditionally begin sattvik discipline from the Dashami evening itself, bathe before sunrise, and offer yellow flowers, tulsi leaves and til (sesame) or besan-based prasad to Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Rice is avoided on Ekadashi. Reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama in the evening is considered especially beneficial, and the fast is broken (parana) the next morning within the prescribed Dwadashi window.
2. Pradosh Vrat & Masik Shivratri (Mar 17–18): On Pradosh evening — roughly 45 minutes either side of sunset — devotees visit a Shiva temple and offer water, milk, curd, honey and ghee (panchamrit) to the Shivling, followed by bilva leaves and “Om Namah Shivaya” japa. This is believed to bring relief from debt, obstacles and health worries. Masik Shivratri the following day is observed with a night-long vigil and abhishek.
3. Purnima Vrat & Satyanarayan Katha (Mar 3): Purnima this month also carries the added significance of the lunar eclipse. Devotees typically bathe at sunrise, arrange a Satyanarayan Katha at home, and offer evening arghya to the moon with water, milk and white flowers — though given the eclipse, many families adjust timing and perform purification rituals (snan-daan) after the eclipse ends rather than during it, following standard Sutak-period practice.
4. Amavasya & Pitru Tarpan (Mar 19): Chaitra Amavasya is considered auspicious for tarpan (ancestral offerings). After a morning bath, black til, kusha grass and water are offered facing south, and a mustard-oil lamp is lit beneath a peepal tree.
5. Holi & Holika Dahan (Mar 3–4): Holika Dahan is performed at dusk, symbolising the triumph of devotion (Prahlad) over ego and cruelty (Holika). The next morning, Rangwali Holi is celebrated with colours, sweets and community gatherings.
6. Chaitra Navratri & Ram Navami (Mar 19–27): Ghatasthapana on Day 1 invokes Goddess Durga through a Kalash. Each of the nine days is dedicated to one Navdurga form, closing with Ram Navami — the birth anniversary of Lord Rama — and Navratri Parana the following morning.
🔮 March 2026 Rashifal — Monthly Outlook for All 12 Rashis
The predictions below reflect general trends in traditional Vedic astrology for March 2026, shaped in part by the Sun’s transit into Pisces around March 15 and the spiritual energy of Navratri. They are meant as broad, traditional guidance and cultural entertainment — not personalised advice. For decisions on health, finance, career or relationships, please consult a qualified professional.
Mesh (Aries): A steady, encouraging month for work matters — colleagues and seniors are likely to notice your effort. Family gatherings during Holi bring warmth. Remedy: offer water to the rising sun each morning.
Vrishabh (Taurus): Property, vehicle or home-related plans move forward. Past dues may get settled. Keep spending in check during the Navratri fortnight. Remedy: offer white sweets to Goddess Lakshmi on Friday.
Mithun (Gemini): Communication and negotiation skills work in your favour — good month for partnerships and interviews. Students preparing for exams see steady progress. Remedy: offer durva grass to Ganesha on Wednesday.
Kark (Cancer): Financial stability improves gradually; a pending payment or refund may come through. Travel for religious or family reasons is likely around Navratri. Remedy: offer milk to Shivling on Monday.
Simha (Leo): With the Sun still favourable early in the month, confidence and visibility at work rise. A recognition or added responsibility is possible. Remedy: recite the Aditya Hridaya Stotra at sunrise.
Kanya (Virgo): Interest in spiritual practice deepens, and useful new professional contacts may emerge. Minor health niggles ease as the month progresses. Remedy: light a mustard-oil lamp under a peepal tree on Saturday.
Tula (Libra): New income opportunities open up, and support from friends or seniors helps clear old obstacles, including pending legal or paperwork matters. Remedy: recite Shri Sukta on Friday.
Vrishchik (Scorpio): A long-pending promotion, raise or business deal shows real movement this month. Family responsibilities keep you busy but fulfilled. Remedy: recite Bajrang Baan on Tuesday.
Dhanu (Sagittarius): Vishnu’s grace is emphasised this month — favourable for pilgrimage, higher learning and spiritual study, especially once Navratri begins. Remedy: worship a banana tree on Thursday.
Makar (Capricorn): Health and diet deserve extra attention; avoid speculative investments. Steady, consistent effort brings moderate but real business gains. Remedy: worship Lord Shani on Saturday.
Kumbh (Aquarius): Relationships strengthen, with singles possibly meeting someone promising. Business partnerships show good potential for growth. Remedy: donate black til and mustard oil on Saturday.
Meen (Pisces): With the Sun entering your sign mid-month, self-confidence rises and old health concerns start easing. Competitive exam preparation goes well. Remedy: offer yellow flowers to Vishnu on Thursday.
🌿 Ayurveda & Seasonal Wellness: Vasant Ritucharya for March 2026
March marks Vasant Ritu (spring) transitioning toward Grishma in the Ayurvedic calendar — a season Charaka and Vagbhata describe as a natural time for the body to shed the heaviness (kapha) built up over winter.
- Diet: Favour light, warm, freshly cooked food. Reduce oily, deep-fried and stale items, and be cautious with food from open street stalls as temperatures start rising.
- Water & hygiene: Boil drinking water for about ten minutes and let it cool before drinking, especially while travelling for Holi or Navratri gatherings — this is a simple, well-established way to reduce the risk of common seasonal stomach infections.
- Daily routine: Waking before sunrise, along with 20–30 minutes of pranayama (anulom-vilom, kapalbhati) and light stretching, is traditionally recommended to support seasonal immunity.
(This section reflects general Ayurvedic lifestyle guidance from classical texts, not medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor or Ayurvedic physician for any specific health condition.)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When is Holi in March 2026?
Holika Dahan is on March 3, 2026 (Tuesday), and Rangwali Holi/Dhulandi is celebrated the next day, March 4, 2026 (Wednesday).
Q2. Is there a lunar eclipse in March 2026?
Yes — a total lunar eclipse occurs on March 3, 2026, the same day as Holika Dahan. In most of India, the moon rises already partially eclipsed; only India’s north-eastern states and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands catch the tail end of totality.
Q3. When does Chaitra Navratri 2026 start and end?
Chaitra Navratri begins with Ghatasthapana on March 19, 2026, and concludes around Ram Navami on March 26–27, 2026, depending on the local Panchang followed.
Q4. When is Ram Navami in 2026?
Most North Indian Panchangs, including this one, observe Ram Navami on March 26, 2026 (Thursday), the same day as Durga Ashtami.
Q5. What are the Ekadashi fasting dates in March 2026?
Papmochani Ekadashi falls on March 15, 2026, and Kamada Ekadashi falls on March 29, 2026.
Q6. When does the Hindu New Year (Vikram Samvat 2083) begin?
Vikram Samvat 2083 and Saka Samvat 1948 begin on March 19, 2026, with Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
Q7. What is Kharmas/Malmas, and when does it start in March 2026?
Kharmas begins on March 15, 2026, when the Sun transits into Pisces (Meena Sankranti). This roughly month-long period is traditionally avoided for weddings, Griha Pravesh and other fixed auspicious ceremonies.
Q8. When is Purnima and Amavasya in March 2026?
Purnima (Holi Purnima) falls on March 3, 2026, and Amavasya (Chaitra Amavasya) falls on March 19, 2026.