Religious Festival Guides
In-depth guides to Islamic, Hindu, Chinese, and Jewish festivals — exact dates for 2026, the traditions behind each holiday, prayers, foods, and what they mean to the people who observe them. Sorted by upcoming date so you never miss what's coming next.
Tisha B'Av 2026: The Day of Mourning
Tisha B'Av 2026 falls on July 23, 2026. When is Tisha B'Av? Exact date, 25-hour fast rules, what to avoid, Eicha reading, the 5 national tragedies, and what to do if it falls on Shabbat.
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Raksha Bandhan 2026: The Bond of Protection
Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on July 29, 2026. When is Raksha Bandhan? Exact date, shubh muhurat to avoid Bhadra, step-by-step rakhi tying ritual, best gifts, and regional customs across India.
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Krishna Janmashtami 2026: The Birth of Lord Krishna
Krishna Janmashtami 2026 falls on August 5, 2026. Midnight Krishna birth celebration, fasting rules, Dahi Handi human pyramids, Raas Leela in Vrindavan, and how the Janmashtami date is calculated.
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Nag Panchami 2026: The Festival of Serpent Worship
Nag Panchami 2026 falls on August 18, 2026. Milk offerings to cobras, Nag temple rituals, serpent symbolism in Hinduism, family protection prayers, and regional Nag Panchami customs.
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Mawlid al-Nabi 2026: The Prophet's Birthday
Mawlid al-Nabi 2026 falls on August 27, 2026. How Mawlid is observed worldwide — Seerah gatherings, Nasheed and Qasida, Shia Milad traditions, and the scholarly discussion on the Prophet's birthday.
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Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur 2026: The High Holy Days
Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur 2026 falls on September 12, 2026. Ten Days of Awe, shofar blowing, symbolic Rosh Hashanah foods, the 25-hour Yom Kippur fast, and the Kol Nidre service explained.
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Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: The Birth of Lord Ganesha
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 15, 2026. Idol installation, daily puja, modak offerings, Mumbai pandal celebrations, and the grand Visarjan immersion on the 10th day.
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Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: The Moon Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 falls on September 25, 2026. Mooncakes, the Chang'e and Jade Rabbit legend, lantern displays, pomelo offerings, and how the Moon Festival is celebrated worldwide.
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Sukkot 2026: The Festival of Tabernacles
Sukkot 2026 falls on September 26, 2026. Sukkah building rules, Four Species waving, Hoshana Rabbah, and how Sukkot ends with Simchat Torah — complete festival guide.
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Simchat Torah 2026: Date, Hakafot Dancing & Torah Reading
Simchat Torah 2026 falls on October 4, 2026. Seven hakafot circuits with Torah scrolls, Kol HaNe'arim blessing, completing and restarting the Torah cycle — the most joyful night in the synagogue.
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Diwali 2026: The Festival of Lights
Diwali 2026 falls on October 11, 2026. Lakshmi puja on the main night, diyas and fireworks, five-day schedule from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, sweets, and how the Diwali date is calculated.
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Navratri & Dussehra 2026: Nine Nights of the Goddess
Navratri & Dussehra 2026 falls on October 12, 2026. Garba and Dandiya dancing, Durga Puja pandals, Ram Leela and Ravana burning, the nine forms of Durga, and Navratri dates explained.
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Chhath Puja 2026: Worship of the Sun God
Chhath Puja 2026 falls on October 19, 2026. Day-by-day Chhath Puja guide — Nahay Khay, Kharna fast, sunset arghya, and sunrise offering to Surya, with no priests required.
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Hanukkah 2026: The Festival of Lights
Hanukkah 2026 falls on December 4, 2026. Candle lighting order and blessings, the Maccabee miracle, latkes and sufganiyot, dreidel, and the full 8-night Hanukkah celebration guide.
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Tu B'Shevat 2027: The New Year of Trees
Tu B'Shevat 2027 falls on January 23, 2027. The Seven Species of Israel, the four-cup Kabbalistic seder, tree planting traditions, and Tu B'Shevat's growing environmental significance.
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Maha Shivaratri 2027: Date, Fasting & Night Worship of Shiva
Maha Shivaratri 2027 falls on February 5, 2027. Fasting rules, the four prahar night worship, bel leaf offerings, jagaran, and how to observe Maha Shivaratri — the most sacred night in Shaiva tradition.
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Ramadan 2027: The Holy Month of Fasting
Ramadan 2027 falls on February 9, 2027. Fasting hours, Suhoor and Iftar, Tarawih prayers, Laylat al-Qadr, who is exempt, and how to prepare for the holy month.
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Lantern Festival 2027: Yuan Xiao Jié
Lantern Festival 2027 falls on February 20, 2027. Paper lanterns, tangyuan glutinous rice balls, lantern riddle games, and how the Lantern Festival closes Chinese New Year celebrations.
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Laylat al-Qadr 2027: The Night of Power
Laylat al-Qadr 2027 falls on March 7, 2027. Night prayer guide, the specific du'a to recite, signs to look for, and why Laylat al-Qadr outweighs 1,000 months of worship.
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Eid al-Fitr 2027: Date, Eid Prayer & Zakat al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr 2027 falls on March 11, 2027. Eid prayer timing, Zakat al-Fitr rules and amount, festive foods, and how Muslims worldwide celebrate the end of Ramadan.
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Holi 2027: The Festival of Colors
Holi 2027 falls on March 22, 2027. Holika Dahan bonfire, the story of Prahlad, colored powder and water play, thandai, and how Holi is celebrated across India and worldwide.
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Purim 2027: The Festival of Lots
Purim 2027 falls on March 23, 2027. Megillah reading, mishloach manot baskets, matanot la'evyonim charity, hamantaschen, and the four mitzvot of Purim explained.
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Qingming Festival 2027: Tomb Sweeping Day
Qingming Festival 2027 falls on April 5, 2027. Grave cleaning rituals, food offerings to ancestors, spring taqing outings, qingtuan foods, and how Qingming is observed in China today.
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Ram Navami 2027: The Birth of Lord Rama
Ram Navami 2027 falls on April 15, 2027. Fasting rules, Ramacharitmanas recitation, Ayodhya celebrations, rath yatra processions, and how the Ram Navami date is calculated.
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Hanuman Jayanti 2027: Date, Chalisa & How to Observe
Hanuman Jayanti 2027 falls on April 21, 2027. Hanuman Chalisa recitation, sindoor offerings, fasting guide, temple processions, and Lord Hanuman's role in the Ramayana.
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Passover 2027: Seder Date, Haggadah & Removing Chametz
Passover 2027 falls on April 22, 2027. The 15-step Passover Seder, Haggadah guide, matzah rules, how to search for and remove chametz, and Passover food restrictions.
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Akshaya Tritiya 2027: The Imperishable Auspicious Day
Akshaya Tritiya 2027 falls on May 8, 2027. Gold buying traditions, weddings, new ventures, and why Akshaya Tritiya is inherently auspicious all day — no separate muhurtat needed.
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Eid al-Adha 2027: The Festival of Sacrifice
Eid al-Adha 2027 falls on May 18, 2027. When is Eid al-Adha? Get the exact date, Qurbani distribution rules, Arafah Day fasting, Eid prayer timing, and how it's celebrated in 10+ countries.
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Hajj 2027: The Annual Pilgrimage to Mecca
Hajj 2027 falls on May 18, 2027. Day-by-day Hajj schedule, Arafah Day, Tawaf, Muzdalifah, the Jamarat stoning, and who is required to perform the pilgrimage.
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Islamic New Year 2027: 1 Muharram
Islamic New Year 2027 falls on June 7, 2027. How the Hijri calendar works, the sacred month of Muharram, Ashura fasting, and how Muslims observe the Islamic New Year.
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Dragon Boat Festival 2027: Duanwu Jie
Dragon Boat Festival 2027 falls on June 8, 2027. When is Dragon Boat Festival? Exact date, dragon boat race traditions, zongzi dumplings, Qu Yuan legend, and which countries observe it as a public holiday.
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Shavuot 2027: The Feast of Weeks
Shavuot 2027 falls on June 11, 2027. All-night Torah study, dairy foods explained, the Book of Ruth, and how the 49-day Omer count connects Shavuot to Passover.
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Ashura 2027: The 10th of Muharram
Ashura 2027 falls on June 16, 2027. Ashura fast rules, how to fast on 9th and 10th Muharram, Sunni and Shia differences, and the historical significance of 10 Muharram.
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Chinese New Year 2026: Spring Festival
Reunion dinner, red envelopes, dragon dances, house cleaning rituals, lucky and unlucky customs, and the 12-year zodiac cycle explained.
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Guru Purnima 2026: The Festival of Teachers
Pada puja for teachers, Buddhist Asalha Puja at Sarnath, Jain observance, Vyasa Purnima significance, and how Guru Purnima is observed.
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