Hindu Calendar 2024 with Holidays and Festivals List

Hindu Calendar 2024: The Hindu calendar, popularly known as Panchang is a system of timekeeping based on movement of sun and moon. It is curated with a perfect blend of astronomy, mythology, and religious observances. All the Hindu festivals, and celebrations are based on Hindu Calendar. 

The Hindu calendar comes in many different regional variations, each with its own unique names for months and years. However, Months are based on the moon's phases, while years are based on the sun's movement around the zodiac. Hindu calendar completely refers to Hindu gods and goddesses. All the 12 months of the calendar are named after Hindu deities and many festivals celebrate the stories of these gods and goddesses.

This article will plan your day, week, month and year according to the Hindu Calendar. Check out all the religious holidays and observances in the upcoming year.  

List of 12 Months of Hindu Calendar 2024

List of Religious Holidays of Hindu in 2024

This article includes a month wise list of popular Hindu festivals in the year 2024. These Hindu festivals are determined by the position of the Sun and the Moon. Hence, the day and dates for the festival might differ between two cities depending on the time zones. 

Source: Drik Panchang

Important Hindu Festivals in 2024

Makar Sankranti: Vasant Panchami celebrates the beginning of spring, Vasant Panchami, also known as Vasanta Panchami or Saraswati Puja. It majorly honors and celebrates the Hindu goddess Saraswati in some regions, whereas every Indian state and city celebrates it differently.

Vasant Panchami: Makar Sankranti is a joyful Hindu holiday observed on January 14 (sometimes January 15 in leap years) in India and other parts of the world.The day commemorates the transition of sun from the Sagittarius to the Capricorn signs. 

Maha Shivaratri: Every year in February or March, Hindus celebrate Maha Shivaratri, a holiday dedicated to the god Shiva. The event is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha, as per the Hindu calendar. The festival commemorates the wedding of Shiva and Parvati,and the occasion that Shiva performs his divine dance, called the Tandava.

Rama Navami: The Hindu holiday of Rama Navami commemorates the birth of Rama, who is regarded as the seventh avatar of Vishnu and one of the most beloved gods in Hinduism. He is frequently revered as a symbol of the perfect monarch and an icon of morality, integrity, and virtue.

Akshay Tritya:  Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej, is an annual Jain and Hindu spring festival. It falls on the third tithi of the bright half of the month of Vaisakha. It is regionally observed as an auspicious day by Hindus and Jains in India, it signifies the "third day of unending prosperity".

Guru Purnima: Guru Purnima is a religious holiday devoted to paying tribute to all gurus, both academic and spiritual. Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists commemorate it as a festival in India, Nepal, and Bhutan to honour and acknowledge the hard work of spiritual leaders or teachers.

Krishna Janmashtami: An annual Hindu holiday, Krishna Janmashtami (also called Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami) is an annual holiday which commemorates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It is celebrated and observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha in Shravana or Bhadrapada month.

Ganesh Chaturthi: Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, is a Hindu festival that honors Hindu deity Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay murtis privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals.

Shardiya Navratri: Every year, Hindus celebrate Navratri in commemoration of the goddess Durga, who is the manifestation of the supreme goddess Adi Parashakti. Among the most significant Navratris of the year is the fourth one, which falls after the autumnal season (Sharada). The nine fortunate days are enthusiastically celebrated around the country using a variety of rituals and customs. Also, Durga Puja and Dussehra are celebrated on the tenth day or final day to commemorate the victory of good over evil.

Karthika Purnima: Kartika Purnima is a Hindu, Sikhism and Jain cultural festival that is celebrated on Purnima. It falls in November or December of the Gregorian calendar and is also known as Tripurari Purnima or Deva-Deepavali, the gods' festival of lights.

Dhanu Sankranti: An auspicious occasion known as Dhanu Sankraman or Dhanu Sankranti is celebrated when the Sun enters the Dhanu Rashi or Sagittarius sign. On this day, Lord Surya moves from Scorpio to Sagittarius, and people devote a significant deal of time to praying to him. The ninth house in the Sagittarian horoscope is ruled by the Sun.

Hindu calendar is beyond festivals and celebrations. It includes the wisdom of Jyotish and the Vedic science of astrology. Consulting Panchang (Hindu calendar) ensures the best period and auspicious occasion to begin new ventures, perform rituals, weddings and celebrate life’s milestones. 

List of Holidays in 2024 By Central Government