Festivals are out in September 2026: From Haritalika Teej, Janmashtami, Ganesh Utsav to Pitripaksha, see the list of fasts and festivals of the entire month, janmashtami 2026 date and shubh muhurat.

According to Sanatan Panchang, with the beginning of the month of September of the year 2026, there is going to be a flurry of holy festivals of Bhadrapada (Bhadon) and Ashwin months. This month is considered extremely sacred in Hindu religion from the point of view of spiritual practice, devotion, fasting and cultural celebration. While the echoes of the birth anniversary of Lord Shri Krishna will be heard in the first week of September, Haritalika Teej, the festival of unbroken good fortune for married women, and the 10-day Ganeshotsav of Lord Shri Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles, will be celebrated with great pomp across the country. Apart from this, in the second half of the month, the great festival of reverence and offering to ancestors ‘Shraddha Paksha’ (Pitru Paksha) will also begin.

In the first week of September, the birth anniversary of Lord Shri Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, i.e. ‘Shri Krishna Janmashtami’ (Janmashtami 2026) will be celebrated with utmost devotion and joy. Kanha’s birth ceremony will take place at 12 midnight on the Ashtami date of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month and in conjunction with Rohini Nakshatra.

• Tableaux in Mathura-Vrindavan and across the country: On this auspicious occasion, grand flower bungalows, Chhappan Bhog and Bal Gopal’s cradle will be decorated in the temples. Devotees will observe fast throughout the day without water or fruits and will perform Parana after worshiping at night.

• Dahi Handi Festival: On Navami Tithi, the next day of Janmashtami, traditional ‘Dahi Handi’ and ‘Govinda Aala Re’ will be celebrated across the country including Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat, in which groups of youth will break pots by forming human pyramids.

The most difficult and faithful festival of women ‘Haritalika Teej’ will be celebrated on the third day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month.

• Worship of Mother Parvati and Lord Shiva: According to religious beliefs, on this day Mother Parvati performed rigorous penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Married women and unmarried girls keep a 24-hour waterless fast to get the desired groom.

• Special decoration of clay statues: In the evening, during Pradosh period, the idols made of black clay of Lord Shiva, Mother Parvati and Shri Ganesha are worshiped with rituals, Suhaag Pitari is offered and the mythological story of Teej is heard by keeping vigil throughout the night.

The ten-day long ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ will be inaugurated on the Chaturthi date of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha, the very next day of Haritalika Teej.

• Ganesh Sthapana: On this day, during the auspicious Choghadiya and afternoon hours, the idols of ‘Vighnaharta’ Lord Ganesha will be consecrated with rituals in homes and grand public pandals.

• Modak Bhog and Cultural Evenings: For the next 10 days, daily aarti, offering of modaks and laddus and bhajan evenings will be organized across the country, especially in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and South India.

• Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh immersion: On the day of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi i.e. ‘Anant Chaturdashi’, Bappa will be bid farewell with moist eyes and drums and immersion in water sources.

The fast of ‘Rishi Panchami’ will be observed on the next day of Ganesh Chaturthi i.e. Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami. On this day, seven sages (Kashyap, Atri, Bhardwaj, Vishwamitra, Gautam, Jamadagni and Vashishtha) are worshiped and the sins and faults committed unknowingly are forgiven. After this, on Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami, the great festival of ‘Radha Ashtami’ will be celebrated with great enthusiasm in Barsana, Mathura and the entire Braj Mandal. It is believed that the fast of Janmashtami remains incomplete without the worship of Radha Ashtami.

The 16-day ‘Pitru Paksha’ (Pitru Paksha 2026) will begin in the last fortnight of September, running from Bhadrapada Purnima to Ashwin Amavasya (Sarvapitri Amavasya).

• Tarpan and Pind Daan: According to Hindu tradition, during this period, Shraddha rituals, Pind Daan and Tarpan are performed at Gaya Ji, Prayagraj, Haridwar and at home for the peace and salvation of the souls of ancestors.

• Charity and Panchabali Karma: During Pitru Paksha, there is a tradition of offering food (Panchabali) to cows, dogs, crows, ants and Brahmins. This period is considered to be the best time to express gratitude towards ancestors and get freedom from Pitra Dosh.

• Shri Krishna Janmashtami: Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami

• Dahi Handi Festival: Bhadrapada Krishna Navami

• Aja Ekadashi: Bhadrapada Krishna Ekadashi

• Haritalika Teej: Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya

• Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav begins): Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi

• Rishi Panchami: Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami

• Radha Ashtami: Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami

• Parivartini Ekadashi (Padma Ekadashi): Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi

• Anant Chaturdashi (Ganesh immersion): Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi

• Bhadrapada Purnima and Pitru Paksha (Shraddha) start: Bhadrapada Purnima