Hindu Calendar 2026

The Hindu calendar, also known as the Panchang, is one of the oldest timekeeping systems still in daily use. Unlike the Gregorian calendar that simply follows the Sun, the Hindu calendar is lunisolar - it tracks both the Moon's phases and the Sun's movement to mark days, months and festivals with remarkable accuracy.

Every date in the Hindu calendar carries rich information: the Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (birth star), Yoga, Karana, Vaar (weekday), along with sunrise, sunset, moon sign and shubh muhurat. This is why millions of Indian families consult it before weddings, housewarming, starting a business or any important event.

The calendar is built on the ancient concept of [Hindu calendar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_calendar) systems, which evolved over thousands of years and remain central to festivals, rituals and daily life across India.

A Hindu month begins with the new moon or full moon, depending on the regional system. North India traditionally follows the Purnimanta system (month ends on full moon), while South India follows the Amanta system (month ends on new moon). Both systems use the same 30 lunar days called tithis.

Each month is split into two halves of 15 days: Shukla Paksha (the bright half, when the Moon waxes) and Krishna Paksha (the dark half, when the Moon wanes). Festivals fall on specific tithis, which is why their dates shift each year on the Gregorian calendar.