Learn about key Jain festivals and celebrations in 2026, including their significance, dates, and how they are observed.
Last updated on: March 23, 2026
Jain festivals are rooted in spirituality, providing moments of reflection and renewal. In 2026, celebrations like Paryushan and other significant events continue to hold great importance. Understanding the list of Jain festivals helps highlight their deeper meaning. Whether you're interested in today's celebrations or planning for future ones, these events remain central to the cultural and spiritual life of the Jain community across India.
Jain festivals and holidays offer opportunities for spiritual reflection, worship, and community gatherings. In 2026, these important dates will be observed across India, providing a chance to deepen one's understanding of Jainism. Here is the complete list of Jain holidays in 2026:
| Date | Festival Name | Day |
|---|---|---|
January 1, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Thursday |
January 16, 2026 |
Meru Trayodashi |
Friday |
January 28, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Wednesday |
February 24, 2026 |
Phalguna Ashtahnika Begins |
Tuesday |
February 25, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Wednesday |
March 2, 2026 |
Phalguna Chaumasi Chaudas |
Monday |
March 3, 2026 |
Phalguna Ashtahnika Ends |
Tuesday |
March 11, 2026 |
Varshitapa Arambha |
Wednesday |
March 24, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Tuesday |
March 25, 2026 |
Chaitra Navapada Oli Begins |
Wednesday |
March 31, 2026 |
Mahavir Swami Jayanti |
Tuesday |
April 2, 2026 |
Chaitra Navapada Oli Ends |
Thursday |
April 19, 2026 |
Varshitapa Parana |
Sunday |
April 20, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Monday |
April 26, 2026 |
Mahavira Swami Kevalagyan |
Sunday |
May 18, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Monday |
June 14, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Sunday |
July 12, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Sunday |
July 20, 2026 |
Ashadha Ashtahnika Begins |
Monday |
July 28, 2026 |
Ashadha Chaumasi Chaudas |
Tuesday |
July 29, 2026 |
Ashadha Ashtahnika Ends |
Wednesday |
August 8, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Saturday |
September 4, 2026 |
Agastya Arghya |
Friday |
September 4, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Friday |
September 8, 2026 |
Paryushana Parvarambha |
Tuesday |
September 15, 2026 |
Samvatsari Parva |
Tuesday |
October 1, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Thursday |
October 17, 2026 |
Ashwina Navapada Oli Begins |
Saturday |
October 26, 2026 |
Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends |
Monday |
October 29, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Thursday |
November 8, 2026 |
Lakshmi Puja |
Sunday |
November 10, 2026 |
Gujarati New Year |
Tuesday |
November 14, 2026 |
Labh Panchami |
Saturday |
November 16, 2026 |
Kartika Ashtahnika Begins |
Monday |
November 23, 2026 |
Kartika Chaumasi Chaudas |
Monday |
November 24, 2026 |
Kartika Ashtahnika Ends |
Tuesday |
November 24, 2026 |
Kartika Ratha Yatra |
Tuesday |
November 25, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Wednesday |
December 23, 2026 |
Rohini Vrat |
Wednesday |
Several Jain festivals will coincide with national holidays in 2026, offering an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate. Here is a table highlighting the Jain holidays and the national holidays that coincide:
| Date | Day | National Holiday | Jain Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
01-Jan-26 |
Thursday |
New Year's Day |
Rohini Vrat |
03-Mar-26 |
Tuesday |
Holika Dahan / Dolyatra |
Phalguna Ashtahnika Ends |
31-Mar-26 |
Tuesday |
Mahavir Jayanti |
Mahavir Swami Jayanti |
04-Sep-26 |
Friday |
Janmashtami (Vaishnva) |
Agastya Arghya / Rohini Vrat |
26-Oct-26 |
Monday |
Maharishi Valmiki's Birthday |
Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends |
29-Oct-26 |
Thursday |
Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chouth) |
Rohini Vrat |
08-Nov-26 |
Sunday |
Diwali (Deepavali) |
Lakshmi Puja |
Here’s a complete list of public holidays in 2026, covering both gazetted and restricted holidays, to help you plan and make the most of your time off:
Month |
Date |
Day |
Holiday Name |
Type |
January |
01-Jan |
Thursday |
New Year's Day |
Restricted |
January |
03-Jan |
Saturday |
Hazarat Ali's Birthday |
Restricted |
January |
14-Jan |
Wednesday |
Pongal / Makar Sankranti |
Restricted |
January |
23-Jan |
Friday |
Vasant Panchami |
Restricted |
January |
26-Jan |
Monday |
Republic Day |
Gazetted |
February |
01-Feb |
Sunday |
Guru Ravidas Jayanti |
Restricted |
February |
12-Feb |
Thursday |
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti |
Restricted |
February |
15-Feb |
Sunday |
Maha Shivaratri |
Restricted |
February |
19-Feb |
Thursday |
Shivaji Jayanti |
Restricted |
February |
24-Feb |
Tuesday |
Phalguna Ashtahnika Begins |
Gazetted |
February |
25-Feb |
Wednesday |
Rohini Vrat |
Gazetted |
March |
03-Mar |
Tuesday |
Holika Dahan |
Restricted |
March |
04-Mar |
Wednesday |
Holi |
Gazetted |
March |
19-Mar |
Thursday |
Ugadi / Gudi Padwa |
Restricted |
March |
20-Mar |
Friday |
Jumat-ul-Vida |
Restricted |
March |
21-Mar |
Saturday |
Id-ul-Fitr (Tentative) |
Gazetted |
March |
26-Mar |
Thursday |
Rama Navami |
Gazetted |
March |
31-Mar |
Tuesday |
Mahavir Jayanti |
Gazetted |
April |
03-Apr |
Friday |
Good Friday |
Gazetted |
April |
05-Apr |
Sunday |
Easter Sunday |
Restricted |
April |
14-Apr |
Tuesday |
Vaisakhi / Mesadi |
Restricted |
April |
15-Apr |
Wednesday |
Bahag Bihu |
Restricted |
April |
19-Apr |
Sunday |
Varshitapa Parana |
Gazetted |
April |
26-Apr |
Sunday |
Mahavira Swami Kevalagyan |
Gazetted |
May |
01-May |
Friday |
Buddha Purnima |
Gazetted |
May |
09-May |
Saturday |
Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti |
Restricted |
May |
27-May |
Wednesday |
Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) (Tentative) |
Gazetted |
June |
26-Jun |
Friday |
Muharram (Tentative) |
Gazetted |
July |
16-Jul |
Thursday |
Rath Yatra |
Restricted |
August |
15-Aug |
Saturday |
Independence Day |
Gazetted |
August |
26-Aug |
Wednesday |
Onam |
Restricted |
August |
28-Aug |
Friday |
Raksha Bandhan |
Restricted |
August |
26-Aug |
Wednesday |
Id-e-Milad (Tentative) |
Gazetted |
September |
04-Sep |
Friday |
Janmashtami |
Gazetted |
September |
14-Sep |
Monday |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
Restricted |
October |
02-Oct |
Friday |
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
Gazetted |
October |
18-Oct |
Sunday |
Maha Saptami |
Restricted |
October |
19-Oct |
Monday |
Maha Ashtami |
Restricted |
October |
20-Oct |
Tuesday |
Dussehra |
Gazetted |
October |
26-Oct |
Monday |
Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti |
Restricted |
October |
29-Oct |
Thursday |
Karva Chauth |
Restricted |
November |
08-Nov |
Sunday |
Diwali (Deepavali) |
Gazetted |
November |
09-Nov |
Monday |
Govardhan Puja |
Restricted |
November |
11-Nov |
Wednesday |
Bhai Dooj |
Restricted |
November |
15-Nov |
Sunday |
Chhath Puja |
Restricted |
November |
24-Nov |
Tuesday |
Guru Nanak Jayanti |
Gazetted |
November |
24-Nov |
Tuesday |
Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day |
Restricted |
December |
23-Dec |
Wednesday |
Hazarat Ali's Birthday |
Restricted |
December |
24-Dec |
Thursday |
Christmas Eve |
Restricted |
December |
25-Dec |
Friday |
Christmas Day |
Gazetted |
Here is a list of key festivals celebrated by various religious communities in India in 2026, showcasing the cultural diversity and rich traditions across the country:
| Date | Festival Name | Religion |
|---|---|---|
January 1, 2026 |
New Year's Day |
Christian |
January 14, 2026 |
Makar Sankranti / Magha Bihu / Pongal |
Hindu |
February 1, 2026 |
Guru Ravi Das's Birthday |
Sikh |
February 15, 2026 |
Maha Shivratri |
Hindu |
March 4, 2026 |
Holi |
Hindu |
March 26, 2026 |
Ram Navami |
Hindu |
March 31, 2026 |
Mahavir Jayanti |
Jain |
May 1, 2026 |
Buddha Purnima |
Buddhist |
May 27, 2026 |
Id-ul-Fitr |
Muslim |
September 14, 2026 |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
Hindu |
October 20, 2026 |
Dussehra |
Hindu |
November 8, 2026 |
Diwali |
Hindu |
November 24, 2026 |
Guru Nanak's Birthday |
Sikh |
December 25, 2026 |
Christmas Day |
Christian |
Here are some tips and financial options to help you prepare for Jain festival shopping while staying within your budget and making the most of the celebrations:
Make your Jain festival celebrations grander with a personal loan starting at just 9.99% p.a. for amounts up to ₹55 Lakhs. Enjoy quick digital approval, flexible tenures, and minimal paperwork—helping you finance gifts, travel, or festive upgrades with complete ease.
Enjoy seamless payments and exciting rewards during the festive season by choosing from top credit card issuers partnered with Bajaj Markets. Pick a card that suits your lifestyle and benefit from cashback, discounts, and reward points on every purchase.
Upgrade your festive shopping experience with the Bajaj Finserv Insta EMI Card, now accepted at over 1.5 lakh partner stores across India. Get a pre-approved limit of up to ₹3 Lakhs, enjoy zero down payment options, and convert your purchases into easy EMIs—making your celebrations lighter on the pocket.
Reviewer
Jains do celebrate some Hindu festivals, but they observe them in their own unique way. Festivals like Diwali and Makar Sankranti are celebrated by Jains, but the focus is on spiritual reflection, meditation, and religious rituals rather than traditional Hindu customs.
The 9 days of Jainism, also known as Paryushan, are a period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection. It is a time for Jains to renew their commitment to non-violence, self-discipline, and purification through rituals and practices focused on personal growth.
The 8 days of Paryushan focus on self-discipline, spiritual growth, and seeking forgiveness. Devotees engage in fasting, prayer, and meditation. The final day, Samvatsari, is dedicated to forgiveness and marks the culmination of this important festival for Jains.
The main festival of Jainism is Mahavir Jayanti, celebrating the birth of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara. It is a significant occasion for Jains to reflect on his teachings of non-violence, compassion, and liberation, with prayers, rituals, and community gatherings.
The biggest festival in Jainism is Paryushan, a time of fasting, meditation, and spiritual reflection. This annual festival is widely celebrated by Jains worldwide, focusing on purification, repentance, and seeking forgiveness, with a strong emphasis on enhancing one’s spiritual journey.