February 2026 Calendar: Holidays, tithis, festivals, Shivratri, Ekadashi, Purnima and important dates
February 2026, the smallest month in a calendar, carries heavy national, cultural and global importance. The month begins with India’s Union Budget and ends with National Science Day, packing politics, science, festivals and awareness events into a short span. From Parliament to classrooms, and from temples to international observances, February quietly shapes conversations across the country every year.
February 2026 calendar
The month opens on February 1 with two major events, the presentation of the Union Budget and Indian Coast Guard Day. As winter slowly fades, February also signals the transition towards spring, making it a month of both reflection and planning.
February 2026 holidays
February does not have many gazetted national holidays, but it includes culturally significant days that are widely observed.
February 15: Mahashivratri is the biggest religious festival in the month.
February 14 Valentine’s Day
February 20 Regional foundation days for Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
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February 2026 important tithis
Among important traditional observances, Mahashivratri stands out as the key tithi in February 2026. It is observed on February 15 and holds deep religious significance for devotees across India.
The beginning of Ramadan is expected around February 19, though the exact date can vary based on moon sighting.Special Tithis & fasting days
Krishna Paksha Ekadashi – Feb 19, 2026 (fasting day)
Shukla Paksha Ekadashi – Feb 4, 2026 (a fasting-related tithi though the main traditional Ekadashis celebrated include the ones below)
Phalguna Krishna Ekadashi – Vijaya Ekadashi on Feb 13, 2026
Phalguna Shukla Ekadashi – Amalaki Ekadashi on Feb 27, 2026February 2026 Tithi / VratFebruary 2026Magha Purnima (Purnima)1 Feb (Sun)Sankashti Chaturthi10 Feb (Tue)Vijaya Ekadashi13 Feb (Fri)Pradosh Vrat (Krishna)14 Feb (Sat)Masik Shivaratri15 Feb (Sun)Phalguna Amavasya17 Feb (Tue)Vinayaka Chaturthi24 Feb (Tue)Amalaki Ekadashi27 Feb (Fri)
February 2026 festivals
February blends spiritual, cultural and social events. Mahashivratri remains the most prominent festival of the month. The Taj Mahotsav, scheduled from February 18 to 27, adds a cultural flavour, showcasing art, craft and heritage.
Valentine’s Day on February 14 has also become a widely observed social event, especially among younger audiences.
February 2026 Ekadashi dates
The month includes Ekadashi observances as part of the Hindu lunar calendar.
Vijaya Ekadashi: 13 February 2026 (Friday): This fast falls in Krishna Paksha (waning moon phase) of the Phalguna month.
Amalaki Ekadashi: 27 February 2026 (Friday): This is observed in Shukla Paksha (waxing moon phase) of the Phalguna month.
These two Ekadashi vrat days in February 2026 are part of the regular lunar cycle, falling roughly 14 days apart as the moon moves through its phases.
February 2026 long weekends
February 2026 offers limited scope for long weekends at the national level. While Mahashivratri may provide a mid-month break depending on state holidays, the month largely remains packed with working days due to the Union Budget session and administrative schedules.
Key days and events in February 2026
Feb. 1 to 7: International Development Week
Feb. 1: Union Budget, Indian Coast Guard Day
Feb. 2: World Wetlands Day, Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day
Feb. 3: National Golden Retriever Day (US)
Feb. 4: World Cancer Day, National Day of Sri Lanka
Feb. 6: International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, World War Orphans Day
Feb. 8: National Opera Day (US)
Feb. 9: Baba Amte’s Death Anniversary, International Epilepsy Day
Feb. 10: National Deworming Day, World Pulses Day, Safer Internet Day
Feb. 11: World Day of the Sick, International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Feb. 12: Darwin Day, National Productivity Day, Birth anniversaries of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati and Abraham Lincoln
Feb. 13: World Radio Day, Sarojini Naidu Birth Anniversary
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day, World Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day
Feb. 15: Mahashivratri
Feb. 18 to 27: Taj Mahotsav
Feb. 19: World Anthropology Day, Beginning of Ramadan (date can vary)
Feb. 20: Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day, Mizoram Foundation Day, World Day of Social Justice
Feb. 21: International Mother Language Day
Feb. 22: World Thinking Day
Feb. 23: World Peace and Understanding Day
Feb. 24: Central Excise Day
Feb. 26: Veer Savarkar’s Death Anniversary
Feb. 27: World NGO Day
Feb. 28: National Science Day, Rare Disease Day
Despite being the shortest month, February 2026 balances governance, science, culture and faith, making it one of the most closely watched months on India’s calendar.
