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.

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, 2026

February 2026 Tithi / Vrat	February 2026
Magha Purnima (Purnima)	1 Feb (Sun)
Sankashti Chaturthi	10 Feb (Tue)
Vijaya Ekadashi	13 Feb (Fri)
Pradosh Vrat (Krishna)	14 Feb (Sat)
Masik Shivaratri	15 Feb (Sun)
Phalguna Amavasya	17 Feb (Tue)
Vinayaka Chaturthi	24 Feb (Tue)
Amalaki Ekadashi	27 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.