January 2026 calendar: Check full list of important international and national days, festivals and long weekends

New Delhi: January 2026 is finally here, and with it comes a fresh calendar, new goals, and plenty of reasons to plan ahead for the month. As you flip through the January 2026 calendar, you are probably already thinking about long weekends, public holidays, and the best days to take a break from work or school. This month is packed with national events, regional festivals, and important Hindu dates that can help you map out travel plans, family gatherings, and spiritual routines for the New Year.​

With the New Year 2026 just behind you, January becomes the perfect time to reset your schedule, align your priorities, and see how festivals and holidays fall this year. Whether you track public holidays for office planning or follow the Hindu calendar for fasts and festivals, a clear view of January 2026 helps you stay organised, stress-free, and ready to make every important date count.

Public holidays in January 2026

1. New Year’s Day – 1 January 2026: A restricted holiday observed nationwide, marking the start of the year with family gatherings and rest.​
2. Hazrat Ali’s Birthday – 3 January 2026: Recognised as a restricted holiday in several states, commemorating the birth of Imam Ali with prayers and community events.​
3. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti – 5 January 2026: A restricted holiday in Punjab and other northern states, honouring the birth of the tenth Sikh Guru with processions, kirtan and community feasts.​
4. Makar Sankranti – 14 January 2026: A gazetted holiday in many southern and northern states, celebrating the harvest with feasts, kite-flying and tilgul exchanges.​
5. Pongal – 14-15 January 2026: Restricted in Tamil Nadu and other southern regions, honouring the harvest with traditional rice dishes and cattle worship over multiple days.​
6. Magh Bihu – 15 January 2026: A restricted holiday in Assam, featuring community feasts, folk dances and bonfires to bid farewell to the harvest season.​
7. Republic Day – 26 January 2026: A national gazetted holiday across India, with parades, flag-hoisting and patriotic celebrations everywhere.

Important Hindu days in January 2026

1. Rohini Vrat – 1 January 2026 (Thursday): A significant Jain fast, often noted in Hindu calendars too, observed for spiritual discipline and family well-being at the very start of the year.

2. Shakambhari Purnima – 3 January 2026 (Saturday): A sacred full-moon day dedicated to Goddess Shakambhari, marking a time for devotees to seek blessings for nourishment, prosperity and protection.

3. Lohri – 13 January 2026 (Tuesday): Celebrated mainly in Punjab and North India, this bonfire festival welcomes longer days, with families gathering, singing and sharing traditional snacks around the fire.​

4. Makar Sankranti & Pongal – 14 January 2026 (Wednesday): A major pan-India harvest festival, marking the Sun’s transit into Makara Rashi, celebrated with kite-flying in the North and elaborate sweet and savoury feasts in the South.​

5. Magh Bihu / Bhogali Bihu – 15 January 2026 (Thursday): Assam’s harvest celebration, where communities enjoy feasts, traditional dances and the burning of meji structures to welcome abundance in the Magh month.​

6. Mauni Amavasya – 18 January 2026 (Sunday): A deeply spiritual new-moon day linked with silence, introspection and snan (holy bath), especially significant for those following Magha snan rituals.​

7. Ganesha Jayanti – 22 January 2026 (Thursday): Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, this day is ideal for new beginnings, with devotees performing puja to invite wisdom, success and removal of obstacles.

8. Vasant Panchami / Saraswati Jayanti – 23 January 2026 (Friday): The first hint of spring, devoted to Goddess Saraswati, when students, artists and professionals seek blessings for knowledge, creativity and learning.​

9. Ratha Saptami & Narmada Jayanti – 25 January 2026 (Sunday): Ratha Saptami honours Surya Dev as the harbinger of health and vitality, while Narmada Jayanti celebrates the sacred Narmada river, inspiring rituals along its ghats.

10. Bhishma Ashtami – 26 January 2026 (Monday): A day linked with the Mahabharata’s Bhishma Pitamah, observed with remembrance, fasting and prayers for strength, righteousness and devotion.

11. Jaya Ekadashi – 29 January 2026 (Thursday): An auspicious Ekadashi vrat where devotees fast and engage in prayers, believing it aids in overcoming past negativity and moving forward on a more dharmic path.

January 2026 Long weekends and Holiday breaks

1. Republic Day long weekend: 24 January (Saturday), 25 January (Sunday), 26 January (Monday, Republic Day holiday) – a solid three-day break ideal for family outings or short trips.​

2. Netaji Jayanti weekend (where applicable): 23 January (Friday, Vasant Panchami/Saraswati Puja), 24 January (Saturday), 25 January (Sunday) – three-day stretch for those observing this in West Bengal and other areas.​

3. Extended New Year break (with one leave): 1 January (Thursday, New Year’s Day), 2 January (Friday – take leave), 3-4 January (Saturday–Sunday) – turns into a four-day recharge period right at the start.​

4. Pongal break in Tamil Nadu (with one leave): 15 January (Thursday, Pongal), 16 January (Friday – take leave), 17-18 January (Saturday–Sunday) – a four-day festive escape with harvest celebrations.

Important International and Important Days in January 2026

1. January 1 – Global Family Day
2. January 2 – World Introvert Day
3. January 3 – Paush Purnima, International Mind-Body Wellness Day
4. January 4 – World Braille Day
5. January 5 – National Bird Day
6. January 6 – Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, World Day of War Orphans
7. January 7 – Mahayana New Year
8. January 8 – African National Congress Foundation Day, Earth’s Rotation Day
9. January 9 – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (NRI Day)
10. January 10 – World Hindi Day
11. January 11 – Death Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
12. January 12 – National Youth Day
13. January 13 – Lohri
14. January 14 – Makar Sankranti, Shattila Ekadashi
15. January 15 – Pongal, Indian Army Day, Voting for BMC Elections (Mumbai)
16. January 16 – National Startup Day, Counting of Votes for BMC Elections
17. January 17 – Benjamin Franklin Day
18. January 18 – Magha Amavasya
19. Jasday 19 – Kokborok
20. January 20 – Penguin Awareness Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
21. January 21 – Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya Foundation Day
22. January 22 – Weedless Wednesday
23. January 23 – Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti
24. January 24 – National Girl Child Day, International Day of Education
25. January 25 – National Voters’ Day, National Tourism Day
26. January 26 – Republic Day, International Customs Day
27. January 27 – National Geographic Day
28. January 28 – Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai, KM Cariappa Jayanti
29. January 29 – Ebedashi, Newspaper Day
30. January 30 – Martyrs’ Day / Shaheed Diwas, World Leprosy Day
31. January 31 – International Zebra Day

January 2026 offers a balanced blend of public holidays, cultural festivals and spiritual observances, giving you plenty of chances to slow down, celebrate and reconnect with your priorities. Use this calendar view to plan your work, travel and rituals smartly, so the rest of your New Year flows more smoothly and meaningfully.