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Explore Hindu and Sanatana Dharma festival observances in Sri Lanka, with dates, meanings, and beginner-friendly festival guides.
Guides
3
2026 Dates
3
Public Holidays
0
This collection brings together 3 festival guides for Sri Lanka, including public holidays, religious observances, seasonal traditions, and community celebrations. It is designed for quick date lookup as well as deeper reading on meaning, local names, food, observance, and cultural context.
Public holidays
0
Dated in 2026
3
Start with major guides that have strong date, holiday, source, or cultural context.
January 14-17, 2026 — Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal, and Kaanum Pongal season.
Pongal
Pongal is Tamil Nadu's most important harvest festival, a four-day thanksgiving to the sun for a successful harvest. 'Pongal' means 'to boil over' — symbolic of abundance overflowing. The four days are Bhogi (burning old things), Thai Pongal (cooking new rice with milk until it boils over as an offering to Surya), Mattu Pongal (honouring cattle), and Kaanum Pongal (family reunion). The festival predates many of Tamil Nadu's Hindu religious traditions and has distinct agricultural roots.
April 14, 2026 (Tuesday) — Puthandu / Tamil New Year.
Puthandu (Tamil New Year)
Puthandu (meaning 'new year') is the Tamil solar new year marking the sun's transit into Aries (Chithirai month). The night before, families arrange a kani — an auspicious display of items including mango, jackfruit, bananas, gold, silver, and a mirror — so the first thing one sees on the new year morning is this auspicious sight. The tradition holds that what one first sees on New Year's Day will determine the nature of the year ahead.
November 14, 2026 (Saturday) — tentative Kanda Sashti / Soora Samharam season date; confirm with the local Tamil temple calendar.
Skanda Sashti
Skanda Sashti celebrates the victory of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya / Skanda) over the demon Surapadman. The demon had imprisoned the gods and brought chaos to the three worlds. Shiva and Parvati gave birth to Murugan specifically to destroy this evil. Over six days of battle, Murugan finally vanquished Surapadman on the sixth day (Sashti), splitting him into two — one half became the peacock (Murugan's vehicle) and the other became the rooster (on his flag). The festival is observed with six days of fasting.
Date-ready pages for fast planning and calendar discovery.
Pongal
पोङ्गल
Puthandu (Tamil New Year)
पुतण्डु
Skanda Sashti
स्कन्दषष्ठी
Scan the collection by tradition and active festival months.
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Showing 3 of 3 matched festival pages.
पोङ्गल
Pongal is Tamil Nadu's most important harvest festival, a four-day thanksgiving to the sun for a successful harvest. 'Pongal' means 'to boil over' — symbolic of abundance overflowing. The four days are Bhogi (burning old things), Thai Pongal (cooking new rice with milk until it boils over as an offering to Surya), Mattu Pongal (honouring cattle), and Kaanum Pongal (family reunion). The festival predates many of Tamil Nadu's Hindu religious traditions and has distinct agricultural roots.
Sun enters Capricorn (Makara Sankranti) — January 14–17
पुतण्डु
Puthandu (meaning 'new year') is the Tamil solar new year marking the sun's transit into Aries (Chithirai month). The night before, families arrange a kani — an auspicious display of items including mango, jackfruit, bananas, gold, silver, and a mirror — so the first thing one sees on the new year morning is this auspicious sight. The tradition holds that what one first sees on New Year's Day will determine the nature of the year ahead.
Sun enters Aries (Mesha Rashi) — April 14
स्कन्दषष्ठी
Skanda Sashti celebrates the victory of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya / Skanda) over the demon Surapadman. The demon had imprisoned the gods and brought chaos to the three worlds. Shiva and Parvati gave birth to Murugan specifically to destroy this evil. Over six days of battle, Murugan finally vanquished Surapadman on the sixth day (Sashti), splitting him into two — one half became the peacock (Murugan's vehicle) and the other became the rooster (on his flag). The festival is observed with six days of fasting.
Shukla Sashti of Aippasi (Kartik) — October/November