The Hindu religion has innumerable festivals which mostly celebrate events from the Hindu mythology and which most often happen together or concur with the seasonal changes or harvesting times.
However all the Hindu religious festivals are not always celebrated by all the people. There are certain religious observances which are followed by a certain sector or region and the other by another.
The 2017 Hindu festivals is an effort to make a list of the days and dates of the Hindu rituals and observations as per the almanac, translated in the Gregorian calendar for the ease of purpose. This list also attaches brief descriptions of the festivals, rituals and ceremonies.
Let us then take a look at the Hindu festivals of 2017 –
| Date | Festival Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 14-01-2017 – Saturday | Makar Sankranti, Uttarayana Sankranti , Pongal, Maghi, Lohri, Bhogali Bihu. | This is an extremely auspicious day in the Hindu calendar and marks the advent of Spring in India. This is one of major harvest festivals celebrated in India. Assam, Southern India and West Bengal celebrate their traditional new Year on this day. |
| 08-01-2017 ( Sunday) / 29-12-2017 ( Friday | Pushya (Paush) Putrada Ekadashi | On this day devotees pray for a child or those who have children pray for their well being. |
| 12-01-2017 – Thursday | Pushya (Paush) Purnima | It is an auspicious day to start formal training of education. |
| 27-01-2017 – Friday | Mauni Amavas | On this day devotees keep a vrat of keeping quiet and not uttering a word to practice discipline in their spiritual life. |
| 01-02-2017 – Wednesday | Vasant Panchami | On this day Goddess Saraswati is invoked. She is the Goddess of knowledge and learning and thus blesses devotees on this day. |
| 04-02-2017 – Saturday | Bhishma Ashtami | On this day devotees pray to Lord Vishnu to give them a son as erudite and scrupulous as Lord Vishnu. |
| 10-02-2017 _ Friday | Maagh Purnima | On this auspicious day people pay tribute to their departed ancestors. |
| 12-02-2017 – Sunday | Kumbha Sankranti | As per traditional calendar this marks the first day of the solar calendar. |
| 24-02-2017 – Friday | Maha ShivaRatri | Devotees seek redemption from their sins on this day. Married women seek the well being of their husbands and unmarried women seek good matches. |
| 12-03-2017 – Sunday | Holika Dahan/ Jalanevali Holi/ Chhoti Holi | Holika, the demon was burnt on this day on a pyre. This day signifies the victory of good over bad. |
| 01-03-2017 – Monday | Holi | The most celebrated festival. It is a festival celebrating color and the advent of Spring. |
| 28-03-2017 – Tuesday | Yugadi , Gudi Padwa | Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh celebrate their traditional New Year day on this auspicious day. |
| 30-03-2017 – Thursday | Gauri Puja/Gangaur | Devotees solicit the blessings of God for a happy and prosperous marital life. This is not observed in all parts of the country. |
| 05-04-2017 – Wednesday | Rama Navami | This day commemorates the birth of Lord Shri ram, believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. |
| 14-04-2017 – Friday | Solar New Year – Baisakh/ Bohag Bihu/ Vishu/ Pahela Baisakh (Nabo Barsho)/ Navreh. | It is the traditional new Year day for Punjab, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal. |
| 11-04-2017 – Tuesday | Hanuman Jayanti | This day celebrates the birth anniversary of Hanumana, who had helped Lord Rama. |
| 28/04/17 | Parashuram Jayanti | Lord Parashuram was the 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This is his birth anniversary celebration day. |
| 28/04/17 | Akshaya Tritiya/ Akha Teej | A most auspicious day according to the Hindu calendar. Lord Vishnu and Lord Kuber endow great wealth and prosperity on devotees on hhis day. |
| 10-05-2017 – Wednesday | Buddha Purnima | This auspicious day marks the birth, enlightenment and also the Mahanirvana or death of Lord Buddha. |
| 25-05-2017- Thursday | Vat Savitri Vrat | Generally observed by all married women who pray for the well being of their husbands. |
| 25-05-2017- Thursday | Shani Jayanti | This is the birth anniversary of the God Shani. |
| 03-06-2017- Saturday | Ganga Dussehra | On this day the Heavenly river Ganga is worshipped in earth. |
| 05-06-2017 – Monday | Nirjala Ekadashi | Devotees fast and often without water to attain and pray for their desired wishes. |
| 08-06-2017 – Thursday | Vat Purnima Vrat | On this day all married women pray for the welfare of their husbands. |
| 25-06-2017 – Sunday | Jagannath Rathyatra | The annual Ratha Yatra or the chariot celebration where Lord Jagannatha, Balarama and their sister Subhadra is worshipped. |
| 04-07-2016 – Tuesday | Dev Shayani Ekadashi or Hari Shayani Ekadashi or Padma Ekadasi | This auspicious day sees the beginning of the holy period of four months for the Jains, Chaturmaas. |
| 09-07-2017 – Sunday | Guru Purnima | This is the day when the disciples pay tribute to their teacher of Gurus. |
| 26-07-2017 – Wednesday | Hariyali Teej | on this auspicious day women pray for their marital well being and strengthening of marital bond. They wear mostly green thus the reason of the name Hariyali Teej. |
| 27-07-2017- Thursday | Nag Panchami | On this day devotees worship Snake to gain prosperity. |
| 04-08-2017 – Friday | Varalakshmi Vrat | Married women on this day pray for the well being of their family and most of all their children. |
| 07-08-2017 – Monday | Raksha Bandhan | The bond between brothers and sisters are celebrated on this day. This came into being from the Lord of Death Yama and his sister. |
| 10-08-2017 – Thursday | Kajari/ Kajli Teej | Devout married women on this day pray for the wellbeing and long life of their husband by fasting the whole day. |
| 14-08-2017 – Monday | Janmashtami | This is the auspicious birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, who is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. |
| 24-08-2017- Thursday | Hartalika Teej | Devout women all over India pray for a long lasting and fulfilling marriage on this day. |
| 25-08-2017- Friday | Ganesh Chaturthi | The sacred birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha who is believed to be the destroyer of all obstacles and who blesses all new beginnings. |
| 26-08-2017- Saturday | Rishi Panchami | The devotees on this day pay homage to their spiritual gurus and the saints who have guided them. |
| 29-08-2017- Tuesday | Radha Ashtami | The auspicious day when the divine consort of Lord Krishna, Shree Radha was born. |
| 03-09-2017 – Sunday | Parsva Ekadashi or Vamana Ekadasi | On this day Lord Vishnu appeared in his Vamana Avatar to teach the King Bali a lesson. |
| 05-09-2017 – Tuesday | Ganesh Visarjan, Anant Chaturdashi | Anant Dev on this day is worshipped for seeking wealth and glory and this is the last day of the Ganesh puja. |
| 19-09-2017 – Tuesday | Sarva-Pitru Amavasya/ Mahalaya Amavasya | Devotees on this day pray for the soul of their departed ancestors. This is the end of the Pitri paksha and the beginning of Matri Paksha. |
| 21-09-2017- Thursday | Sharad Navratri or Maha Navaratri begins | This day marks the beginning of the nine daylong celebration of the battle between good and evil. |
| 30-09-2017 – Saturday | Dussehra | This is the day as per mythology when Lord Rama had defeated the demon king Ravana. Lord Rama is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and this signifies the victory of the good over evil. |
| 01-10-2017- Sunday | Papankusha Ekadashi | Devotees seek forgiveness from Lord Vishnu for all the sins that they had ever committed. |
| 05-10-2017 – Thursday | Sharad Purnima or Kojagari Poornima. | An auspicious day for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi for seeking wealth, peace, and prosperity in their home. Not celebrated all over India. |
| 08-10-2017 – Sunday | Karwa Chauth | A rigorous fasting and doing puja in the evening after seeing the moon ob this day for the welfare and betterment of their husbands by the married women. |
| 12-10-2017 – Thursday | Ahoi Ashtami | Mothers on this day fast and pray for the well being of their sons and daughters. |
| 15-10-2017 – Sunday | Rama Ekadashi | it is believed that those people who observe the ritual on this day manages to attain nirvana or salvation. |
| 17-10-2017 – Tuesday | Dhan Teras/ Dhana Trayodashi | Devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi or Lord Kuber who represent prosperity and wealth. It is mandatory to buy some precious metal on this day. |
| 18-10-2017 – Wednesday | Narak Chaturdashi/ Kali Chaudus/ Chhoti Deewali | On this day Goddess Kali, the giver of strength and fearlessness is worshipped. |
| 19-10-2017 – Thursday | Diwali or Deepavali | Festival of lights when it is aspired to drive away all darkness from one’s life. Lord Ram is believed to have returned to Ayodhya on this day. |
| 20-10-2017- Friday | Gowardhan Puja/ Annakut | An auspicious day when devotees seek the protection of Lord Krishna by worshipping him. |
| 21-10-2017 – Saturday | Bhaiya Duj/ Bhai dooj/ Bhatri Dwitiya/ Bhau Bij/ Bhai Tika/ Bhai Phota | It is that beautiful occasion when the sisters tie the sacred thread in the wrists of their brothers, praying for their protections and well being. |
| 26-10-2017- Thursday | Chhath Puja or Surya Shashti | People worship the Sun God by going to the Ganges or any other water bodies. |
| 31-10-2017 – Tuesday | Prabodhini Ekadasi or Devutthana Ekadashi | The auspicious and ritualistic four months of the Chatur Maas of the Jains end. |
| 30-11-2017- Thursday | Gita Jayanti , Mokshada Ekadashi | On this beautiful day The Bhagwadgita is said to have been born. And devotees on Mokshada Ekadashi keep praying to bring their own salvation. |
| 03-12-2017- Sunday | Dattatreya Jayanti | The auspicious birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, who is believed to be the mix of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. |
| 03-12-2017- Sunday | Margashirsha Purnima | Unmarried girls bathe in the river Yamuna so that they can get a groom of their choice. |