The sacred calendar

The sacred calendar of Arunachala 2026

Every full moon, every festival, every sacred day of the Arunachala year ~ beautifully laid out, with the meaning of each, so you can plan a visit around the light of the hill, or simply follow its turning from wherever you are.

Sacred time at Arunachala turns on the moon and the stars, not the wall calendar. Below is the whole year of 2026 ~ the great full moons, the towering festivals, and Ramana’s own days ~ each marked with its motif and its meaning. Bookmark this page: it is the calendar of the hill.

The rhythm of the year

First, the days that return again and again ~ the steady heartbeat beneath the festivals.

Every full moon ~ Pournami Girivalam, the night walk around the hill (13 in 2026).
Twice a month ~ Pradosham, the sunset worship of Shiva on the 13th lunar day.
Twice a month ~ Ekadashi, the day of fasting and devotion on the 11th lunar day.

The year, month by month

And here is 2026 in full ~ every marked day of the sacred year, in order, each linked to its own guide. full moon fire festival Ramana day new-year Arunachala day

January 2026

2 Margazhi PournamiFirst full moon of the year, in sacred Margazhi ~ dawn worship, a pre-dawn Girivalam. ~Jan Ramana Jayanti (Margazhi)Bhagavan's birth, kept on his star Punarvasu ~ great celebration at the ashram. Mid-Jan Thai PongalThe Tamil harvest thanksgiving; the month of Thai, of new beginnings.

February 2026

1 Thai PournamiThe full moon of Thai ~ abundance and fresh starts. 15 Maha ShivaratriThe great night of Shiva ~ fasting and an all-night vigil at the fire-hill.

March 2026

2–3 Masi PournamiThe full moon of Masi ~ prized for spiritual cleansing.

April 2026

1 Panguni PournamiThe full moon of Panguni ~ union and completion (Panguni Uthiram). ~Apr Ramana AradhanaThe anniversary of Ramana's mahasamadhi ~ reverent celebration, not grief. Mid-Apr Tamil New Year (Chithirai)The Tamil year begins ~ the month of Chithirai opens. 30 Chithirai Pournami (night)Begins the great Chitra Pournami ~ the year's most auspicious full moon.

May 2026

1 Chitra PournamiThe first, most auspicious full moon of the Tamil year ~ karmic cleansing. 30–31 Vaikasi Pournami (Adhika)The rare extra full moon ~ 2026 holds 13, an Adhika-maas year.

June 2026

29 Aani PournamiThe full moon of Aani ~ walked in the cool pre-dawn of high summer.

July 2026

28 Aadi PournamiThe full moon of Aadi ~ Guru Purnima, honouring the teacher.

August 2026

27 Aavani PournamiThe full moon of Aavani ~ the monsoon greens the hill.

September 2026

1 Ramana Advent DayThe day the sixteen-year-old Ramana arrived at Arunachala, never to leave. 25 Purattasi PournamiThe full moon of Purattasi ~ the pleasant season returns.

October 2026

25 Aippasi PournamiThe full moon of Aippasi ~ the season of lamps; luminous, cool, clear.

November 2026

23 Karthigai PournamiThe great full moon ~ opens into Karthigai Deepam. 24 Karthigai DeepamThe beacon of fire lit on the summit ~ the greatest festival of Arunachala.

December 2026

23 Margazhi PournamiThe year closes as it opened, in sacred Margazhi ~ the final full moon of 2026.

The two great peaks of the year

Of all these days, two tower above the rest ~ worth planning a whole journey around.

Karthigai Deepam 24 November 2026 The beacon of fire on the summit ~ the greatest festival of the hill, drawing millions. Maha Shivaratri 15 February 2026 The great night of Shiva ~ fasting and an all-night vigil at the fire-hill.
A living calendar ~ always confirm dates

Because sacred days follow the lunar-and-star calendar, their Gregorian dates shift each year, and can vary by a day between sources ~ always confirm against the temple’s or ashram’s own calendar before making travel plans. This page is refreshed each year. For the full detail of any day, follow its link; for the exact monthly Girivalam timings, see the Pournami calendar; and for how sacred time works, the Tamil festival year.