Dated festival calendar
Mathura Festivals 2026
Specific 2026 dates for Mathura and Vrindavan's major festivals, based on the best available lunar-calendar calculations.
A note on precision
Hindu festival dates follow the lunar calendar and can shift by a day depending on the specific Panchang tradition followed, sunrise/sunset timing, and regional practice. Treat these as reliable planning dates, not guarantees — confirm locally as your travel date approaches, especially for 2027 which sits further out and carries more uncertainty on a couple of dates below.
Lathmar Holi
Barsana & Nandgaon
Regionally variable by a day — the week before Holi.
Holi
Citywide, Mathura & Vrindavan
The main color-throwing day, at the end of Braj's 10-day Holi season.
Janmashtami
Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish, citywide
Smarta observance; some Vaishnava/ISKCON traditions mark it a day later.
Sharad Purnima
Vrindavan groves, citywide
Full-moon night built around raas leela performances.
Diwali
Citywide
Five-day festival; Govardhan Puja follows the next day.
Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Hill
Annakoot — mountains of food offered, re-enacting the hill-lifting.
Planning for 2027 instead?
See 2027 dates →For the meaning and story behind each festival name, see our main Events & Festivals guide. For deep Panchang and Sanskrit calendar detail behind these calculations, see Sanskrit Calendar's festival etymology guide.