Janmashtami (Vaishnava)
Nationwide public holiday in India
Dates
| Year | Date | Weekday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 September | Friday | Nationwide |
| 2027 | 25 August | Wednesday | Nationwide |
Where it applies
Everywhere in India.
Is it a day off?
Yes. It is an official public holiday, so most employees have the day off. Government offices, schools and many businesses are usually closed; shops, restaurants and public transport may keep reduced hours. Check local announcements for opening times.
Typical weather in New Delhi around 25 August: high 34°C (92°F), low 25°C (78°F), rain on 53% of days.
Averages for 2015–2024, 3 days either side of the date, for the area around New Delhi. Past averages, not a forecast.
Forecast for Wednesday 25 August in New Delhi: (MET Norway)
About Janmashtami (Vaishnava)
Janmashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, regarded in Hinduism as an incarnation of Vishnu. It falls on the eighth day of the dark half of the lunar month of Bhadrapada in the calendar used in much of northern India. The Vaishnava observance can fall a day apart from the date followed by other traditions.
Traditions
Many devotees fast during the day and gather in temples for prayers and devotional singing until midnight, the time of Krishna's birth. Scenes from his childhood are re-enacted, and in Maharashtra teams form human pyramids to break a pot of curd hung high above the street, a custom known as dahi handi.
Editorial summary by Public Holidays World. Dates on this page come from the data source; customs vary by region and family.
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Holiday dates are for general information and can change. Official government announcements take precedence.