Lala Ramswaroop Calendar December 2026: Festivals, Vrat Dates & Vivah Muhurat

December closes out the Hindu calendar year on a deeply spiritual note. As the Margashirsha (Agahan) month gives way to Paush and North India settles into its coldest stretch, the Lala Ramswaroop Calendar December 2026 lists a month built around two of the most sacred stories in Sanatan Dharma — the wedding of Lord Ram and Mata Sita, and the day Lord Krishna gave the world the Bhagavad Gita. Alongside these, the month brings an important shift for anyone planning a wedding: Kharmas sets in from the 16th, closing the door on auspicious ceremonies until mid-January. This guide walks through every major festival, Vrat, and Muhurat date this month, based on the Lala Ramswaroop Panchang for December 2026.

December 2026 Festivals & Vrat at a Glance

Date	Day	Occasion
December 4	Friday	Utpanna Ekadashi
December 6	Sunday	Ravi Pradosh Vrat
December 8	Tuesday	Margashirsha Amavasya
December 14	Monday	Vivah Panchami
December 16	Wednesday	Dhanu Sankranti / Kharmas Begins
December 20	Sunday	Mokshada Ekadashi & Gita Jayanti
December 21	Monday	Som Pradosh Vrat
December 23	Wednesday	Margashirsha Purnima & Dattatreya Jayanti
December 25	Friday	Christmas Day
December 26	Saturday	Sankashti Chaturthi

Utpanna Ekadashi, December 4: The Origin of the Ekadashi Vrat

Utpanna Ekadashi falls on the Ekadashi of Margashirsha Krishna Paksha and holds a special place among the year’s Ekadashi fasts, since it marks the day the Ekadashi Devi is believed to have manifested from Lord Vishnu himself to defeat the demon Mura. Many devotees treat this date as the ideal starting point for taking up a lifelong Ekadashi Vrat. As with other Ekadashis, rice and grains are avoided through the day, and the fast is broken the following morning once Dwadashi Tithi begins.

Ravi Pradosh Vrat, December 6

Pradosh Vrat is observed twice a month, on the Trayodashi Tithi of both the waxing and waning moon, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. When it falls on a Sunday, as it does this month, it is known as Ravi Pradosh and is considered particularly beneficial for good health and long life. Devotees typically keep a fast through the day and offer prayers to Shiva during Pradosh Kaal, the twilight window just before sunset.

Margashirsha Amavasya, December 8

This no-moon day of the Margashirsha month is traditionally reserved for Pitru Tarpan (offerings to ancestors), a holy dip in a river, and charitable giving. Many families also visit temples or perform Shraddha rituals on this date, believing that acts of devotion and daan on Amavasya bring peace to departed ancestors and blessings to the household.

Vivah Panchami, December 14: The Wedding of Ram and Sita

Vivah Panchami falls on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami and commemorates one of the most celebrated moments in the Ramayana — the wedding of Lord Ram and Mata Sita at Janakpur. The day is observed with particular grandeur in Ayodhya and in Janakpur, Nepal, where re-enactments of the wedding ceremony draw large crowds of devotees. Interestingly, while Vivah Panchami is widely regarded as an Abhuj Muhurat — a date so auspicious it needs no separate astrological check — some communities avoid holding weddings on this specific day, associating it with the hardships Ram and Sita faced soon after, during their exile.

Dhanu Sankranti & Kharmas Begins, December 16

This is one of the more consequential dates on the whole December calendar for anyone with a wedding to plan. As the Sun transits from Vrishchik (Scorpio) into Dhanu (Sagittarius) Rashi, the month-long period known as Kharmas, or Malmas, begins. Since Jupiter (Guru) — regarded as the karaka, or significator, of marriage — is considered weak while the Sun sits in his own sign, weddings, engagements, Griha Pravesh, and other major Mangalik ceremonies pause for its duration. Kharmas runs until the Sun enters Makar Rashi around Makar Sankranti in mid-January 2027.

Mokshada Ekadashi & Gita Jayanti, December 20

Two significant observances converge on this single date. Mokshada Ekadashi, falling on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, is widely believed to grant Moksha (liberation) to one’s ancestors and to open the gates of Vaikuntha for the person observing the fast — a belief reflected directly in its name, which translates to “the giver of liberation.” The same day marks Gita Jayanti, commemorating the moment Lord Krishna delivered the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Reciting or listening to verses from the Gita is considered especially meritorious on this date, and many temples organise Gita Path and discourse sessions through the day.

Som Pradosh Vrat, December 21

The second Pradosh Vrat of the month falls on a Monday this time, making it a Som Pradosh — a combination especially dear to devotees of Lord Shiva, since Monday is traditionally regarded as his own day. The fast and evening prayers follow the same pattern as the earlier Ravi Pradosh, observed during Pradosh Kaal before sunset.

Margashirsha Purnima & Dattatreya Jayanti, December 23

The Purnima Tithi of Margashirsha month runs from the morning of December 23 into the morning of the 24th, and it is on this date that Dattatreya Jayanti is observed — the birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, revered as a combined incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. Devotees typically perform Satyanarayan Puja on this Purnima, along with a holy bath and charitable acts, both considered especially fruitful on a full-moon day.

Christmas Day, December 25

Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, is observed nationwide and is a gazetted public holiday in India. Churches hold midnight mass on the eve of December 24 leading into the 25th, and the day itself is marked with family gatherings, carol singing, and festive meals across the country.

Sankashti Chaturthi, December 26

The year’s final Sankashti Chaturthi — the monthly fast dedicated to Lord Ganesh, observed on the Chaturthi Tithi of the waning moon — falls on this date. Devotees typically fast through the day, breaking it only after sighting the moon in the evening and offering prayers to Ganesh for the removal of obstacles.

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