Karnataka Festivals and Holidays in February 2026
Plan your month with our Karnataka festivals and holidays in February 2026 guide—an easy calendar with dates & tithi for devotees, families, and travellers. February is a powerful devotional month with Magha Purnima (holy bath, daana & Satyanarayana puja season), Pradosha and other vrat days, and the grand highlight: Maha Shivaratri—night-long Shiva worship seen widely across Karnataka (from coastal temples to Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Malenadu). Use this Karnataka February 2026 holiday list to plan darshan timings, temple visits, and crowd-friendly travel windows. We’ll update this page if any official holiday / local temple schedule changes are announced.
Government, Local & Restricted Holidays — February 2026 (Karnataka)
Subject to Government of Karnataka (DPAR) 2026 notification. Note: when major festivals fall on Sunday/2nd Saturday, they may not appear as a separate “General Holiday” entry—please recheck your office/temple notice.
🏛️ Public Holidays (State)
- 15-February-2026 (Sunday) Maha Shivaratri Sunday Major statewide observance; since it falls on Sunday, many lists don’t show it as an extra weekday closure.
- — No additional weekday General Holiday entry (February 2026) Working-day closures depend on the official DPAR list + your institution’s calendar.
📍 Local Holiday (District-specific)
- — No statewide local holiday notified yet DC offices may announce event-based closures (temple jatres/fairs). District Notice
🗓️ Restricted / Optional (check your office list)
- 01-February-2026 (Sunday) Magha Purnima / Maghi Purnima Observance Holy bath, daana & puja day; widely observed by devotees.
- 01-February-2026 (Sunday) Guru Ravidas Jayanti Restricted (varies) Some institutions offer restricted leave; local practice may differ in Karnataka.
- 03-February-2026 (Tuesday evening) → 04-February-2026 Shab-e-Barat Expected Date depends on moon sighting; community observance/holiday treatment varies.
Important Festivals in February 2026 – Karnataka
Dates are tithi-based. Please cross-check local temple/office notices; we’ll refresh if official updates come in.
Magha Purnima Observance
Auspicious full-moon day for snana, daana, and Satyanarayana puja in many homes & temples.
Statewide—river ghats, temple tanks, and kshetras.Guru Ravidas Jayanti Restricted
Satsangs and community programs; holiday treatment depends on your institution’s restricted list.
Selective institutions/communities across Karnataka.Shab-e-Barat Expected
Night prayers & reflection (date depends on moon sighting). Some places may give restricted leave.
Mosques & communities—Bengaluru, coastal towns, and district HQs.Sankashti Chaturthi (Dwijapriya) Observance
Ganesha fast with evening moon-sighting puja; popular in many households.
Ganesha temples statewide (incl. Bengaluru & coastal regions).Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti Optional
Arya Samaj events & special talks; may appear as restricted leave in some calendars.
Urban centres & select institutions.Kumbha Sankranti Observance
Sun’s transit to Kumbha—temple rituals and sankranti-style pujas in many places.
Statewide—especially temple towns and mathas.Vijaya Ekadashi Observance
Vaishnava fasting day; Vishnu puja and parana the next morning (as per local panchang).
Vishnu/ISKCON temples & Vaishnava homes statewide.Shani Pradosh Vrat Observance
Pradosh-time Shiva worship; many devotees visit Shiva temples in the evening.
Shiva temples statewide (incl. Nanjangud region, Udupi belt, Bengaluru).Maha Shivaratri Major
Night-long Shiva worship, abhisheka, and jagarana. (In 2026 it falls on a Sunday.)
Statewide—Murudeshwar, Gokarna, Dharmasthala area Shiva shrines, Bengaluru temples.Phalguna Amavasya Observance
New-moon rituals; some families do pitru tarpanam/daan as per tradition.
River ghats & temples—practice varies by family/region.Amalaki Ekadashi Observance
Ekadashi vrat with Vishnu worship; in many traditions, amla tree puja is performed.
Vishnu temples & Vaishnava homes statewide.Additional Village Festivals / Local Jatres
February usually sits in the Magha–Phalguna window—one of the busiest seasons for grāmadevate jatres, annual fairs, and temple rathotsava traditions across Karnataka. Many villages plan their biggest gatherings around Magha Purnima and the strong devotional pull of Maha Shivaratri week (night worship, abhisheka lines, and community annadāna). Expect evening cultural programmes, folk drums, and small market streets around temples—especially in Malenadu and coastal belts.
Notable February crowds to watch include: Sagara Marikamba Jatre (Feb 03–11, 2026) and Yellapur Sri Grama Devi Jatra (Feb 11–19, 2026)—both known for heavy local participation, special alankaras, and fair-like evenings. Heritage lovers can also plan for the official Hampi Utsav (Feb 13–15, 2026), a cultural festival with lighting, folk shows, and heritage-stage programmes near the UNESCO site. Later in the month, North Karnataka/Malenadu travel often peaks again as the grand Sirsi Marikamba Jatre begins (Feb 24, 2026 onwards).
Coastal culture continues too: the Kambala buffalo-race season usually runs through February on weekends in Dakshina Kannada & Udupi districts (event dates can change—verify with local organisers before you travel). Regular monthly temple crowd patterns also continue: Saundatti Yellamma full-moon days (Belagavi region), Sigandur Chowdeshwari darshan planning (check the Holebagilu ferry/service window), and evening Sankashti queues at Idagunji Mahaganapathi and city Ganesha temples. Practical tip: for village jatres, confirm temple/DC notices 24–48 hours ahead, arrive early for parking/ferry, carry UPI + cash, and dress modestly for crowded darshan lines.
Disclaimer
Dates, tithi, muhurta and holiday status may vary by temple panchang and DPAR notices. Please confirm with local temple/district office and your institution calendar before planning.