Karnataka Festivals and Holidays in March 2026
Welcome to our Karnataka festivals and holidays in March 2026 guide—your quick monthly calendar with dates & tithi. March is a colourful transition month from Phalguna to Chaitra, bringing big celebrations like Holi (Phalguna Purnima), important vrat days such as Ekadashi, Pradosha and Amavasya, and the early build-up to the Ugadi / New Year season (as per local panchang). Use this Karnataka holiday list (March 2026) to plan temple visits, travel, and crowd-friendly darshan windows—always recheck local temple notices for last-minute schedule changes. We’ll also refresh this page once the official DPAR Karnataka Holiday List 2026 is notified/updated.
Government, Local & Restricted Holidays — March 2026 (Karnataka)
As per Government/official holiday lists. Some observances vary by institution and moon-sighting—please recheck your office/temple notice.
🏛️ Public Holidays (State)
- 19-March-2026 (Thursday) Ugadi / Yugadi (Kannada New Year) State General Holiday; panchanga shravana, bevu–bella, temple pujas statewide.
- 21-March-2026 (Saturday) Khutub-E-Ramzan (Id-ul-Fitr / Ramzan) Tentative Saturday General Holiday in many official lists; final date may vary by moon sighting.
- 31-March-2026 (Tuesday) Mahaveera Jayanthi State General Holiday; Jain temples hold special abhisheka & prayers.
📍 Local Holiday (District-specific)
- — Local holidays depend on district events DC offices may announce event-based closures (temple jatres/fairs). District Notice
🗓️ Restricted / Optional (check your office list)
- 03-March-2026 (Tuesday) Holika Dahan Observance Bonfire ritual (Phalguna Purnima eve); timings vary by local panchang.
- 04-March-2026 (Wednesday) Holi (Rangwali Holi / Dhulandi) Restricted (varies) Colour festival; holiday treatment varies by institution in Karnataka.
Important Festivals in March 2026 – Karnataka
Dates are tithi-based. Cross-check local temple/office notices (especially moon-sighting holidays); we’ll refresh if official updates come in.
Holika Dahan / Chhoti Holi Observance
Bonfire ritual symbolising victory of good over evil; timings vary by local panchang.
Statewide—neighbourhoods, temple towns & communities.Holi (Rangwali Holi) Restricted (varies)
Colour celebrations in many areas; holiday status depends on your institution/office list.
Bengaluru, Mysuru & major cities; selective towns.Sheetala Ashtami (Basoda) Observance
Traditional worship day observed in some communities; local customs vary.
Select regions & communities across Karnataka.Meena Sankranti Observance
Sun’s transit to Meena—temple rituals and sankranti-style pujas in many places.
Temple towns & mathas statewide.Papmochani Ekadashi Observance
Vaishnava fasting day with Vishnu puja; parana next morning as per family tradition.
Vishnu/ISKCON temples & Vaishnava homes statewide.Ugadi / Yugadi Public Holiday
Kannada New Year—panchanga shravana, bevu–bella, special naivedya & temple pujas.
Statewide—temples, homes & cultural events.Chaitra Navratri Observance
Nine-day Devi worship season begins (as per tithi); some temples host special alankaras.
Devi temples statewide; local schedules vary.Khutub-E-Ramzan (Id-ul-Fitr / Ramzan) PublicMoon-sighting
Eid prayers and community celebrations; final date may shift by 1 day based on moon sighting.
Mosques & communities—Bengaluru, coastal towns, district HQs.Rama Navami Observance
Celebrates the birth of Lord Rama; special bhajans, processions and temple pujas.
Rama temples statewide; programmes vary by town.Mahaveera Jayanthi Public Holiday
Jain festival with special prayers, abhisheka and satsangs at Jain basadis.
Jain centres across Karnataka (Bengaluru, Shravanabelagola region, etc.).Additional Village Festivals / Local Jatres
March moves from Phalguna into Chaitra—a lively crossover season in Karnataka when village fairs, grāmadevate jatres, and temple rathotsava programmes begin to shift toward the Ugadi and Chaitra Navratri mood. Expect evening cultural stages, folk music, and annadāna in many taluk centres—especially on weekends and around new-moon / full-moon crowds.
This month is also a bridge between big coastal-fair energy and summer travel planning: many local committees start final announcements for April–May jatres (village goddess fairs, rathotsavas, and temple car festivals). If you’re planning temple trips, watch for “festival week” traffic around Ugadi (Mar 19, 2026) and the Rama Navami period, because darshan lines and bus demand usually rise in major towns.
KarnatakaTemple.com readers can also link March planning with ongoing/follow-up festivals from late February: the Sirsi Marikamba Jatre usually spans late Feb into early March (check the local schedule), and many Malenadu & coastal villages align smaller fairs around the same crowd cycle. Quick practical tips: confirm temple/DC notices 24–48 hours before travel, arrive early for parking, carry UPI + some cash for fair stalls, 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.