Karnataka Festivals and Holidays in May 2026
Plan your summer month with our Karnataka festivals and holidays in May 2026 guide—your quick calendar with dates & tithi. May falls mainly in the Vaishakha to Jyeshtha season, bringing important observances like Buddha Purnima, Vaishakha Purnima rituals, and key vrat days such as Ekadashi, Pradosha, and Amavasya. It’s also peak time for evening temple visits, village fairs, and summer rathotsava programmes in many parts of Karnataka. Use this Karnataka holiday list (May 2026) to plan darshan timings, travel, and crowd-friendly windows—please recheck local temple notices for last-minute updates. We’ll refresh this page once the official DPAR Karnataka Holiday List 2026 is notified/updated.
Government, Local & Restricted Holidays — May 2026 (Karnataka)
Subject to Government of Karnataka (DPAR) 2026 notification. Moon-sighting holidays can shift by 1 day—please recheck your office/temple notice.
🏛️ Public Holidays (State)
- 01-May-2026 (Friday) May Day (International Workers’ Day) State General Holiday. Also Buddha Purnima falls on this day
- 28-May-2026 (Thursday) Bakrid / Eid al-Adha Tentative State General Holiday in many official lists; final date depends on moon sighting.
📍 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-May-2026 (Friday) Buddha Purnima / Vesak Observance Often listed as a gazetted holiday, but in Karnataka it is covered this year as it coincides with May Day.
- — No additional statewide restricted entries (May) Institutions may add local observances based on their internal calendar.
Important Festivals in May 2026 – Karnataka
May has tithi-based vrat days and (in 2026) an Adhika month phase—please cross-check local temple/office notices for exact timings.
May Day (International Workers’ Day) Public Holiday
State General Holiday in Karnataka; public events and labour day observance.
Statewide.Buddha Purnima / Vaishakha Purnima Observance
Full-moon day for puja, meditation, and dana; many devotees visit temples/kshetras in the evening.
Statewide; Buddhist & temple centres in Bengaluru/Mysuru and beyond.Narada Jayanti Observance
Devotional day honouring Devarshi Narada; bhajans and Vishnu-related worship in some traditions.
Vishnu temples & devotional groups statewide.Apara Ekadashi Observance
Vaishnava fasting day with Vishnu puja; parana next morning as per family tradition.
Vishnu/ISKCON temples & Vaishnava homes statewide.Vrishabha Sankranti Observance
Sun’s transit to Vrishabha—temple rituals and sankranti-style pujas in many places.
Temple towns & mathas statewide.Vat Savitri Vrat & Shani Jayanti (Amavasya) Observance
Amavasya day worship—Vat (banyan) vrat in some traditions and Shani-related pujas in many temples.
Statewide; Shani temples and local community rituals.Ganga Dussehra Observance
Auspicious day linked with sacred river worship, snana and dana; observed in select temples/communities.
River ghats/temples; observance varies by tradition.Bakrid / Eid al-Adha PublicMoon-sighting
Eid prayers and community celebrations; exact date may shift by 1 day depending on moon sighting.
Mosques & communities statewide—Bengaluru, Mangaluru, coastal towns & district HQs.Padmini Ekadashi (Adhika Month) Observance
Special Ekadashi that occurs during Adhika Maas; observed by Vaishnava devotees.
Vishnu temples & Vaishnava homes statewide.Jyeshtha Adhika Purnima Observance
Full-moon observance during the Adhika month phase; puja and vrat practices vary by tradition.
Statewide; follow your local panchang/temple notice.Additional Village Festivals / Local Jatres
May is deep summer in Karnataka (Vaishakha–Jyeshtha)—so many village jatres and temple fairs shift to early-morning or evening schedules to avoid the heat. You’ll still find busy grāmadevate festivals, small fair streets, folk drums, and annadāna—especially on weekends and around Amavasya/Purnima crowd days.
Travel patterns in May are unique: families plan short temple trips before monsoon begins, and many temples run special summer sevas (limited-time darshan slots, early “suprabhata” entries, and evening alankaras). If you are visiting Malenadu/coastal areas, keep a buffer for heat + holiday crowds around May Day (May 01) and the Buddha Purnima evening period.
Practical tips for May jatres: confirm temple/DC notices 24–48 hours before travel, carry water + cap, keep footwear easy for temple queue movement, and prefer evening darshan where possible. District-level “local holidays” (if any) are usually announced close to the event—so double-check the latest notice from the temple committee or DC office before you plan transport.
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.