March 2026 is one of the most important months on the Telugu calendar, because it carries Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, along with Chaitra Navratri and Sri Rama Navami. This Telugu Calendar March 2026 guide lists every major festival, vratham, and Panchangam date for the month, based on traditional Telugu Panchang calculations, so you can plan poojas, fasting days, and family celebrations with confidence.
Alongside the well-known Ekadashi, Pradosha, and Amavasya dates, this guide also covers the full Chaitra Navratri sequence and clears up two dates that are commonly mislabeled in quick calendar listings — the Amavasya date and the day usually (incorrectly) called Vasant Panchami.
Telugu Calendar Festivals and Panchangam Dates – March 2026
| Date | Day | తిథి / Tithi | పండుగ / Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1 | Sunday | Shukla Trayodashi | Pradosha Vratham |
| Mar 3 | Tuesday | Pournami | Holika Dahan |
| Mar 4 | Wednesday | Krishna Pratipada | Holi |
| Mar 6 | Friday | Krishna Chaturthi | Sankatahara Chaturthi |
| Mar 15 | Sunday | Krishna Ekadashi | Papamochani Ekadashi |
| Mar 16 | Monday | Krishna Trayodashi | Pradosha Vratham |
| Mar 17 | Tuesday | Krishna Chaturdashi | Masik Shivaratri |
| Mar 18 | Wednesday | Amavasya | Chaitra Amavasya (Tarpanam Day) |
| Mar 19 | Thursday | Shukla Pratipada | Ugadi; Chaitra Navratri begins; Ghatasthapana |
| Mar 20 | Friday | Shukla Dwitiya | Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) |
| Mar 22 | Sunday | Shukla Chaturthi | Vinayaka Chaturthi; Navratri Day 4 (Kushmanda Puja) |
| Mar 24 | Tuesday | Shukla Shashthi | Skanda Sashti; Navratri Day 6 (Katyayani Puja) |
| Mar 26 | Thursday | Shukla Navami | Sri Rama Navami; Navratri Day 9 |
| Mar 27 | Friday | Shukla Dashami | Chaitra Navratri Parana |
| Mar 29 | Sunday | Shukla Ekadashi | Kamada Ekadashi |
| Mar 30 | Monday | Shukla Dwadashi | Pradosha Vratham |
Download the Telugu Calendar March 2026 PDF
A printable Telugu Calendar March 2026 PDF, covering Ugadi, Chaitra Navratri, Rama Navami, and all the Panchangam dates listed above, is available for download. It’s designed for easy printing or saving to your phone, so you can check festival and fasting dates through the month at a glance. Treat it as a quick-reference guide and confirm exact tithi timings with your family Panchangam before finalizing any pooja or muhurtham.
Ugadi 2026: Telugu New Year (March 19)
Ugadi falls on Thursday, March 19, 2026, marking Chaitra Shukla Pratipada and the start of a new Telugu Samvatsara. This year’s new year is named Vishwavasu Nama Samvatsara. Ugadi is celebrated across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka (as Yugadi), and is treated as one of the most auspicious days in the year for new beginnings.
The signature ritual is Ugadi Pachadi, a mix of neem flowers, jaggery, tamarind, raw mango, salt, and chili, representing the six flavours and, symbolically, the mix of emotions life brings. Homes are decorated with mango leaf and neem toranam at the entrance, and many families listen to the Panchangam Sravanam, a reading of the year’s astrological forecast, at temples or through community elders.
Chaitra Navratri 2026: Nine Days of Devi Worship (March 19–27)
Ugadi also opens the nine-day Chaitra Navratri, sometimes called Vasantha Navratri, running from March 19 to March 27, 2026. Ghatasthapana (the kalash-setting ritual) is performed on the first morning, March 19.
- Day 1 (Mar 19) – Shailaputri Puja, Ghatasthapana
- Day 4 (Mar 22) – Kushmanda Puja, also observed as Vinayaka Chaturthi
- Day 6 (Mar 24) – Katyayani Puja, coinciding with Skanda Sashti
- Day 9 (Mar 26) – Siddhidatri Puja, Sri Rama Navami
- Mar 27 – Navratri Parana (fast-breaking day)
Because the Ashtami and Navami tithis run close together this year, some households observe Durga Ashtami and Rama Navami rituals on the same day, March 26, while a smaller number of communities extend celebrations into March 27. Check with your family priest if your household follows a specific local convention.
Sri Rama Navami (March 26, 2026)
Sri Rama Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, falls on Thursday, March 26, 2026, the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri. The Navami tithi begins late morning on March 26 and continues into the following morning, but the festival is observed on March 26 itself, following the sunrise rule most temples use to fix the date.
The Madhyahna Muhurat, the midday window considered most sacred because Lord Rama is believed to have been born at noon, falls around late morning to early afternoon this year. Devotees observe fasting, recite the Ramayana, visit Rama temples, and distribute panakam (a jaggery drink) and vadapappu as prasadam.
Holi and Holika Dahan (March 3–4, 2026)
Pournami (full moon) falls on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and is observed as Holika Dahan, the bonfire ritual symbolising the victory of devotion over ego. Holi, the festival of colours, follows the next day, Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Ekadashi Fasting Days in March 2026
Two Ekadashi fasting days fall in March 2026:
- March 15 (Sunday) – Papamochani Ekadashi, in the waning (Krishna Paksha) fortnight
- March 29 (Sunday) – Kamada Ekadashi, in the waxing (Shukla Paksha) fortnight
Ekadashi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and devotees typically avoid grains and cereals on this day, breaking the fast the following morning after sunrise.
Pradosha Vratham Days – Three This Month
March 2026 brings three Pradosha Vratham days instead of the usual two:
- March 1 (Sunday) – Pradosha Vratham
- March 16 (Monday) – Pradosha Vratham
- March 30 (Monday) – Pradosha Vratham
Pradosha is observed on the Trayodashi tithi and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The most favourable worship window, Pradosha Kaalam, falls roughly ninety minutes before and after sunset.
Sankatahara Chaturthi and Vinayaka Chaturthi
Ganesha worship has two Chaturthi days this month:
- March 6 (Friday) – Sankatahara Chaturthi, in the waning fortnight, observed with a fast until moonrise
- March 22 (Sunday) – Vinayaka Chaturthi, in the waxing fortnight, which also falls on Day 4 of Chaitra Navratri (Kushmanda Puja)
Some quick calendar listings mislabel March 22 as “Vasant Panchami,” but that festival belongs to the Magha month and already took place earlier in the year. March 22 is correctly Vinayaka Chaturthi.
Masik Shivaratri and Amavasya (March 17–18, 2026)
Masik Shivaratri, the monthly observance dedicated to Lord Shiva, falls on the Krishna Chaturdashi tithi, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The following day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, is Chaitra Amavasya, the new moon day set aside for Tarpanam and other ancestor-worship rituals. These are two separate days and are sometimes merged incorrectly into a single listing, so it’s worth noting them individually when planning rituals.
Skanda Sashti (March 24, 2026)
Skanda Sashti, dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), falls on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, coinciding with Katyayani Puja on Day 6 of Chaitra Navratri. Devotees visit Subrahmanya temples and recite the Skanda Sashti Kavacham on this day.
Cheti Chand (March 20, 2026)
Cheti Chand, the Sindhi New Year, falls on Friday, March 20, 2026, the day after Ugadi. While it is primarily observed by the Sindhi community, it shares its Chaitra-month timing with Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, making March a season of multiple regional new year celebrations across India.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Ugadi in 2026? Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, falls on Thursday, March 19, 2026, marking the start of Vishwavasu Nama Samvatsara.
When is Sri Rama Navami in March 2026? Sri Rama Navami falls on Thursday, March 26, 2026, the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri.
How many Pradosha Vratham days are there in March 2026? March 2026 has three Pradosha Vratham days — March 1, March 16, and March 30.
When is Amavasya in March 2026? Chaitra Amavasya falls on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the day after Masik Shivaratri.
Is March 22, 2026 Vasant Panchami? No. March 22, 2026 is Vinayaka Chaturthi, which also falls on Day 4 of Chaitra Navratri. Vasant Panchami is a Magha-month festival and does not recur in March.
Which Ekadashi dates fall in March 2026? Papamochani Ekadashi falls on March 15, and Kamada Ekadashi falls on March 29, 2026.