2021 Holidays Calendar for Free PDF Download Online: List of National Festivals in India, International Days, Long Weekend Dates and Events in New Year

New Year 2021 is almost here. According to the Gregorian calendar, a widely used calendar worldwide, January 1 marks the start of New Year. This year, the first day of New Year 2021 falls on a Friday. With 2020 turning out to be a testing period, people look forward to a brighter and more positive next year. Happiness is the key. And happiness is directly proportional to the number of holidays in a year. JK! But on a serious note, individuals are keen on getting their hands on 2021 holidays’ calendar. One also look forward to knowing the dates of important festivals like Holi, Diwali, Eid and Guru Nanak Jayanti. Days on which national festivals like Independence Day, Republic Day fall are also highly searched. Not to forget the number of long weekends in 2021 is on top of everyone’s mind. Here’s the 2021 Holidays Calendar for free PDF download online and it contains an exhaustive list of both religious and national festivals in India, long weekend dates, important international days and events, state formation days, health days, minor secular observances, birth and death anniversaries in the New Year. We wish you a very Happy New Year 2021.

The first month of the year, January 2021 is like always, packed with festivals and events. Several harvest festivals will take place in different regions of India this month. Lohri 2021 will take place on January 13 primarily by Sikhs and Hindus to commemorate the end of the winter season. Makar Sankranti 2021 will fall on January 14 and is dedicated to worship of Sun God. Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makar Sankranti in Kerala at the shrine of Sabarimala. Pongal 2021 will start from April 14 and end on April 17. It is also a multi-day harvest festival observed in the Tamil community. Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu 2021 will be celebrated in Assam on January 15.

Among the significant national and international days are Republic Day, Indian Army Day, National Girl Child Day and so on. State formation days will be observed in Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Birth and death anniversaries of influential figures are also commemorated in the month. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti marks the tenth Sikh Guru’s birthday, Martyr’s Day to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, National Youth Day observed to honour Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary and so on.

January 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja is the biggest Hindu festival observed in February. It marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. Apart from this, Ganesha Jayanti, Shivaji Jayanti and Guru Ravidas Jayanti are also widely-observed festivals in the month. Hazarat Ali's Birthday is an important observance in the Muslim community. Several states like Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram will commemorate their statehood days. February is synonymous with the celebration of Valentine's Day worldwide. It is observed annually on February 14. The month will also see the celebration of Chinese New Year, the Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. Several important days like World Cancer Day, World NGO Day, International Mother Language Day, World Radio Day, World Cancer Day and more will also take place in the month.

February 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

Holi, the Festival of Colours is the most important festival celebrated in the third month. Holi 2021 will fall on March 28 and a day before Holika Dahan would take place. Christians across the globe will be observing Holy Week starting from March 28 and conclude with Sunday Easter on April 4. Nowruz, also known as Iranian New Year or Persian New Year, an important festival of Parsis, will be celebrated on March 21. Passover, also called Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday that occurs in the spring will begin on March 27 and continue until April 4. And again there are significant national and international days like Women’s Day, International Day of Happiness and World Wildlife Day.

March 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

April, the fourth month of the year will witness significant celebrations due to a string of Indian New Year’s Days observed in the different regions of India following the Hindu lunisolar calendar. These are the festive days, Gudi Padwa or Maharashtra New Year, Ugadi / Chaitra Sukhladi or Telugu New Year, Cheti Chand/Jhulelal Jayanti/Sindhi New Year, Vaisakhi or Punjabi New Year or Sikh New Year, Puthandu or Tamil New Year, Vishu or Malayalam New Year, Jur Sital or Maithili New Year, Pohela Boishakh or Bengali New Year, Navreh or Kashmiri New Year and Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu or Assamese New Year. Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Mahavira Jayanti are some of the biggest festivals of the year.

April 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

May 2021 is dedicated to the grand celebration of Eid al-Fitr or Badi Eid. The biggest festival of the Muslim community marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan and celebrated with much fun and enthusiasm. Important Hindu festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, Sita Navami, and most significant observance for Buddhists, Buddha Purnima or Vesak will also fall in the month. May will also see a number of celebrations like International Worker's Day, Mother's Day, World Laughter Day, and International Tea Day.

May 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

While June does not boast of any significant nationwide festival, it has several important observances such as Father’s Day, International Day of Yoga, World Milk Day and World Environment Day. In this month, there also several religious Hindu fasts or vrat like Vat Savitri Vrat, Vat Purnima vrat, Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat and Gayatri Jayanti. Solar Eclipse or Surya Grahan will also a highlight of the month, expected to fall on June 10.

June 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

There are significant religious festivals to be observed in July across communities. Bakrid or Eid al-Adha is one big celebration for Muslims worldwide, while Hindus will be celebrating festivals like Devshayani Ekadashi Vrat, Guru Purnima. The holy month of Shravana in the Hindu calendar will also begin this month. People will also observe secular events such as National Doctors’ Day, National Chartered Accountants’ Day, World Population Day, World Hepatitis Day, International Tiger Day and more in the month.

July 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

Independence Day or Swatantrata Diwas on August 15 is the biggest celebration for people in India. The national festival is celebrated with utmost joy and pride by the countrymen and women. August is also about celebrating Friendship Day. This year, Friendship Day 2021 will fall on August 1, the first Sunday of the eighth month. Islamic New Year / Al-Hijra will take place on August 9. Muharram will also be observed in the month. Then, there are a number of Hindu festivities like Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Nag Panchami, Varalakshmi Vratam, Kajari Teej, Balarama Jayanti, and more. First Day of Chingam Month / Malayalam New Year will also fall in the month, which also sees the celebration of Onam. Pateti followed by Parsi New Year will also be observed in the month on August 16.

August 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

Get ready to chant "Ganpati Bappa Morya" as the ten-day long festival, Ganesh Chaturthi dedicated to Lord Ganesha will kick start from September 10. Ganeshotsava will remain the highlight of the month along with other single-day fasts, festivities and events such as Hartalika Teej, Aja Ekadashi Vrat, Rishi Panchami, Durva Ashtami Puja, Anant Chaturdashi, Vishwakarma Puja, Teachers' Day, Engineers' Day, Hindi Diwas and more.

September 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

If September 2021 is about Lord Ganesha, October is about honouring his mother, the divine mother goddess, Maa Durga. Sharad Navratri, the most important of four Navratris and Durga Puja are the biggest celebrations of the month. At the end of the nine-day festival, Dussehra or Vijayadashami will be celebrated on October 15, 2021. Karwa Chauth will be another major Hindu observance. Milad un-Nabi / Eid-e-Milad or Prophet's Birthday is commemorated in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar. In 2021, it will tentatively fall on October 18.

October 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

Considered the most significant Hindu festival, Diwali or Deepavali will be celebrated on November 14, 2021. The five-day celebrations will kick off with Govatsa Dwadashi and Dhanteras on November 12 and 13. Among other important international and national days are Children's Day, International Men's Day, World Vegan Day, National Milk Day, World Kindness Day. There are also various state formation days like Karnataka Rajyotsava, Kerala Piravi and more. Guru Nanak Jayanti, the biggest Sikh festival, will also be celebrated in the month on November 19, 2021.

November 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

The last month of the year, December is all about Christmas. The festive spirit of Christmas defines the holiday season. There are several other days to celebrate, of course, like Vivah Panchami, Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat, Gita Jayanti, Annapurna Jayanti and more. And then comes the last day of the year, New Year's Eve is about bidding goodbye to the current year and ready to welcome the New Year.

December 2021 Calendar With Festivals, Events, Fasts & Events

So, that was an overview of important holidays and many observances that would be taking place in India in 2021. Of course, with the world is still reeling under the coronavirus (COVID1-9) pandemic, all these events are most likely to get affected in terms of the scale of celebrations. But one must understand that it will be done keeping safety measures in mind. Let us hope, the world heals from the pandemic sooner rather than later and let this year be full of happiness, positivity and most importantly, full of hope.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 12, 2020 05:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).