The fourth month of the year, April 2020 is here. The last few weeks have been incredibly challenging for everyone out there. Most of us are in lockdown, put in place by governments across the globe to control the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While this has definitely limited our movement, one can still observe important days courtesy the social media and messaging apps. April 2020 boasts of numerous festivals and international days. The month will see major festivals celebrated by people of various faith and religions. Big celebrations will include that of Rama Navami, Shab-e-Barat, Mahavir Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti, and many Hindu New Year days such as Baisakhi, Puthandu, Vishu Kani, Poila Baisakh, Jud Sheetal and Bohag Bihu. Then there are also international days, especially significant health days like World Autism Awareness Day, World Health Day, World Homeopathy Day and more. Let us look at the April 2020 calendar with international days, minor secular observances and more religious festivals and events in detail. Lala Ramswaroop Calendar 2020 for Free PDF Download: Know List of Hindu Festivals, Dates of Holidays and Fasts (Vrat) in New Year Online.

April 2020 begins with Rama Navami, one of the significant Hindu festivals celebrated in the county. Rama Navami 2020 falls on April 2 (Thursday) marking the birth anniversary of Rama, the seventh avatar of Hindu god Vishnu. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak or Mahavir Jayanti, celebrating the birth of Mahavir, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of present Avasarpiṇī, will fall on April 6 (Monday). Apart from this, Hindu fasts such as Masik Durgashtami, Kamada Ekadashi, Vamana Dwadashi, Tara Jayanti, Pradosh Vrat, Panguni Uthiram and more will take place. Among other important days, World Autism Awareness Day, International Children's Book Day, National Maritime Day, World Health Day will be observed.

The second and third week of the month will see the celebration in the form of Hanuman Jayanti. It is another big festival in Hinduism, celebrating Lord Hanuman's birth. Hanuman Jayanti 2020 will be celebrated on April 8 (Wednesday). Shab-e-Barat or Barat Night, is a Muslim holiday celebrated on the 14th night of the month of Sha'aban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. This year, it will be celebrated on April 9 in India. Shab-e-Barat is regarded as a night when the fortunes of individuals for the coming year are decided and when Allah may forgive sinners. For Christians, Good Friday followed by Easter Sunday will be of utmost importance. It will be observed on April 10 and April 12, respectively.

Coming to the Hindu New Year 2020 or Vikram Samvat 2077, April 13 and April 14 will witness many New Year Days in different states of the country as per solar observance. Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is Punjabi New Year. Vishu Kani or Malayalam is observed in the state of Kerala. Puthandu is also celebrated as Tamil New Year. Pahela Baishakh is the first day of Bengali calendar and proclaimed as Bengali New Year. Jude Sheetal is commemorated in the Mithila region as Maithili New Year. Pana Sankranti, also known as Maha Vishuba Sankranti, is the traditional new year day festival of Buddhists and Hindus in Odisha. Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu also called Xaat Bihu is a festival celebrated in the state of Assam and northeastern India and marked the beginning of the Assamese New Year.

April 2020 Festivals, Events and Holiday Calendar

Sr. No. Date Day Fasts/Festivals/ National/International Days
1. April 1 Wednesday Masik Durgashtami, Bank’s Holiday, Edible Book Festival
2. April 2 Thursday Rama Navami, Tara Jayanti, Swaminarayan Jayanti, World Autism Awareness Day, International Children's Book Day
3. April 3 Friday
4. April 4 Saturday Kamada Ekadashi
5. April 5 Sunday Vamana Dwadashi, Pradosh Vrat, National Maritime Day (India)
6. April 6 Monday Mahavir Jayanti, International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, World Bohring-Opitz Syndrome Awareness Day
7. April 7 Tuesday Chaitra Purnima Vrat, Anvadhan, Panguni Uthiram, International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, World Health Day
8. April 8 Wednesday Hanuman Jayanti, Chaitra Navapada Oli Ends, Chaitra Purnima, Ishti, International Romani Day
9. April 9 Thursday Vaishakha Begins* North
10. April 10 Friday Good Friday, Day of Silence, Siblings Day, World Homeopathy Day
11. April 11 Saturday Vikata Sankashti Chaturthi, International Louie Louie Day
12. April 12 Sunday Easter, Cosmonautics Day, Equal Pay Day
13. April 13 Monday Solar New Year, Mesha Sankranti, Pana Sankranti, Baisakhi, FND Awareness Day
14. April 14 Tuesday Kalashtami, Pohela Boishakha, Puthandu, Vishu Kani, Ambedkar Jayanti, Black Day (South Korea), Bohag Bihu, Jude Sheetal
15. April 15 Wednesday Day of Dialogue
16. April 16 Thursday National High Five Day (USA), World Voice Day, Foursquare Day, National Healthcare Decisions Day (US)
17. April 17 Friday World Haemophilia Day, World Bleeding Disorders Awareness Day
18. April 18 Saturday Vruthini Ekadashi, Vallabhacharya Jayanti, Youth Homelessness Matters Day, International Day For Monuments and Sites
19. April 19 Sunday Bicycle Day: Discovery of LSD
20. April 20 Monday Pradosh Vrat, 420: The Marijuana Holiday
21. April 21 Tuesday Masik Shivaratri, Administrative Professionals' Day, National Tea Day
22. April 22 Wednesday Vaishakha Amavasya, Darsha Amavasya, Anvadhan, Earth Day, International Mother Earth Day
23. April 23 Thursday Ishti, UN English Language Day, World Book and Copyright Day
24. April 24 Friday Chandra Darshana, Masik Karthigai, World Day for Laboratory Animals, Fashion Revolution Day, World Meningitis Day, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
25. April 25 Saturday Parashurama Jayanti, Liberation Day (Italy), ANZAC Day, Parental Alienation Awareness Day, World Malaria Day, DNA Day, International Sculpture Day
26. April 26 Sunday Akshaya Tritiya, Varshitapa Parana, Matangi Jayanti, Rohini Vrat, World Intellectual Property Day
27. April 27 Monday Vinayaka Chaturthi, Freedom Day (South Africa), King's Day (The Netherlands)
28. April 28 Tuesday Shankaracharya Jayanti, Surdas Jayanti, Skanda Sashti, Ramanuja Jayanti, World Day for Safety and Health at Work
29. April 29 Wednesday International Dance Day, Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
30. April 30 Thursday Ganga Saptami, International Jazz Day

April 2020 is full of festivals and events. One would hope for the month to bring cheers and smiles with some crackdown on the coronavirus pandemic. The world needs a concrete solution and cures to curb the deadly disease that is claiming lives with every passing hour. In times as such, we need to maintain calm and spread positivity and not lose hope. We hope the world has gotten better when we next bring you the festivals calendar for the month of May 2020. Do visit the page again at the end of the month to get an update on May 2020 festivals and events. Till then, have a happy, safe and positive April.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 31, 2020 10:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).