The second month of the year, February 2020 is here, and we have a long list of festivals and events waiting for us. There are seven days of non-stop celebration of love, popularly called Valentine Week. We have Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, and especially marks the day of the consummation of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. While Valentine's Day 2020 and Maha Shivaratri 2020 remain the highlight of the month, numerous other celebrations make February a much-watched out for a month in the calendar. There are international days such as World Cancer Day, International Day of Women's Health, World Hijab Day, International Mother Language Day and so much more. Of course, there's a plethora of Hindu fasts (vrat) and festivals (parv) like Ratha Saptami, Narmada Jayanti, Masik Durgashtami, Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati Jayanti and so much more. Let us look at the February 2020 calendar with international days, minor secular observances, birth and death anniversaries and health days 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.

Beginning with the first week of the month, some of the biggest festivals and events taking place on February 1 are Ratha Saptami, Narmada Jayanti, Imbolc, World Hijab Day, World Aspergillosis Day, Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. On February 2, Masik Durgashtami, Bhishma Ashtami, Groundhog Day, Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day and World Wetlands Day are significant celebrations. World Cancer Day, an international day is observed on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. Jaya Ekadashi, Kashmiri Solidarity Day and World Nutella Day are three events that will take place on February 5. Bhishma Dwadashi, Pradosh Vrat, Sami National Day, Waitangi Day (New Zealand), International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation on February 6 and International Safer Internet Day, National Wear Red Day on February 7 are what you should watch out for.

Between February 8 to 15, the big event is the Valentine Week, which kicks off with Rose Day on February 7. It will be followed by Propose Day on February 8, Chocolate Day on February 9, Teddy Day on February 10, Promise Day on February 11, Hug Day on February 12, Kiss Day on February 13 and Valentine's Day on February 14. Valentine Week is followed by Anti-Valentine Week that witnesses days such as Slap Day, Kick Day, Perfume Day till Missing Day, Break-Up Day. It will last on February 21. Apart from these, Guru Ravidas Jayanti (February 9), International Day of Women's Health (February 12), World Radio Day (February 13) are other important observances. Valentine Week 2020 Day-Wise Date Sheet in PDF For Free Download Online: Check Calendar With Full Dates.

The third week of February will see a grand celebration of Maha Shivaratri on February 21. Maha Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva". One of the significant Hindu festivals, Maha Shivaratri, signifies "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. Devotees of Lord Shiva, fondly known as Shivbhakt commemorate the day by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, non-injury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.

February 2020 Festivals, Events and Holiday Calendar

Sr. No. Date Day Fasts/Festivals/ National/International Days
1. February 1 Saturday Ratha Saptami, Narmada Jayanti, Imbolc, World Hijab Day, World Aspergillosis Day, Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
2. February 2 Sunday Masik Durgashtami, Bhishma Ashtami, Groundhog Day, Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day, World Wetlands Day
3. February 3 Monday Masik Karthigai
4. February 4 Tuesday World Cancer Day, Rohini Vrat, Sri Lankan Independence Day
5. February 5 Wednesday Jaya Ekadashi, Kashmiri Solidarity Day, World Nutella Day
6. February 6 Thursday Bhishma Dwadashi, Pradosh Vrat, Sami National Day, Waitangi Day (New Zealand), International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
7. February 7 Friday International Safer Internet Day, National Wear Red Day
8. February 8 Saturday Anvadhan, Thai Pusam
9. February 9 Sunday Magha Purnima Vrat, Ishti, Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Lalita Jayanti
10. February 10 Monday Phalguna Begins* North, World Pulses Day
11. February 11 Tuesday European 112 Day, World Day of Sick, International Day of Women and Girls in Science
12. February 12 Wednesday Dwijapriya Sankashti Chaturthi, Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day, Darwin Day, International Day of Women's Health, Red Hand Day
13. February 13 Thursday Kumbha Sankranti, World Radio Day
14. February 14 Friday Yashoda Jayanti, Valentine’s Day, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day (Canada)
15. February 15 Saturday Shabari Jayanti, Kalashtami, Singles Awareness Day, Total Defence Day (Singapore), International Childhood Cancer Day
16. February 16 Sunday Janaki Jayanti
17. February 17 Monday Random Acts of Kindness Day (USA), Independence Day of Kosovo
18. February 18 Tuesday Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati Jayanti
19. February 19 Wednesday Vijaya Ekadashi
20. February 20 Thursday Pradosh Vrat, World Day of Social Justice
21. February 21 Friday Masik Shivaratri, International Mother Language Day, Language Movement Day (Bangladesh), Global Information Governance Day
22. February 22 Saturday Founders Day, World Thinking Day, Washington's Birthday
23. February 23 Sunday Phalguna Amavasya, Darsha Amavasya, Anvadhan
24. February 24 Monday Ishti, Chandra Darshana
25. February 25 Tuesday Phulera Dooj, Pamakrishna Jayanti, National Pancake Day
26. February 26 Wednesday
27. February 27 Thursday Vinayaka Chaturthi, World NGO Day, Anosmia Awareness Day
28. February 28 Friday
29. February 29 Saturday Skanda Sashti, Rare Disease Day

February 2020 is a leap year month. It has 29 days, which means an additional day of observing festivals and events. The last day of the month, February 29 will see a festival of Skanda Sashti, a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Kartikeya, son of Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva. So, that is all from our end on February 2020 festivals and observances. Do visit the page again at the end of the month to get an update on March 2020 festivals and events. Till then, have a happy and cheery February.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2020 12:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).