February 2021 Holidays Calendar With Festivals & Events: Valentine’s Day, Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, Vasant Panchami; Know All Important Dates, List of Fasts & International Days for the Month

February 2021 is special. Why, you may ask? Well, starting on a Monday, it ends with a Sunday, thus, forming a perfect rectangle. Apart from being of a perfect shape, the second month of the year promises major celebrations be it religious festivals or secular observances. February is synonymous with Valentine's Day. And the celebrations keep growing year after year. Like every year, Valentine Week 2021 will kick start on February 7 and conclude with Valentine's Day 2021 on February 14. Chinese New Year is another big event observed globally. Two big celebrations commemorated in the Hindu community are Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti or Shiv Jayanti and Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Puja. Let us pay closer attention to all the important dates, list of Hindu fasts, national and international days of the month with February 2021 holidays' calendars. You can download these festivals and events timetable in PDF format.

The first week of February 2021 does not rank high on big religious festivals, but several days are of much significance. Health days such as World Aspergillosis Day, Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day, World Cancer Day and National Wear Red Day (USA) take place in the first seven days of the month. They are celebrated worldwide with an aim to raise awareness about these ailments, symptoms, preventive measures and treatments. There is also, International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, intending to amplify and direct the efforts on the elimination of this practice. International events like Independence Day of Sri Lanka, Sami National Day and Waitangi Day (New Zealand) take place in the opening week.

Here comes the much-awaited week of the month (read: year), i.e., the Valentine Week 2021 taking place from February 7 to 14. There are minor days taking place during Valentine Week like Rose Day on February 7, Propose Day on February 8, Chocolate Day on February 9, Teddy Day on February 10, Hug Day on February 11, Promise Day on February 12, Kiss Day on February 13 and finally, Valentine's Day on February 14. Right after Valentine's Day celebrations, Singles Awareness Day is celebrated on February 15. Few single people also observed an unofficial event, Anti-Valentine Week.

The second week is not just about Valentine's Day celebrations but also about Chinese New Year festivities. Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year 2021 falls on February 12, beginning the year is Ox. China's public holiday will be February 11–17, 2021. Magha Gupta Navratri, one of the four nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga will also begin in the second week. It will take place from February 12 to 20. You can check out for the entire 2021 as per Lala Ramswaroop Calendar, which is providing information on Hindu Festivals, Events, Dates of Holidays, Fasts (Vrat) and Horoscope (Rashifal) in New Year online.

February 2021's third week is dedicated to Vasant Panchami and Shiv Jayanti celebrations. Vasant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. Vasant Panchami 2021 will be celebrated on February 16. People dress in yellow to mark flowering mustard fields and worship Devi Saraswati, Hindu Goddess of Knowledge, Music, Learning, Wisdom and Art. Another big festival celebrated in the week is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti on February 19. It marks the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the first Chhatrapati and founder of the Maratha Empire.

2021 February Festivals and Events Calender

February is replete with significant health days, food days and national and international days. Health days like Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day (Canada), Rare Disease Day will be taking place in the month. National Chocolate Souffle Day (in the USA), National Strawberry Day (in the USA), National Pistachio Day, National Tortilla Chip Day, National Banana Bread Day, National Margarita Day, National Chocolate Mint Day, National Pancake Day (USA), National Almond Day (USA), National Pizza Pie Day, National Bagel Day, and more food days will be observed in the month. We hope this exhaustive list helps you plan and celebrate the important days with utmost fun and fervour. LatestLY will return with March 2021 festivals, holidays and events calendar soon.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2021 07:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).