Year Guide · Kerala
Malayalam Calendar 2026 മലയാളം കലണ്ടർ
The Malayalam calendar is built on solar months, so its dates stay remarkably steady from year to year. Here is everything it means for 2026: the new year, when each month begins, and the date of every major festival.
Chingam 1 (civil) & Vishu
August 17, 2026 (Chingam 1); Vishu on April 15
Kollam Era 1202 begins
Solar (Kollam Era)
Kerala
2026 at a glance
Solar months: why the dates barely move
Each month of this calendar begins when the Sun enters a new zodiac sign (a Sankranti), so month start dates stay within a day or two of the same Gregorian date every year. In 2026 the Sun enters Mesha (Aries) on the morning of April 14, which sets the regional new year. Lunar-tithi festivals such as Durga Puja and Diwali still move, and in 2026 they fall later than usual because of the year's Adhik Jyeshtha leap month.
Malayalam calendar 2026: what to know
In 2026, Chingam 1 (civil) & Vishu falls on a Monday (August 17). Set against 2027, this year's Moon-based festivals fall: Atham (Onam begins) 17 days earlier, Thiruvonam 17 days earlier, Deepavali 10 days later. Fixed to the solar calendar or a civil date, these stay on (almost) the same day in both years: Vishu, Chingam 1 — New Year. The 11 dates listed below run from April to November 2026.
Malayalam months in 2026
When each month of the Malayalam year begins, on the Gregorian calendar.
| Month | Starts around |
| Chingam | Aug 17 |
| Kanni | Sep 17 |
| Thulam | Oct 17 |
| Vrischikam | Nov 16 |
| Dhanu | Dec 16 |
| Makaram | Jan 14–15 |
| Kumbham | Feb 13 |
| Meenam | Mar 15 |
| Medam | Apr 14–15 |
| Edavam | May 15 |
| Midhunam | Jun 15 |
| Karkidakam | Jul 17 |
Each month begins on the day after (or, in some regions, the day of) the Sun's Sankranti into the next sign, so a start date can move by a day from year to year.
Malayalam festivals in 2026
Dates follow the Kerala government holiday list for 2026.
Vishu
Karkidaka Vavu
Atham (Onam begins)
Chingam 1 — New Year
First Onam (Uthradom)
Thiruvonam
Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi
Sreekrishna Jayanthi
Mahanavami
Vijayadasami
Deepavali
Tithi-based festivals can shift by a day between Panchangs depending on local sunrise. For ceremony timing, confirm with your local Panchang or priest.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Malayalam New Year in 2026?
Chingam 1 (civil) & Vishu falls on August 17, 2026 (Chingam 1); Vishu on April 15. Kollam Era 1202 begins.
What day of the week is Chingam 1 (civil) & Vishu 2026?
Chingam 1 (civil) & Vishu 2026 falls on a Monday, August 17, 2026.
Which is the Malayalam new year — Vishu or Chingam 1?
Both, in different senses. The Kollam Era year number changes on Chingam 1 in mid-August, so that is the calendar's civil new year. Vishu in mid-April, when the Sun enters Medam (Aries), is the traditional astronomical new year and the more festive of the two.
More Malayalam calendar years
See the Malayalam Calendar 2027, or the Malayalam Calendar guide for how the system works. For the pan-Indian picture, see Hindu Calendar 2026.
Other regional calendars for 2026
Assamese 2026 · Bengali 2026 · Gujarati 2026 · Hindi 2026 · Kannada 2026 · Marathi 2026 · Odia 2026 · Punjabi 2026 · Tamil 2026 · Telugu 2026