Hindu month
Chaitra 2026
चैत्र
Chaitra opens the Hindu lunar year. The Vikram Samvat year number changes on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, observed as Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, and the month carries the spring Navratri cycle through Ram Navami.
Direct answer
When does Chaitra 2026 start and end?
Chaitra (Chaitra) 2026 runs from Wednesday, 4 March 2026 to Thursday, 2 April 2026 in the North Indian purnimanta calendar, Vikram Samvat 2083. In the amanta calendar used in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and South India, the same month runs from 20 March 2026 to 17 April 2026.
Also searched as: Chaitra 2026, Chaitra Maas 2026, Chait 2026.
North India (purnimanta)
4 March 2026 – 2 April 2026Month ends on Chaitra Purnima
Amanta (Maharashtra, Gujarat, South)
20 March 2026 – 17 April 2026Month ends on Chaitra Amavasya
Vikram Samvat
2083Chaitra of VS 2083
Paksha sequence
Krishna → Shukla (purnimanta)Amanta order runs Shukla → Krishna
Festivals in Chaitra 2026
Calculated for the India-baseline Panchang within the purnimanta window of Chaitra 2026.
Ekadashi, Purnima & Amavasya in Chaitra 2026
Ekadashi
- 15 March 2026Papmochani Ekadashi
- 29 March 2026Kamada Ekadashi
Purnima
- 2 April 2026Chaitra Purnima (Hanuman Jayanti)
Amavasya
- 19 March 2026Chaitra Amavasya
Dates follow the sunrise tithi for the India-baseline location. Vrata observance can shift by a day for rules tied to moonrise, pradosha, or nishita — confirm on the day's Panchang page.
What this month is for
Chaitra opens the Hindu lunar year. The Vikram Samvat year number changes on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, observed as Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, and the month carries the spring Navratri cycle through Ram Navami.
Planning focus
New-year sankalpa, Chaitra Navratri fasting, Ram Navami, and Hanuman Jayanti on the Purnima.
Common questions
When does Chaitra start in 2026?
Chaitra 2026 starts on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 in the North Indian purnimanta calendar, and on Friday, 20 March 2026 in the amanta calendar used in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and South India.
When does Chaitra end in 2026?
The purnimanta month ends on Chaitra Purnima, Thursday, 2 April 2026. The amanta month ends on Chaitra Amavasya, Friday, 17 April 2026.
Why do North and South India show different dates?
Both systems use the same new-moon and full-moon moments. Purnimanta months end on Purnima, amanta months end on Amavasya, so the month name shifts by a fortnight for the Krishna paksha. Festival dates are the same; only the month label differs.