March is a month of transition on the Malayalam Calendar — it opens in Kumbham month and closes in Meenam, carrying Kerala’s biggest women’s gathering, a rare lunar eclipse, and the run-up to Chaitra Navratri and Ram Navami. This guide lays out the complete Malayalam Calendar 2026 March, covering every major festival, Ekadashi, Pradosham, and Sankranti date in one reliable reference.
Corresponding to Kolla Varsham 1201, the month bridges the final days of Kumbham (through March 14) and the opening of Meenam (from March 15), with Meena Sankranti marking that shift. Below is a clear, date-wise breakdown, along with a couple of corrections to dates that are circulating inaccurately elsewhere online.
How to Download the Malayalam Calendar 2026 March PDF (Free)
If you’d like to keep this month’s calendar handy without an internet connection, you can save the Malayalam Calendar 2026 March as a PDF in a few simple steps. The PDF carries the same festival, Sankranti, and Vrat dates covered in this article, laid out in an easy-to-read format that’s convenient to print or share.
- Scroll to the download link on this page, placed just below this section or at the end of the article.
- Click “Download PDF.” The file opens in a new browser tab.
- Save it to your device — tap the share or download icon on mobile, or use Ctrl+S (Cmd+S on Mac) on desktop.
- Print it out if you prefer a physical copy for your puja room or kitchen wall.
- Check back monthly, since a fresh PDF is published for every month’s calendar.
Major Festivals in the Malayalam Calendar — March 2026
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3, 2026 | Tuesday | Attukal Pongala | Kerala’s largest women’s religious gathering, at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Mar 3, 2026 | Tuesday | Holika Dahan | Bonfire lit the evening before Holi; a total lunar eclipse also falls this day |
| Mar 4, 2026 | Wednesday | Holi / Dhulandi | The festival of colours, observed across India |
| Mar 15, 2026 | Sunday | Meena Sankranti | The sun enters Meenam (Pisces); Meenam month begins |
| Mar 19, 2026 | Thursday | Chaitra Navratri Begins | Nine-day worship of Goddess Durga starts with Ghatasthapana |
| Mar 26, 2026 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Birth anniversary of Lord Rama, on Meenam 12, Thiruvathira Nakshatram |
Vrat, Ekadashi and Pradosham Dates — March 2026
| Date | Day | Vrat / Tithi | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 | Friday | Sankashti Chaturthi | Monthly fast for Lord Ganesha |
| Mar 15, 2026 | Sunday | Papmochani Ekadashi | Chaitra Krishna Paksha Ekadashi, believed to cleanse past sins |
| Mar 16, 2026 | Monday | Pradosham Vratam (Krishna Paksha) | Evening fast for Lord Shiva |
| Mar 17, 2026 | Tuesday | Prathimasa Shivaratri | Monthly night of worship dedicated to Lord Shiva |
| Mar 27, 2026 | Friday | Chaitra Navratri Parana | End of the nine-day Navratri fast |
| Mar 29, 2026 | Sunday | Kamada Ekadashi | The first Ekadashi of the new Hindu year; observing it is said to fulfil wishes |
| Mar 30, 2026 | Monday | Pradosham Vratam (Shukla Paksha) | Evening fast for Lord Shiva, closing the month |
Understanding the Malayalam Calendar’s Structure
Unlike the lunar Panchangs followed across most of North India, the Malayalam Calendar, or Kollavarsham, is a solar calendar built around twelve months — Chingam, Kanni, Thulam, Vrischikam, Dhanu, Makaram, Kumbham, Meenam, Medam, Edavam, Mithunam, and Karkkidakam. Each month begins when the sun enters a new zodiac sign, an event called Sankranti, rather than at a new or full moon.
March 2026 opens in Kumbham, which runs through March 14, and moves into Meenam from March 15 onward. Meenam is the final month of the Malayalam year — once it ends in mid-April, the Malayalam New Year begins with Medam 1, celebrated as Vishu. Since Vrat days like Ekadashi and Pradosham still follow the pan-Indian lunar Tithi cycle, this article lists both the solar Sankranti dates specific to Kerala and the lunar Vrat dates observed across the country.
Attukal Pongala: Kerala’s Biggest Gathering of the Month
Attukal Pongala, peaking on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, is one of Kerala’s most extraordinary religious events and holds a Guinness World Record for the largest annual gathering of women for a religious activity. Held at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the ten-day festival begins in late February and culminates on Pongala day, when millions of women set up temporary hearths around the temple to cook a sweet offering of rice, jaggery, and coconut for Goddess Attukal Amma, worshipped as an incarnation of Kannaki from the Tamil epic Silappathikaram.
The Pongala offering is timed to the Pooram Nakshatram, which this year runs from the morning of March 3 into March 4. Interestingly, a total lunar eclipse also falls on March 3, 2026, the same day as Holika Dahan elsewhere in the country — devotees are generally advised to complete the Pongala cooking and offering before the eclipse period begins in the evening.
Meena Sankranti and Papmochani Ekadashi: A Shared Day
March 15, 2026, carries two significant observances at once. It’s Meena Sankranti, the moment the sun moves from Kumbham into Meenam, marking a new solar month on the Malayalam Calendar. It’s also Papmochani Ekadashi, the last Ekadashi before Chaitra Navratri begins, observed to seek release from past sins.
Papmochani Ekadashi has genuinely caused some confusion this year, since the Ekadashi Tithi technically begins on the morning of March 14 and doesn’t end until the morning of March 15. Following the Udaya Tithi rule — where the Tithi present at sunrise decides the day of observance — the correct fasting day is Sunday, March 15, 2026, not March 14 as a few calendars list it. Devotees typically break the fast the following morning, March 16, during the Dwadashi period.
Holi and the Approach of Chaitra Navratri
Holi is celebrated in two parts this year: Holika Dahan on Tuesday, March 3, and Rangwali Holi (Dhulandi) the next day, Wednesday, March 4. While Holi is observed with far less fanfare in Kerala than in North India, many Malayali households with North Indian connections, and communities in cities like Kochi, do mark the day.
Chaitra Navratri begins on Thursday, March 19, 2026, opening nine days of worship dedicated to Goddess Durga, and concludes with Parana on March 27. In Kerala, Navratri observance tends to centre more on Saraswati Puja and Vidyarambham traditions during the Sharad (autumn) Navratri later in the year, so the Chaitra Navratri in March is observed more quietly here than in North India, though many temples still hold special pujas through the nine days.
Ram Navami and Kamada Ekadashi
Ram Navami, on Thursday, March 26, 2026, falls on Meenam 12 with Thiruvathira Nakshatram, and marks the birth of Lord Rama. Devotees observe a fast, visit Rama temples, recite the Ramayana, and take part in special pujas centred on dharma and devotion.
Kamada Ekadashi, on Sunday, March 29, 2026, is the first Ekadashi of the new Hindu year following Chaitra Navratri, and is traditionally believed to fulfil the wishes of anyone who observes it with sincerity.
A Correction: Thrissur Pooram Is Not in March
A few calendars circulating online this year list Thrissur Pooram, Kerala’s grandest temple festival, as falling in early March. This isn’t accurate — Thrissur Pooram is tied to the Pooram Nakshatram in the Malayalam month of Medam, and in 2026 it falls on April 26–27, over a month after the end of this article’s coverage. If you’re planning to attend, mark late April instead.
Looking Ahead: Vishu Approaches in Meenam
With Meenam now underway, Kerala’s biggest countdown of the season has begun. Meenam ends in mid-April, and the very next day marks Medam 1 — Vishu, the Malayalam solar New Year, celebrated with Vishu Kani, fireworks, and Kaineetam across Kerala. Families often use the last weeks of Meenam to plan Vishu preparations, making this a good time to bookmark next month’s calendar as well.
Reading the Calendar Beyond Festival Names
A Panchang or Malayalam Calendar isn’t only useful for major festivals — it also guides everyday decisions such as which day suits starting a business, buying gold, or beginning a journey. Each date carries its own Nakshatram and auspicious time blocks (Rahu Kalam, Yamagandam), and reading these together gives a fuller picture than the festival name alone. If you’re using a printed calendar, check the timings specific to your own city, since sunrise and sunset shift meaningfully across Kerala’s length.
March 2026 at a Glance
- Attukal Pongala (peak day): March 3
- Holika Dahan: March 3
- Holi / Dhulandi: March 4
- Sankashti Chaturthi: March 6
- Meena Sankranti & Papmochani Ekadashi: March 15
- Pradosham Vratam (Krishna Paksha): March 16
- Prathimasa Shivaratri: March 17
- Chaitra Navratri begins: March 19
- Ram Navami: March 26
- Navratri Parana: March 27
- Kamada Ekadashi: March 29
- Pradosham Vratam (Shukla Paksha): March 30
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Meenam month start in 2026? Meenam begins on March 15, 2026, marked by Meena Sankranti, when the sun moves from Kumbham into Meenam.
Is Papmochani Ekadashi on March 14 or March 15, 2026? March 15, 2026. The Ekadashi Tithi begins on the morning of March 14 but doesn’t cover sunrise until March 15, so following the Udaya Tithi rule, the fast is observed on March 15.
When is Attukal Pongala in 2026? The main Pongala day falls on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, as part of a ten-day festival that begins in late February.
Is Thrissur Pooram in March 2026? No. Thrissur Pooram falls in the Malayalam month of Medam and is celebrated on April 26–27, 2026, not in March.
When is Ram Navami in 2026? Ram Navami is celebrated on Thursday, March 26, 2026, corresponding to Meenam 12 in the Malayalam Calendar.
When is Vishu, the Malayalam New Year, in 2026? Vishu falls just after Meenam ends, on Medam 1, expected in mid-April 2026, outside the scope of this March calendar.
Can I download the Malayalam Calendar 2026 March PDF for free? Yes. The PDF version of this calendar, with the same festival, Sankranti, and Vrat dates, can be downloaded free of cost from the link on this page, with no login required.
Conclusion
Malayalam Calendar 2026 March moves from the devotion of Attukal Pongala and a rare lunar eclipse, through the solar shift of Meena Sankranti, into the early days of Chaitra Navratri and the joy of Ram Navami — all while Kerala quietly counts down to Vishu. This Malayalam Calendar 2026 March gives households a complete, corrected, date-wise reference to plan around.