August is the single biggest month on the Malayalam Calendar 2026, and it isn’t close. This is the month Karkidakam, the last month of the Malayalam year, gives way to Chingam — the Malayalam New Year — and it’s also the month that carries Onam, Kerala’s grandest festival, from start to finish. This guide lays out every major date on the Malayalam Calendar August 2026, from the Malayalam New Year and the ten days of Onam to the month’s Ekadashi, Pradosh, and Purnima fasts.
On top of the Malayalam-specific dates, August 2026 also brings Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan, Varalakshmi Vrat, and — unusually — both a solar and a lunar eclipse within the same fortnight. It’s a genuinely packed month, so we’ve broken it down date by date below.
How to Download the Malayalam Calendar August 2026 PDF (Free)
If you’d rather keep this month’s calendar saved on your phone or printed out than check a webpage every day, you can download the Malayalam Calendar August 2026 as a PDF in a few quick steps. The PDF carries the same festival dates, Onam schedule, and Vrat list covered in this article, laid out in a clean, printable format.
- Look for the download link on this page, usually placed just below the festival table or near the end of the article.
- Tap or click “Download PDF.” The file will open in a new browser tab.
- Save it to your device — on mobile, use the share or download icon inside your PDF viewer; on desktop, press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on Mac).
- Print it out if you’d like a physical copy for your puja room, kitchen wall, or office desk — handy for tracking all ten days of Onam at a glance.
- Check back at the start of September for next month’s edition, since a fresh PDF is published every month.
Understanding the Malayalam Calendar: Karkidakam Gives Way to Chingam
August 2026 marks the turn of the Malayalam year. The month opens in Karkidakam, the twelfth and final month of the Malayalam calendar (Kollavarsham 1201), traditionally regarded as a quiet, austere month set aside for rest, Ramayana recitation, and Ayurvedic treatments. On August 16, the sun transits into Simha Rashi (Leo) — an event called Simha Sankranti — and the very next day, August 17, 2026, marks Chingam 1, the first day of Chingam and the start of the new Malayalam year, Kollavarsham 1202.
Chingam is the month every Malayali associates with new beginnings, and this year it opens directly into Onam: Atham, the first of the festival’s ten nakshatra days, also falls on August 17, meaning the Malayalam New Year and the start of Onam land on the very same day in 2026.
Major Festivals and Observances in August 2026
| Date | Day | Festival / Occasion | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Saturday | Hariyali Teej; Independence Day | Married women’s fast for their husband’s long life; national holiday |
| Aug 16, 2026 | Sunday | Simha Sankranti | Sun’s transition into Leo, setting up the Malayalam New Year |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Monday | Chingam 1 (Malayalam New Year); Atham; Nag Panchami | Start of Kollavarsham 1202; first day of the ten-day Onam countdown |
| Aug 25–26, 2026 | Tue–Wed | Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi | Birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, observed August 26 in India (moon sighting dependent) |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Wednesday | Thiruvonam | The main day of Onam, Kerala’s harvest festival |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Friday | Raksha Bandhan; Fourth Onam (Chathayam) | Sibling festival on Shravana Purnima, coinciding with the close of Onam celebrations |
Onam 2026: The Ten Days from Atham to Thiruvonam
Onam is Kerala’s largest festival, celebrated across Hindu, Christian, and Muslim households alike, and in 2026 it runs almost the full second half of August. The festival is tied to the Thiruvonam nakshatra falling within Chingam, and it unfolds over ten named star-days — Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam, and finally Thiruvonam.
Atham, the opening day, falls on August 17, 2026, the same day as Chingam 1. This is when the first small ring of the Pookalam, the flower carpet laid at the doorstep, is set down; it grows larger and more elaborate with each passing day. Kerala’s official four-day Onam holiday runs from Uthradam (First Onam) on August 25 through to Chathayam (Fourth Onam) on August 28, with Thiruvonam itself — the biggest day, marked by the Onasadya feast, new clothes, and the arrival of the Thrikkakara Appan idol representing Vamana — falling on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
The final day of the extended celebration, Chathayam or Fourth Onam on August 28, happens to coincide with Raksha Bandhan and Shravana Purnima this year, giving households across Kerala two major family occasions to mark on the same day.
Ekadashi, Purnima and Amavasya Dates — August 2026
| Date | Day | Vrat / Tithi | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 2026 | Sunday | Sankashti Chaturthi | Monthly fast for Lord Ganesha, broken after moonrise |
| Aug 9, 2026 | Sunday | Kamika Ekadashi | Fasting for Lord Vishnu on the Krishna Paksha Ekadashi of Shravana |
| Aug 10, 2026 | Monday | Soma Pradosh Vrat | Evening Shiva fast falling on a Sawan Monday |
| Aug 12, 2026 | Wednesday | Shravana Amavasya (Hariyali Amavasya) | New moon day; a total solar eclipse also falls on this Amavasya |
| Aug 23, 2026 | Sunday | Shravana Putrada Ekadashi | Fasting for Lord Vishnu, observed by couples seeking a child’s blessing |
| Aug 25, 2026 | Tuesday | Bhauma Pradosh Vrat | Second evening Shiva fast of the month |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Friday | Shravana Purnima | Full moon day of Raksha Bandhan; a partial lunar eclipse also falls on this Purnima |
| Aug 31, 2026 | Monday | Kajari Teej; Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi | A Bhadrapada observance, alongside the month’s second Sankashti Chaturthi |
August 2026 carries an unusual astronomical pairing worth noting: a total solar eclipse falls on Shravana Amavasya (August 12), and a partial lunar eclipse falls on Shravana Purnima (August 28) — a solar and lunar eclipse in the same lunar month, roughly two weeks apart. In Hindu tradition, eclipses carry real spiritual weight; eating is typically avoided during the eclipse window, mantras are chanted, and a holy bath follows once it ends.
Kerala-Specific Dates Worth Noting
A few dates this month sit outside the standard North Indian Panchang. Varalakshmi Vrat, on August 28, is observed mainly across South India, where women fast and pray to Goddess Lakshmi for family prosperity, and this year it lands on the same day as Raksha Bandhan and the close of Onam. Nag Panchami on August 17 is observed nationally, but in Kerala it falls on the same day as Chingam 1 and Atham, making it one of the busiest single dates on this year’s calendar.
Reading the Malayalam Calendar Beyond Festival Names
A Malayalam calendar is useful for more than just the named festivals — most printed editions also list daily Nakshatra, Rahu Kalam, and Yamagandam timings, which many households still check before starting something important, such as a journey, a purchase, or the first day of a new venture. If you’re using a printed calendar, check the Rahu Kalam column specific to your own city, since this window shifts daily and many households prefer avoiding it, especially around the Chingam 1 New Year.
Tips for Observing August’s Fasts
- Hariyali Teej: Traditionally a Nirjala or near-fasting observance; those with health conditions can switch to a partial, fruit-based fast, especially in the monsoon heat.
- Ekadashi fasts (Kamika and Shravana Putrada): Grains and rice are typically avoided; the fast is broken the following morning after sunrise.
- Pradosh Vrat: Best observed with evening prayers during Pradosh Kaal, roughly the ninety minutes around sunset.
- Eclipse days (Aug 12 and Aug 28): Many families avoid cooking or eating during the eclipse window and take a bath once it ends, as per family custom.
As always, health comes first. Elderly family members, pregnant women, and anyone managing a health condition should adapt a fast sensibly rather than attempting a strict Vrat purely out of ritual pressure.
August 2026 at a Glance
- Sankashti Chaturthi: August 2
- Kamika Ekadashi: August 9
- Soma Pradosh Vrat: August 10
- Shravana Amavasya & Solar Eclipse: August 12
- Hariyali Teej & Independence Day: August 15
- Simha Sankranti: August 16
- Chingam 1 (Malayalam New Year), Atham & Nag Panchami: August 17
- Shravana Putrada Ekadashi: August 23
- Bhauma Pradosh Vrat: August 25
- First Onam (Uthradam): August 25
- Thiruvonam: August 26
- Third Onam (Avittam): August 27
- Fourth Onam, Raksha Bandhan, Shravana Purnima, Varalakshmi Vrat & Lunar Eclipse: August 28
- Kajari Teej & Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi: August 31
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Chingam 1 (Malayalam New Year) in 2026? Chingam 1 falls on Monday, August 17, 2026, marking the start of Kollavarsham year 1202.
When is Onam in 2026? Thiruvonam, the main day of Onam, falls on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The ten-day celebration begins with Atham on August 17 and Kerala’s official holidays run from August 25 to August 28.
Is Raksha Bandhan the same day as Onam in 2026? No, but they’re close — Thiruvonam is August 26, while Raksha Bandhan falls two days later on August 28, which also happens to be the fourth and final day of the extended Onam holidays.
How many Ekadashi fasts fall in August 2026? Two — Kamika Ekadashi on August 9 and Shravana Putrada Ekadashi on August 23.
Are there any eclipses in August 2026? Yes, a total solar eclipse falls on Shravana Amavasya, August 12, and a partial lunar eclipse falls on Shravana Purnima, August 28.
Can I download the Malayalam Calendar August 2026 PDF for free? Yes. The PDF version, covering the same festival, Onam, and Vrat dates in this article, is available to download free of charge, with no login required.
Conclusion
August 2026 opens in the quiet final days of Karkidakam and closes with Kerala at its most festive — the Malayalam New Year, ten days of Onam, Raksha Bandhan, and Varalakshmi Vrat all inside a single month, alongside a rare back-to-back solar and lunar eclipse. This Malayalam Calendar August 2026 gives you a single, accurate reference to follow the Chingam New Year, every day of Onam, and all the month’s Ekadashi and Vrat dates.