December closes out the year on a quietly significant note in the Malayalam Calendar 2026 December (മലയാളം കലണ്ടർ 2026 ഡിസംബർ). The Malayalam month of Vrischikam gives way to Dhanu mid-month, the Sabarimala Mandala pilgrimage season reaches its climax, and the month ends with both Christmas and the last Sankashti Chaturthi of the year. This guide lays out every Vrat, Ekadashi, and Sankranti in December, explained clearly, so you know exactly what falls when.
The month opens in the tail end of Kartika on the North Indian Panchang and moves through Margashirsha, while Kerala’s own solar calendar shifts from Vrischikam into Dhanu around mid-month. Below is a simple, date-wise breakdown of everything worth knowing.
Download the Malayalam Calendar 2026 December PDF (Free)
If you’d like to keep this month’s dates handy without checking your phone every time, you can save the Malayalam Calendar 2026 December as a PDF. It carries the same Vrat and festival dates covered in this article, laid out simply enough to print for your kitchen wall or puja room.
- Scroll to the download link at the end of this article.
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December 2026 Malayalam Calendar at a Glance
| Date | Day | Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| December 4 | Friday | Utpanna Ekadashi |
| December 6 | Sunday | Pradosh Vrat (Krishna Paksha) |
| December 14 | Monday | Vivah Panchami (Ram-Sita Marriage) |
| December 16 | Wednesday | Dhanu Sankranti (Dhanu Masam begins) |
| December 20 | Sunday | Mokshada Ekadashi & Gita Jayanti |
| December 21 | Monday | Pradosh Vrat (Shukla Paksha) |
| December 23 | Wednesday | Dattatreya Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima) |
| December 25 | Friday | Christmas |
| December 26 | Saturday | Sankashti Chaturthi |
| December 27 | Sunday | Mandala Pooja (Sabarimala) |
Utpanna Ekadashi, December 4
This is the Ekadashi that marks the very origin of Ekadashi fasting itself — scripture describes it as the day Ekadashi Mata manifested from Lord Vishnu to defeat the demon Mura. Falling in the Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha month, it’s traditionally considered the ideal day for someone to begin observing Ekadashi fasts for the first time. As with all Ekadashis, rice and grains are avoided through the day, with the fast broken the next morning after sunrise. It’s worth noting this is a different Ekadashi from Mokshada Ekadashi later in the month — the two are sometimes mixed up since both fall in Margashirsha.
Pradosh Vrat, December 6
An evening fast for Lord Shiva, best observed during Pradosh Kaal — roughly the 90 minutes around sunset — with a visit to a Shiva temple where possible.
Vivah Panchami, December 14: The Divine Wedding of Ram and Sita
Vivah Panchami commemorates the day Lord Ram and Goddess Sita were married in Janakpuri, after Ram famously broke Shiva’s bow at Sita’s Swayamvara. The day is celebrated with particular grandeur in Ayodhya, Janakpur, and other Ram temples across North India, with recitations from the Ramcharitmanas and Valmiki Ramayana. In many communities, it’s considered an auspicious day to remember one’s own marriage vows and to pray for a harmonious married life.
Dhanu Sankranti, December 16: Vrischikam Ends, Dhanu Begins
As the sun moves from Vrischikam Rashi into Dhanu Rashi, both the Malayalam calendar month and the wider Hindu solar month shift together on this date. Dhanu Masam — also widely known as Kharmas or Shunya Maas — is traditionally considered an inauspicious stretch for weddings, Griha Pravesh, and other new beginnings, a pause that continues until the sun moves into Makar Rashi around mid-January at Makar Sankranti. Kerala’s Sabarimala pilgrimage season, however, is in full swing through this exact period, since the temple’s main Mandala-Makaravilakku season runs from mid-November through mid-January.
Mokshada Ekadashi & Gita Jayanti, December 20
Falling on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, this day carries a double significance. As Mokshada Ekadashi, it’s revered as one of the most liberating fasts of the year, believed capable of granting moksha not just to the observer but to their ancestors. The very same date is celebrated as Gita Jayanti, marking the anniversary of the day Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — devotees mark it by reading from the Gita, reciting shlokas, and gathering for Krishna Puja. As with other Ekadashis, rice and grains are avoided, with the fast broken the following morning.
Pradosh Vrat & Matsya Dwadashi, December 21
The month’s second Pradosh Vrat falls the day after Mokshada Ekadashi, observed with the usual evening prayers to Lord Shiva during Pradosh Kaal. The same date is also Matsya Dwadashi, honouring the Matsya (fish) avatar of Lord Vishnu.
Dattatreya Jayanti, December 23
Falling on Margashirsha Purnima, the full moon of the month, Dattatreya Jayanti marks the appearance of Lord Dattatreya — worshipped as a combined form of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, representing creation, preservation, and transformation together. Devotees observe the day with prayers focused on wisdom, detachment, and spiritual knowledge, and it’s also a good day for an early holy bath and charity, being Purnima.
Christmas, December 25
Christmas is observed as a national holiday across India, and Kerala in particular has one of the country’s largest and oldest Christian communities, with roots going back centuries. Churches across the state hold midnight mass and carol services, and homes put up stars, cribs, and Christmas trees in the lead-up to the day.
Sankashti Chaturthi, December 26
The last Sankashti Chaturthi of the calendar year, this monthly fast for Lord Ganapati is observed to clear obstacles before the year closes. Devotees typically fast through the day and break it after sighting the moon in the evening.
Mandala Pooja, December 27: Sabarimala’s 41-Day Vratham Concludes
For lakhs of Ayyappa devotees, this is arguably the most significant date on the entire Kerala calendar this month. Mandala Pooja marks the conclusion of the 41-day Mandala Vratham that began around mid-November, during which devotees observe strict discipline — a simple lifestyle, daily prayers, and abstinence from various comforts — before undertaking the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The ceremony at the Sabarimala temple on this day is a major event, drawing huge crowds, and it marks the close of the first, shorter pilgrimage season before the temple reopens shortly after for the Makaravilakku season leading up to mid-January.
Wedding and Griha Pravesh Muhurat in December 2026
December is a mixed month for auspicious dates. The first half, up to December 15, still carries some usable wedding Muhurats, and Vivah Panchami on December 14 is considered a naturally auspicious date in its own right, given its connection to Ram and Sita’s marriage. Once Dhanu Sankranti arrives on December 16, however, the Dhanu Masam (Kharmas) period traditionally pauses new ceremonies until Makar Sankranti in mid-January. Families with a wedding or Griha Pravesh to plan in the first half of the month should confirm the exact date with a family astrologer, and hold off on fixing anything for the back half of December.
Reading the Panchang Beyond the Festival List
A Panchang isn’t only useful for spotting Vrat days — it also guides everyday choices like starting a new venture or beginning a journey. Each date carries its own Tithi, Nakshatra, and Nalla Neram (the Kerala equivalent of Choghadiya, marking favourable and unfavourable stretches of the day). If you’re using a printed Malayalam Panchang at home, look for these timing columns specific to your own district, since they’re usually listed separately from the main festival table.
Tips for Observing December’s Fasts
- Utpanna and Mokshada Ekadashi: Rice and grains are avoided through the day, with the fast broken after sunrise the next morning.
- Pradosh Vrat: Best observed with evening prayers roughly 90 minutes around sunset.
- Sankashti Chaturthi: A day-long fast broken after sighting the moon in the evening.
- Mandala Vratham (for those observing it through the month): A demanding 41-day discipline — anyone elderly, pregnant, or managing a health condition should speak with a doctor and adapt the observance sensibly rather than following it strictly.
Why People Still Reach for a Printed Panchang
Whether it’s a Malayalam Panchang, Thakur Prasad, Lala Ramswaroop, or Kishore Jantri, printed almanacs remain popular across Indian households because they combine city-wise sunrise and sunset timings with Tithi, Nakshatra, and Nalla Neram details in one place. Families don’t check them once a year and set them aside — priests use them to fix Muhurats, and homemakers use them every single month to decide the right day for a Vrat. Since different publishers can occasionally list a date a day apart, or even confuse two similarly-named Ekadashis in the same month, it’s worth sticking to one trusted, carefully checked source through the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is December 4 Mokshada Ekadashi or Utpanna Ekadashi? December 4, 2026, is Utpanna Ekadashi. Mokshada Ekadashi, which coincides with Gita Jayanti, falls later in the month on December 20. The two are easy to mix up since both are Margashirsha Ekadashis.
When is Gita Jayanti in 2026? Gita Jayanti falls on Sunday, December 20, 2026, the same day as Mokshada Ekadashi.
Is Dattatreya Jayanti on the same day as Gita Jayanti? No. Dattatreya Jayanti falls three days later, on December 23, 2026, which is Margashirsha Purnima, the full moon of the month.
When does Dhanu Masam (Kharmas) start in 2026? Dhanu Masam begins with Dhanu Sankranti on December 16, 2026, and continues until Makar Sankranti in mid-January, a period traditionally considered unsuitable for new ceremonies.
When is Mandala Pooja at Sabarimala in 2026? Mandala Pooja falls on December 27, 2026, marking the conclusion of the 41-day Mandala Vratham observed by Ayyappa devotees.
Can I download the Malayalam Calendar 2026 December PDF for free? Yes. The PDF version, with the same Vrat and festival dates covered here, is free to download with no login required.