Welcome! If you are searching for the Malayalam Calendar 2026 May (മലയാളം കലണ്ടർ 2026 മെയ്), this guide gives you the full month at a glance. Every festival, vrat, and Kerala public holiday listed here has been checked against verified Panchang sources, so you can plan your month with confidence.
May 2026 is not an ordinary month. It carries the Malayalam calendar’s shift from Medam to Edavam, and it also holds something rare on the Hindu lunar side — the beginning of Adhik Jyeshtha Maas, an extra month that appears only once every two to three years. Read on for the complete list of dates, a short explainer for each observance, and the Kerala holiday count for the month.
Malayalam Calendar May 2026 Overview
May 2026 opens in the Malayalam month of Medam and moves into Edavam midway through, on May 15. This is also the month when the sun completes its move into Vrishabha Rashi (Taurus), an event called Vrishabha Sankranti in the Hindu calendar and Edava Sankranti in Kerala.
On the festival side, May 2026 brings Vaishakha Purnima (celebrated across India as Buddha Purnima), two Pradosh Vrats, one Ekadashi in the regular calendar, and a second, rarer Ekadashi that only exists because of Adhik Maas. The month also carries Vat Savitri Vrat, Shani Jayanti, and Ganga Dussehra. Kerala observes two public holidays this month.
One more useful thing to know before we go further: there is no solar or lunar eclipse anywhere in May 2026. The next eclipse after February and March 2026 does not arrive until August 2026, so you can cross that off your list of things to track this month.
Download Malayalam Calendar May 2026 PDF
You can download the Malayalam Calendar May 2026 PDF using the button on this page. The calendar covers all 31 days of May, with the matching Malayalam date for each day, along with the festivals and vrats listed below. It is a handy print-friendly reference to keep at home or share with family, especially useful if you follow the Malayalam calendar for daily rituals, naming ceremonies, or choosing an auspicious date for a family function.
Malayalam Festivals and Vrats in May 2026
Here is the day-by-day list of festivals, vrats, and important observances for May 2026.
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat |
|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Friday | Vaishakha Purnima, Buddha Purnima (Buddha Jayanti), International Labour Day |
| May 5 | Tuesday | Sankashti Chaturthi (Ekadanta Sankashti / Angarki Chaturthi) |
| May 13 | Wednesday | Apara Ekadashi |
| May 14 | Thursday | Pradosh Vrat (Guru Pradosh, Krishna Paksha) |
| May 15 | Friday | Vrishabha Sankranti, Malayalam month Edavam begins, Masik Shivaratri |
| May 16 | Saturday | Vat Savitri Vrat, Jyeshtha Amavasya, Shani Jayanti |
| May 17 | Sunday | Adhik Jyeshtha Maas begins |
| May 25 | Monday | Ganga Dussehra |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Padmini Ekadashi (falls only in Adhik Maas years) |
| May 28 | Thursday | Pradosh Vrat (Guru Pradosh, Shukla Paksha) |
| May 30–31 | Sat–Sun | Adhika Purnima (Adhik Maas full moon) |
What Each Observance Means
Vaishakha Purnima and Buddha Purnima (May 1): The full moon day of Vaishakha month is one of the most sacred Purnimas of the year. It is widely observed across India as Buddha Purnima, marking the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. Devotees visit temples, offer prayers, and observe a fast. May 1 is also International Labour Day, a national holiday.
Sankashti Chaturthi (May 5): This monthly fast is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Devotees fast through the day and break the fast only after sighting the moon in the evening. Since this Sankashti falls on a Tuesday, it is called Angarki Chaturthi, a version considered especially powerful, and traditionally believed to carry the merit of a full year of Sankashti vrats.
Apara Ekadashi (May 13): Observed in the Krishna Paksha of Jyeshtha month, this Ekadashi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Devotees fast and pray for the removal of sins and past mistakes.
Pradosh Vrat (May 14 and May 28): May 2026 has two Pradosh Vrats, and interestingly, both fall on a Thursday this year, making each one a Guru Pradosh. This combination, which pairs Lord Shiva’s Pradosh with Thursday’s ruling planet Jupiter, is considered particularly auspicious for those seeking wisdom and prosperity.
Vrishabha Sankranti and Edavam Sankranti (May 15): This marks the sun’s entry into Taurus. In Kerala, the same event is called Edava Sankranti, and it is the astronomical point where the Malayalam month changes from Medam to Edavam.
Vat Savitri Vrat and Shani Jayanti (May 16): Married women observe Vat Savitri Vrat on Jyeshtha Amavasya in North Indian tradition, worshipping the banyan tree and praying for their husband’s long life, following the story of Savitri and Satyavan. The same day is Shani Jayanti, marking the birth of Shani Dev. Note that in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and several southern states, the same vrat is instead observed as Vat Purnima, and because of Adhik Maas this year, that observance shifts to a date in late June rather than May.
Ganga Dussehra (May 25): This day marks the descent of the river Ganga to earth, according to the story of King Bhagirath. Devotees take a holy dip, offer prayers to the Ganga, and perform charity.
Padmini Ekadashi (May 27): This is a special Ekadashi that exists only because of Adhik Maas. It falls in the Shukla Paksha of the extra month and is considered one of the most meritorious fasting days of the year, since Adhik Maas is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Adhik Maas 2026: A Rare Extra Month Begins in May
Something unusual happens partway through May 2026. On May 17, the Hindu lunisolar calendar adds an extra month, called Adhik Jyeshtha Maas, which continues until mid-June. This is a leap month, added roughly every two to three years to keep the lunar calendar aligned with the solar year. The last time Jyeshtha had an Adhik Maas was in 2018, so this is the first time in several years that this particular extra month has returned.
Adhik Maas is also known as Purushottam Maas or Mal Maas, and it is considered a deeply auspicious period for worship of Lord Vishnu, charity, and spiritual reflection. Traditionally, new ventures, weddings, and housewarming ceremonies are avoided during this month, while fasting, temple visits, and reading of sacred texts are encouraged.
Because of Adhik Maas, some of the regular Jyeshtha month festivals that usually appear in May, such as Nirjala Ekadashi and Vat Purnima, are pushed into June this year instead. This is a normal effect of the extra month, and it is worth knowing so you are not caught off guard if a familiar festival date looks different in 2026 compared to other years.
Kerala Public Holidays in May 2026
Kerala has two public holidays in May 2026, based on the state’s official holiday notification.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Friday | May Day (International Labour Day) |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Bakrid (Eid al-Adha) |
May Day is a fixed national holiday observed every year on May 1. Bakrid is a moving festival based on the Islamic lunar calendar, and its exact date is confirmed closer to the day depending on the sighting of the moon, so it is worth double-checking nearer the date if you are planning around it. In addition to these two, all Sundays and second Saturdays remain closed holidays for Kerala government offices, as usual.
Malayalam Month Change: Medam to Edavam
The Malayalam calendar, or Kollavarsham, is a solar calendar, which means its months are tied to the sun’s movement through the zodiac rather than to the phases of the moon. May 2026 begins in the month of Medam, which started with Vishu in mid-April, and it moves into Edavam on May 15, the day the sun enters Vrishabha Rashi.
Edavam is generally considered a demanding month in Kerala’s agricultural calendar, since it falls in the hottest stretch of the year, just before the monsoon arrives. Many households use this transition period to complete pending rituals, ceremonies, or shopping before the rains set in.
Why Trust This Malayalam Calendar Guide
Panchang and calendar dates can vary a fair bit across websites, especially in a year like 2026 that has an Adhik Maas shifting the usual festival sequence. Every date in this guide has been cross-checked against multiple current Panchang sources rather than copied from a single calendar, and dates that looked inconsistent between sources, such as Mohini Ekadashi and the Ganga Dussehra and Nirjala Ekadashi pairing, were verified separately before being included or left out. We also confirmed that there is no eclipse in May 2026, since this is a detail that gets mixed up online quite often.
That said, Panchang timings can shift slightly by city, since tithi start and end times depend on local sunrise. If you are planning a vrat or a puja muhurat down to the hour, it is always a good idea to check the exact tithi timing for your own location with a local priest or a detailed Panchang before you begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any Ekadashi in May 2026? Yes, there are two. Apara Ekadashi falls on May 13, and Padmini Ekadashi, a special fast that only occurs during Adhik Maas, falls on May 27.
When does the Malayalam month of Edavam start in 2026? Edavam begins on May 15, 2026, the day of Vrishabha Sankranti.
How many public holidays does Kerala have in May 2026? Kerala has two public holidays in May 2026: May Day on May 1 and Bakrid on May 27.
Is Buddha Purnima the same as Vaishakha Purnima? Yes. Vaishakha Purnima, the full moon of the Vaishakha month, is the same day widely celebrated across India as Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti. In 2026, this falls on May 1.
Why does May 2026 have an extra Hindu month? Because the Hindu lunar calendar runs slightly shorter than the solar year, an extra month called Adhik Maas is inserted roughly every two to three years to keep the two calendars aligned. In 2026, this extra month is Adhik Jyeshtha Maas, and it begins on May 17.
Is there a solar or lunar eclipse in May 2026? No. There is no eclipse of any kind in May 2026.
Conclusion
That covers the complete Malayalam Calendar 2026 May, from the Vaishakha Purnima on the first day of the month to the rare Adhika Purnima at the end of it. This May carries more than the usual number of observances, thanks to the arrival of Adhik Jyeshtha Maas, so it is a good month to keep this list handy.
If you found this article useful, feel free to share it with your friends and family. You can also check out our calendars for other months of 2026, along with festival guides and Panchang details for the rest of the year.
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