Marathi Calendar March 2026 | मार्च पंचांग

मार्च २०२६ चा सारांश (March at a glance)

March is the pivot of the Marathi festival year: colour bursts on Holi (3–4 March), then the civil and cultural new year arrives with Gudi Padwa (19 March), followed by Rama Navami (26 March). In the Amanta calendar the month moves from Phalguna into Chaitra (चैत्र) — the first month of many Hindu year counts used in Maharashtra. Wedding halls stay busy in the opening fortnight before Holi travel peaks; our muhurat list shows shubh dates on 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 March, tapering as Gudi Padwa hospitality takes over mid-month.

Two Ekadashis — Papamochani and Kamada — frame the lunar fortnights, while Chaitra Amavasya (18 March) precedes Gudi Padwa by one day, a pattern families use for thorough spring cleaning and new-account rituals (halwa in ledgers at shops). Whether you live in Mumbai chawls or a Pune gated community, March demands coordinated leave: Holi is often a partial work-from-home day, Gudi Padwa is a major holiday, and Rama Navami closes schools in many districts.

Date	Observance	Notes
3 Mar 2026	होळी पौर्णिमा / Holi (Phalguna Purnima)	Holika dahan evening; colour play next morning.
4 Mar 2026	होळी / Kamadahana	Dhuleti; public holiday in many areas.
15 Mar 2026	पापमोचनी एकादशी / Papamochani Ekadashi	Ekadashi fast during Chaitra buildup.
18 Mar 2026	चैत्र अमावस्या / Chaitra Amavasya	Dark moon before new year.
19 Mar 2026	गुढी पाडवा / Gudi Padwa	Marathi New Year; gudi, neem-gul prasad.
26 Mar 2026	श्रीराम नवमी / Rama Navami	Rama birth tithi; holiday in Maharashtra.
29 Mar 2026	कामदा एकादशी / Kamada Ekadashi	Second Ekadashi of March.

मार्च 2026 सण

All 2026 festivals →

राहू काळ (Rahu Kaal)

Mumbai IST

विवाह मुहूर्त (March)

Full 2026 list →

गाइड / Guide

Holi 2026 — colour, safety & Maharashtra customs

3–4 March 2026 covers Holika Dahan (often on Purnima evening) and Rang Panchami / Dhuleti colour play. Maharashtrian households may celebrate with puran poli and karanji alongside North Indian gujiya exchanges in mixed societies. Practical safety: use skin-friendly gulal, protect eyes, and agree building rules on water usage — many Mumbai housing societies restrict pichkari after drought-awareness campaigns.

Holi week disrupts road traffic and inter-city trains; if your wedding falls on 2, 3, or 4 March (listed muhurat days), warn guests about colour stains near venue entrances and provide shawls for elderly relatives. Office workers often take a long weekend — plan Gudi Padwa shopping before Holi when markets are slightly less crowded.

Gudi Padwa 2026 — Marathi New Year

19 March 2026 is Gudi Padwa — the symbolic Maharashtrian new year tied to Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Families erect the gudi (bamboo with silk cloth, garland, and inverted kalash) outside the home, perform puja, and share bitter-sweet neem-gul prasad signifying life’s mixed flavours. New clothes, shrikhand-puri meals, and visiting elders for blessings are standard; businesses may open new account books after puja.

For a focused preparation checklist — timings, gudi direction notes, and Mumbai leave patterns — read our dedicated Gudi Padwa 2026 guide. Gudi Padwa is a public holiday; combine it with the prior Amavasya (18 March) for deep cleaning rather than cramming both into the morning of the 19th. Understand why Amanta months shift differently from the Gregorian grid in Amanta vs Purnimanta.

Rama Navami & the Ekadashi vratas

Rama Navami (26 March) marks Lord Rama’s birth tithi. Temples recite Ramayana paths; some homes keep a one-day fast breaking at noon after Naivedya. Because it is listed as a holiday, plan processions near Rama temples in Nashik or Pune old city with parking alternatives — two-wheelers fill lanes quickly.

Papamochani Ekadashi (15 Mar) and Kamada Ekadashi (29 Mar) bookend the month’s fasting discipline. Names imply release from sin and fulfilment of wishes respectively; observance still follows your sampradaya’s food rules. Cross-reference Ekadashi 2026 guide for the full annual list.

Marriage muhurat in March 2026

March muhurat concentrates in the first twelve days: indicative shubh dates are 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 March 2026. Holi on 3–4 creates a trade-off — auspicious on the calendar but logistically messy for white wedding attire. Many pandits prefer 7–12 March once colour dust settles. After Gudi Padwa, social calendars fill with new-year visits; fewer muhurat slots appear until April’s Akshaya Tritiya cluster.

Consult Marriage Muhurat 2026 and how muhurat selection works before paying hall advances. If you missed February’s dense list, early March is your last comfortable spring window before summer heat affects outdoor mandaps.

Spring practical tips (Maharashtra)

Buy neem leaves and sugar strands for Gudi Padwa prasad by 17 March — vendors hike prices on Amavasya evening.
Gudi bamboo lengths sell out in Dadar and Pune Camp markets; order early if you need a tall display.
Holi + early muhurat weekends mean double bookings at caterers — confirm menu tasting slots in February.
Use Rahu Kaal when scheduling griha pravesh on Gudi Padwa afternoon.
Rama Navami processions may affect evening traffic — share live location with family picking up seniors.

March 2026 FAQ

When is Gudi Padwa 2026?

19 March 2026 — Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Marathi New Year. Chaitra Amavasya is the day before (18 March).

Is Holi a holiday in Maharashtra?

Often yes on 4 March 2026 (Dhuleti); some institutions also relax on 3 March. Confirm your employer circular.

Can we schedule a wedding during Holi?

2, 3, and 4 March appear on our muhurat list, but colour and travel chaos make many families choose 7–12 March instead.

Is Rama Navami a public holiday?

Listed as a major holiday on 26 March 2026. Schools often close; offices vary by sector.

What comes after Gudi Padwa on the calendar?

Rama Navami (26 Mar), then Kamada Ekadashi (29 Mar). April brings Hanuman Jayanti and Akshaya Tritiya — see April 2026.

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