April is the month Tamil Nadu closes one year and opens another. The Tamil Calendar April 2026 carries Puthandu, the Tamil New Year, right in the middle of the month, framed by two Ekadashi fasts, two Pradosham evenings, a Skanda Sashti for Lord Murugan, and one of the busiest wedding-season stretches on the calendar. This guide lays out every date worth marking — corrected against verified Panchangam sources — along with a full table of Muhurtham dates and a free PDF you can save.
Tamil Nadu runs on a sidereal solar calendar layered with the familiar lunar Tithi system used for Ekadashi, Pradosham, and Amavasai dates. April 2026 sits at the seam between two Tamil months — it opens in the closing days of Panguni and crosses into Chithirai, the first month of the Tamil year, the moment the sun enters Mesha rashi. That transition is Puthandu itself, and it also marks the point where the wedding-season calendar properly reopens after the quieter stretch of Panguni. Below is the complete, verified date-by-date list.
Download the Tamil Calendar April 2026 PDF
Want this list without reopening the page each time? The Tamil Calendar April 2026 is available as a free PDF, carrying the same Puthandu, Ekadashi, Pradosham, and Muhurtham dates from this guide in a simple, printable layout.
- Look for the download link on this page — it’s placed just below this section or near the end of the article.
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- Print a copy if a paper version suits your kitchen wall or puja shelf better.
- Check back at the start of May for next month’s calendar, since a fresh PDF goes up monthly.
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Tamil Calendar Festivals and Vrat Dates — April 2026
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 8 | Wednesday | Shashti Vratham (Krishna Paksha) |
| Apr 13 | Monday | Ekadashi (Varuthini Ekadashi) |
| Apr 14 | Tuesday | Puthandu — Tamil New Year / Chithirai Month Begins |
| Apr 15 | Wednesday | Pradosham (Krishna Paksha) |
| Apr 17 | Friday | Amavasai — New Moon / Tarpanam Day |
| Apr 19 | Sunday | Akshaya Tritiya (Swayam Siddha Muhurtham) |
| Apr 22 | Wednesday | Skanda Sashti Vratham (Shukla Paksha) |
| Apr 27 | Monday | Ekadashi (Mohini Ekadashi) |
| Apr 29 | Wednesday | Pradosham (Shukla Paksha) |
A correction worth flagging: some calendars in circulation list Ekadashi on April 4 and April 22, and Pournami around April 18–19. The verified 2026 Panchangam dates are April 13 and April 27 for Ekadashi, and there is no Pournami in mid-April at all — see the note on Chitra Pournami below.
Tamil Wedding Muhurtham Dates — April 2026
| Date | Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 6 | Monday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 12 | Sunday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 13 | Monday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 16 | Thursday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 19 | Sunday | Akshaya Tritiya — Swayam Siddha Muhurtham, auspicious without separate calculation |
| Apr 20 | Monday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 23 | Thursday | Muhurtham date |
| Apr 30 | Thursday | Muhurtham date |
These dates are drawn from the Tamil Panchangam and suit weddings, Griha Pravesham, naming ceremonies, and new business launches. As with any Muhurtham list, treat this as a starting point rather than the final word — always confirm the exact time window against the couple’s horoscope with a family astrologer, since the auspicious period on a given day can run as short as an hour or two, and Rahu Kalam and Yamagandam still need to be avoided even within a good date.
Puthandu: The Tamil New Year
Puthandu falls on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, marking the moment the sun enters Mesha rashi and the month of Chithirai begins. The day opens with Kanni Paruvam — waking up to view a plate of fruits, flowers, gold, and a mirror arranged the night before, believed to set a prosperous tone for the year ahead. Homes and temple entrances are decorated with kolam, families visit temples for the year’s first darshan, and a special Mangai Pachadi is prepared, mixing raw mango, neem flower, jaggery, tamarind, and salt to represent every emotion life brings — sweet, bitter, sour, tangy, and spicy all together on one plate. Many families also read the year’s Palapalan, the predictions drawn from the new Tamil almanac, and it’s common for elders to give younger family members a small cash gift as the day’s celebrations wind down.
Ekadashi and Shashti Vratham This Month
April carries two Ekadashi fasts. Ekadashi on April 13 falls in Krishna Paksha, kept for release from past karma and protection through the coming weeks. Ekadashi on April 27 falls in Shukla Paksha, closing the month and linked to the story of Lord Vishnu’s Mohini form, taken to resolve a dispute between the Devas and Asuras over the nectar of immortality. Both are typically observed without grains, and stricter observers avoid oil as well. Alongside these, Shashti Vratham — dedicated to Lord Murugan — falls twice: April 8 in Krishna Paksha, and April 22 in Shukla Paksha. The April 22 date is the more widely observed Skanda Sashti, marking Murugan’s Soorasamharam victory over the demon Surapadma, kept with a day-long fast and evening temple visits, especially at Murugan shrines like Palani, Tiruchendur, and Swamimalai.
Pradosham: Twice-Monthly Evenings for Shiva
Pradosham falls on April 15 (Krishna Paksha) and April 29 (Shukla Paksha), observed on Trayodashi Tithi during Pradosh Kaal, the roughly two-hour window bridging sunset. Devotees fast through the day and gather at Shiva temples in the evening, with the puja timed to land within that twilight window rather than any time after. A Pradosham that falls on a Saturday is considered a Shani Pradosham, thought to be especially powerful — neither of April’s two Pradoshams land on a Saturday this year, both falling on a Wednesday instead.
Amavasai and Akshaya Tritiya
Amavasai, the new moon, falls on Friday, April 17, 2026, traditionally observed with Tarpanam — offerings made to ancestors — along with a holy bath and simple charity. Just two days later, on Sunday, April 19, comes Akshaya Tritiya, regarded as a Swayam Siddha Muhurtham, meaning the entire day is auspicious on its own without a separately calculated time window. This is the reason it’s such a popular day for buying gold, starting a business, or beginning construction across Tamil Nadu — the word Akshaya itself means “never diminishing.”
A Note on Chitra Pournami
Chitra Pournami, the full moon of the Tamil month of Chithirai, is sometimes assumed to fall in mid-April since Chithirai begins on the 14th. It doesn’t. Because there’s no full moon in the first two and a half weeks of the new Tamil year, Chitra Pournami 2026 actually falls on Friday, May 1 — just after the month covered in this guide. It’s worth keeping in mind if you’re planning around it, since the Girivalam at Tiruvannamalai and the Chithirai Festival celebrations at Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple both build toward that date.
Choosing a Muhurtham in Chithirai
Chithirai is traditionally one of the more favoured months for weddings and new beginnings, coming right after the Tamil New Year and its associated sense of a fresh start. Beyond the listed Muhurtham dates, an experienced astrologer may also approve a date not on a standard list if it carries a strong Nakshatra such as Rohini, Uttara, Hastam, or Swathi and falls on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. If you’re booking a wedding hall for a Muhurtham weekend in April, it’s worth reserving well in advance — these dates fill venues quickly across Tamil Nadu.
Beyond Festival Dates: Nalla Neram and Rahu Kalam
A Tamil Panchangam does more than mark festivals — every single day carries its own Nalla Neram (good time) and Rahu Kalam (a period to avoid for new beginnings), both of which shift daily based on sunrise and sunset. Households check these before travel, a big purchase, or signing documents, even on days with no festival attached at all. This is also why a Muhurtham date on a calendar isn’t automatically safe at any hour — the auspicious window still needs to be checked against that day’s Rahu Kalam and Yamagandam before anything is finalised.
Tips for Observing April’s Fasts
- Ekadashi: Avoid rice and grains for the full day; fruit, milk, and sabudana preparations are the usual substitutes.
- Shashti Vratham: Many devotees eat only one meal, taken after the evening temple visit rather than before.
- Pradosham: Plan to be free during Pradosh Kaal, the window bridging sunset, since that’s when the puja is considered most effective.
- Amavasai: Tarpanam is best performed in the morning, followed by a simple, sattvic meal for the rest of the day.
Anyone managing a health condition, pregnancy, or an age-related concern should adapt any fast sensibly, and check with a doctor before going without food for a full day.
April 2026 at a Glance
- Shashti Vratham (Krishna Paksha): April 8
- Ekadashi (Varuthini): April 13
- Puthandu / Chithirai Begins: April 14
- Pradosham (Krishna Paksha): April 15
- Amavasai: April 17
- Akshaya Tritiya: April 19
- Skanda Sashti Vratham: April 22
- Ekadashi (Mohini): April 27
- Pradosham (Shukla Paksha): April 29
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in 2026? Puthandu falls on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, when the sun enters Mesha rashi and the month of Chithirai begins.
When is Chitra Pournami in 2026? Chitra Pournami falls on Friday, May 1, 2026 — not in mid-April, despite what some generic calendars list.
Which Ekadashi fasts fall in April 2026? Two: April 13 (Krishna Paksha) and April 27 (Shukla Paksha).
When is Skanda Sashti in April 2026? Skanda Sashti falls on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
What are the wedding Muhurtham dates in April 2026? April 6, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23, and 30 are listed as Muhurtham dates, with April 19 (Akshaya Tritiya) considered auspicious on its own without separate calculation.
Can I download the Tamil Calendar April 2026 PDF for free? Yes. Use the download link earlier in this article — no cost, no account required.
Conclusion
Tamil Calendar April 2026 turns on Puthandu, the fresh start at the month’s centre, framed by two Ekadashi fasts, a pair of Pradosham evenings, Skanda Sashti for Lord Murugan, and a genuinely busy run of wedding Muhurtham dates once the new year begins. Chitra Pournami waits just past the month’s edge, on May 1, giving Chithirai its own quiet lead-up to that celebration. Save this guide, or grab the PDF, so none of April’s dates catch you off guard.