Tamil Nadu and the global Tamil community follow a unique lunisolar calendar that blends the rhythm of the moon with the movement of the sun through the zodiac. February 2026 is an especially interesting month on this calendar because it sits right at a month-changeover point: the tail end of Thai Masam flows into the beginning of Maasi Masam, the eleventh month of the Tamil year. This transition brings a fresh set of festivals, fasting days, and auspicious (muhurtham) dates that matter to anyone planning a wedding, a housewarming, a naming ceremony, or simply a temple visit.
This guide walks through the Tamil Calendar for February 2026 in plain language — no confusing jargon, just the dates you need, why they matter, and how to use them. All dates below are based on standard Tamil Nadu panchangam conventions (Chennai reference point); because Tithi and Nakshatra timings shift slightly by location, always double-check exact hours with your family priest or a local panchangam app before fixing an event.
Tamil Calendar Festivals and Muhurtham Dates: February 2026
Below is a simplified table of the key Tamil festival, fasting, and observance dates that fall in February 2026. These are drawn from standard panchangam sources and cross-checked across multiple calendar references for accuracy.
| Date (2026) | Day | Tamil Month | Occasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1 | Sunday | Thai | Pournami (Full Moon) — also Thaipusam, honouring Lord Murugan |
| February 12 | Thursday | Thai (last day) | Final day of Thai Masam |
| February 13 | Friday | Maasi (begins) | Maasi Masam starts; Vijaya Ekadashi |
| February 15 | Sunday | Maasi | Maha Shivaratri — the Great Night of Shiva |
| February 17 | Tuesday | Maasi | Amavasai (New Moon Day) — good for tarpanam and ancestor worship |
| February 27 | Friday | Maasi | Amalaki Ekadashi |
| Early March | — | Maasi (continues) | Next Pournami and Pradosham fall in the following cycle |
A quick note on accuracy: Sashti Vratham, Pradosham, and daily Nakshatra timings can shift by a day depending on your city and the specific panchangam tradition your family follows (Vakya vs. Drik ganitham, for instance). The dates above cover the anchor points of the month — the two Ekadashis, the one Amavasai, and the one Pournami — which are the most widely agreed-upon dates across calendars.
How to Download and Use This Tamil Calendar for February 2026
Many readers like to keep a printed or saved copy of the Tamil calendar handy through the month — pinned on the kitchen wall, saved as a phone wallpaper, or printed out for the family altar. If you’d like a physical copy, you can screenshot or print this page directly from your browser (most browsers let you “Save as PDF” from the print menu), which keeps the festival table above intact for quick reference.
Major Festivals in the February 2026 Tamil Calendar
Thaipusam — February 1, 2026
Thaipusam falls on the full moon day of Thai Masam, when the moon aligns with Pusam (Pushya) Nakshatra. It’s one of the most visually striking festivals in the Tamil Hindu calendar, dedicated to Lord Murugan. Devotees who have observed weeks of fasting (Thaipusam Viratham) carry kavadi — decorated structures or milk pots — in procession to Murugan temples. Because Thaipusam 2026 lands on a Sunday, expect larger-than-usual crowds at major temples both in Tamil Nadu and across the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia, Singapore, and Mauritius.
Maha Shivaratri — February 15, 2026
Falling within Maasi Masam, Maha Shivaratri is the night dedicated to Lord Shiva, commemorating the divine union of Shiva and Parvati. Devotees typically fast through the day and keep vigil through the night with four watches (prahars) of worship. Since Maasi is already considered Shiva’s month in Tamil tradition, this Shivaratri carries extra significance for devotees in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and beyond.
Amavasai (New Moon) — February 17, 2026
This new moon day, falling early in Maasi Masam, is traditionally set aside for tarpanam — offering respects to ancestors. Many families visit temples or riverbanks for this ritual. It’s generally considered a day to avoid starting new ventures and is instead reserved for reflection and ancestral remembrance.
Ekadashi Days — February 13 and February 27, 2026
Ekadashi, the eleventh lunar day, is observed twice a month by devotees who fast in honour of Lord Vishnu. In February 2026, the two Ekadashis are Vijaya Ekadashi (February 13, marking the very start of Maasi Masam) and Amalaki Ekadashi (February 27). Both are considered spiritually significant fasting days across Vaishnava households in Tamil Nadu.
Pournami (Full Moon) — February 1, 2026
The month’s only full moon falls on February 1, coinciding with Thaipusam itself — a rare overlap that makes this particular Pournami especially auspicious for temple visits and Satyanarayana pujas.
How the Tamil Calendar Differs from the North Indian Hindu Panchang
If you’ve ever compared a Tamil calendar with a North Indian Hindu panchang for the same month, you may have noticed the festival names and even some dates don’t line up perfectly. That’s because the Tamil calendar is a solar (sauramana) calendar — months change when the Sun enters a new zodiac sign — while much of North India follows a lunar (chandramana) system, where months are defined by the moon’s phases.
This is exactly why Ratha Saptami (Surya Jayanti), which is calculated on the lunar Magha Shukla Saptami tithi, falls in late January 2026 rather than February, even though it’s closely linked to the same solar season that brings in Thai and Maasi Masam. Meanwhile, purely solar events like the Thai-to-Maasi transition on February 13 stay remarkably consistent from year to year, deviating by at most a day or two.
Understanding this distinction is useful if you’re comparing Tamil Nadu temple calendars with Hindi-language panchangs for festivals like Amavasya, Ekadashi, and Shivaratri — the lunar-based ones (Ekadashi, Amavasai, Pournami, Shivaratri) will match up across both systems, while month names and solar transition festivals will differ.
Tamil Calendar February 2026 for the Diaspora
Tamil communities outside India — in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, Canada, the UK, and the US — continue to follow this same calendar for their festival calendars, even while adapting timings to local sunrise and sunset. Thaipusam, for instance, draws enormous crowds at the Batu Caves in Malaysia and at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Singapore, both on the same February 1, 2026 date as in Tamil Nadu, since it’s tied to the Pusam Nakshatra rather than a local civil calendar. If you’re part of the diaspora, it’s worth checking with your local temple for any date adjustments made to accommodate weekday scheduling or public holiday rules, since temple committees sometimes shift processions to the nearest weekend even when the religious date itself doesn’t move.
Auspicious Muhurtham Days in Maasi Masam 2026
Once Maasi Masam begins on February 13, families across Tamil Nadu start checking the calendar for muhurtham dates — the astrologically favourable windows for weddings, housewarming ceremonies, naming ceremonies (namakaranam), ear-piercing (kaadhu kutthu), and even starting a new business. Maasi is traditionally regarded as a month suited to disciplined new beginnings, particularly ones with a spiritual undertone.
That said, muhurtham suitability isn’t decided by the solar month alone — it depends on the specific Tithi, Nakshatra, and the individual’s birth chart (jathakam). A date that looks generically “auspicious” on a printed calendar may not suit every family. Because of this, it’s always best to:
- Cross-check the specific date against your family’s birth star and horoscope
- Consult a qualified astrologer or your family priest before finalising wedding or griha pravesham dates
- Avoid Amavasai (February 17) and Rahu Kalam windows for starting new ventures
- Treat Ekadashi and Pradosham days as fasting/worship days rather than celebration days
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Maasi Masam start in 2026? Maasi Masam begins on Friday, February 13, 2026, and continues until mid-March.
Is there a full moon (Pournami) in February 2026? Yes, Pournami falls on February 1, 2026, coinciding with Thaipusam.
When is Maha Shivaratri in 2026? Maha Shivaratri falls on Sunday, February 15, 2026, within Maasi Masam.
How many Ekadashi days are there in February 2026? Two: Vijaya Ekadashi on February 13 and Amalaki Ekadashi on February 27.
Is February 2026 a good month for weddings as per the Tamil calendar? Maasi Masam has traditionally auspicious days for ceremonies, but always confirm the exact date against your horoscope with a priest or astrologer rather than relying on general guidance.