Patna: Wedding ceremonies resume on Thursday with the arrival of the first auspicious date of the Hindu calendar in 2026, following the end of Kharmas and the sun’s transition into its northward journey, known as Uttarayan.
The day coincides with Magha Shukla Ekadashi and marks the formal return of wedding rituals after a period considered inauspicious. According to astrologers, February will see the highest concentration of favourable wedding dates this year, with ceremonies permitted from February 4 to February 26.
Astrologer said that wedding schedules in 2026 have been unusually delayed, largely due to the setting of Venus, a planet traditionally associated with marriage. “This has compressed the number of suitable dates into a few specific windows,” he explained.
After February, six auspicious dates fall in July. Following the conclusion of the five-month Chaturmas period, weddings may resume briefly in November, which has four favourable dates, and more extensively in December, which offers seven.
However, the calendar also includes extended interruptions. The second Kharmas of the year will run from March 14 to April 14, beginning when the sun enters the Pisces zodiac sign at 3.07am on Chaitra Krishna Ekadashi. During Kharmas, all auspicious Hindu ceremonies, including weddings, are suspended.
Further restrictions arise from the presence of Adhik Maas, or an intercalary month, in 2026. As a result, the year will have 13 lunar months instead of the usual 12. The month of Jyeshtha will occur twice, from May 2 to 31 and again from June 1 to 29. Between May 15 and June 17, the period of Malmas will be observed, during which weddings are not permitted.
Chaturmas will begin on July 25 and continue until November 20. During these four months, Lord Vishnu is believed to enter a state of divine rest, and all auspicious ceremonies are traditionally deferred.
Taken together, these intervals mean that while the wedding season begins today, couples will need to plan carefully around a calendar marked by long pauses and narrowly defined windows for celebration.
