Quick answer: the December 2026 Hindu festivals in Europe follow one shared calendar across all 18 cities in our table: Kalabhairav Jayanti on Monday 30 November, Utpanna Ekadashi on Friday 4 December, Masik Shivaratri on Sunday 6 December, Vivah Panchami on Monday 14 December, Champa Shashti on Tuesday 15 December, Gita Jayanti and Vaikuntha Ekadashi on Sunday 20 December, Datta Jayanti on Wednesday 23 December and Saphala Ekadashi on Sunday 3 January 2027.

Only two of these differ from India: Kalabhairav Jayanti and Masik Shivaratri each come one day earlier in Europe. Dhanu Sankranti, which opens Dhanurmasam and Tamil Margazhi, arrives before dawn on Wednesday 16 December: 5:41 AM in Central European cities and 4:41 AM in Dublin and Lisbon.

About these dates: European city dates and times are from HinduTone's calculator, using the Drik method; India's dates are from Drik Panchang (marked Drik) or calculated by the same method. Smarta and Vaishnava families keep the same day for all three Ekadashis in every city. Confirm on Drik Panchang for your city.

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December 2026 Hindu festivals in Europe: city-by-city table

All dates are 2026 unless marked. The tithi at local sunrise decides the Ekadashis, Panchami and Shashti; the evening decides Purnima; local midnight decides Kalabhairav Jayanti and Masik Shivaratri.

CityKalabhairav JayantiUtpanna EkadashiMasik ShivaratriVivah PanchamiChampa ShashtiGita Jayanti & Vaikuntha EkadashiDatta JayantiSaphala EkadashiDhanu Sankranti (local)
FrankfurtMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
BerlinMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
MunichMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
HamburgMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
ParisMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
AmsterdamMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
BrusselsMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
ZurichMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
MilanMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
RomeMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
MadridMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
LisbonMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 4:41 AM
DublinMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 4:41 AM
StockholmMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
OsloMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
CopenhagenMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
ViennaMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM
WarsawMon 30 NovFri 4 DecSun 6 DecMon 14 DecTue 15 DecSun 20 DecWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan 2027Wed 16 Dec, 5:41 AM

Cities: Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg (Germany), Paris (France), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), Zurich (Switzerland), Milan and Rome (Italy), Madrid (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal), Dublin (Ireland), Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), Vienna (Austria) and Warsaw (Poland). For other towns, confirm on Drik Panchang.

Europe vs India: where the dates differ

FestivalIndiaEurope (18 cities)Same day?
Kalabhairav JayantiTue 1 Dec (Drik)Mon 30 NovNo: one day earlier in Europe
Utpanna EkadashiFri 4 Dec (Drik)Fri 4 DecYes
Masik Shivaratri (Karthika Masa Shivaratri)Mon 7 Dec (Drik)Sun 6 DecNo: one day earlier in Europe
Vivah PanchamiMon 14 DecMon 14 DecYes
Champa Shashti / Subrahmanya ShashtiTue 15 DecTue 15 DecYes
Dhanu SankrantiWed 16 DecWed 16 Dec (before dawn)Yes
Gita Jayanti / Vaikuntha EkadashiSun 20 DecSun 20 DecYes
Datta Jayanti / Margashirsha PurnimaWed 23 DecWed 23 DecYes
Saphala EkadashiSun 3 Jan 2027Sun 3 Jan 2027Yes

So if a relative in India tells you the date of Vivah Panchami, Gita Jayanti or Datta Jayanti, you can use it as it is in Europe. For the two midnight festivals, use the European date. Do not copy India's clock times; the Dhanu Sankranti moment, for example, is the same instant everywhere but reads 5:41 AM in Frankfurt.

Both shifts touch the end of Karthika Masam: Kalabhairav Jayanti on Monday 30 November falls on a Karthika Somavaram, and Masik Shivaratri on Sunday 6 December comes the day before the last Somavaram (Mon 7 Dec). See Karthika Masam 2026 in Europe, city by city and Karthika Somavaram 2026 in Europe.

What each festival is, and how European families observe it

Kalabhairav Jayanti (Mon 30 Nov)

The appearance day of Kala Bhairava, Shiva's fierce form and, as commonly told, the guardian of Kashi. On a Monday evening after work, light a sesame-oil lamp and chant the Kalabhairava Ashtakam or "Om Kalabhairavaya Namah". See Kalabhairava Jayanti 2026.

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Utpanna Ekadashi (Fri 4 Dec)

As commonly told, the goddess Ekadashi was born from Vishnu to destroy the demon Mura, which makes this the customary day to start an Ekadashi vow. A Friday at work suits a fruit-and-milk fast. See Utpanna Ekadashi 2026.

Masik Shivaratri (Sun 6 Dec)

The Karthika Masa Shivaratri, on a Sunday in Europe, so it suits a temple visit or a home abhishekam with the family. Our Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 guide is written for India's date, Monday 7 December.

Vivah Panchami (Mon 14 Dec)

The wedding of Rama and Sita, as commonly told. Many Hindi-speaking families read the Sita-Rama vivah from the Ramcharitmanas in the evening. See Vivah Panchami 2026.

Champa Shashti and Subrahmanya Shashti (Tue 15 Dec)

For Maharashtrian families, Khandoba's victory over the demons Mani and Malla, as commonly told; for Kannada and Tamil families, a Shashti for Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan). See Subrahmanya Shashti 2026.

Dhanu Sankranti and Dhanurmasam (Wed 16 Dec)

The Sun enters Dhanu before dawn, so Wednesday 16 December is the first Dhanurmasam (Margazhi) dawn: the month of Tiruppavai and dawn worship. Full city times and a routine for late European sunrises are in Dhanurmasam 2026 in Europe.

Gita Jayanti and Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Sun 20 Dec)

The day Krishna taught the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, as commonly told, and this year also Vaikuntha (Mukkoti) Ekadashi because it falls in Dhanurmasam. On a Sunday, families can read a chapter of the Gita together and visit a Vishnu, Venkateswara or Krishna temple. See Gita Jayanti and Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Europe, and for country detail, Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Germany and Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Italy.

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Datta Jayanti and Margashirsha Purnima (Wed 23 Dec)

The birth of Lord Dattatreya, son of Atri and Anasuya as commonly told, and Annapurna Jayanti. Two days before Christmas, many families keep it simply with a Guru Charitra reading at home. See Datta Jayanti 2026 and Margasira Pournami 2026.

Saphala Ekadashi (Sun 3 Jan 2027)

The "fruitful" Ekadashi of Pausha, on the first Sunday of 2027, a natural way to begin the new year with a fast and Vishnu puja.

Margashirsha Thursdays: the amanta month of Margashirsha runs from Wednesday 9 December 2026 to Thursday 7 January 2027 in every city, with Thursdays on 10, 17, 24 and 31 December and 7 January, kept by many families as Margashirsha Guruvar Vrat or Margasira Lakshmivara Vratam.

Fasting and health: keep any fast within your limits. A light fast is as valid as a strict one, and anyone with a medical condition should ask a doctor first.

Winter practicalities in Europe

  • Short, dark days: December has the shortest days of the year, especially in Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen and Warsaw. Plan weekday pujas, such as Kalabhairav Jayanti and Datta Jayanti, at home after work rather than a long trip to a temple.
  • Winter time: clocks went back on Sunday 25 October, so all times are winter time: Central European Time in most cities, Greenwich/Western European time in Dublin and Lisbon.
  • Temples and halls: Hindu temples and community halls in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Ireland and Scandinavia often mark Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti, but arrangements change each year. Check your temple's website; we do not list events or timings.
  • Cold queues: a Sunday Vaikuntha Ekadashi can mean queues outside in the cold. Dress warmly and bring a folding stool for elders.
  • Christmas season: trains and roads are busy in the week before Christmas; travel early in the day. Christmas Day is Friday 25 December.
  • Lamps and kolam: keep diyas on a metal plate away from curtains and smoke alarms. Margazhi kolams can be drawn on a mat inside the front door when the doorstep is wet or icy.

Frequently asked questions

When is Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in Frankfurt?

Sunday 20 December 2026, for both Smarta and Vaishnava families, in our Drik-method calculation. It is also Gita Jayanti, and it is the same day as India. Please confirm on Drik Panchang.

Which December festivals fall on a different day in Paris than in India?

Only two. Kalabhairav Jayanti is Monday 30 November in Paris (Tuesday 1 December in India), and Masik Shivaratri is Sunday 6 December in Paris (Monday 7 December in India). The same is true in every city in our table. Both are decided by the tithi at local midnight, which comes hours later in Europe than in India.

What time is Dhanu Sankranti 2026 in Amsterdam?

5:41 AM on Wednesday 16 December 2026 in Amsterdam, as in all Central European Time cities in our table. In Dublin and Lisbon it is 4:41 AM. Either way it falls before dawn, so the first Dhanurmasam dawn is Wednesday 16 December.

Is Saphala Ekadashi on 2 or 3 January 2027 in Milan?

Sunday 3 January 2027 in Milan, the same as India, for both traditions. Every city in our European table has the same date.

When is Datta Jayanti 2026 in Dublin?

Wednesday 23 December 2026, the day of Margashirsha Purnima, in Dublin and every other city in our table. It is the same day as India.

Are the dates the same in Stockholm, Oslo and Warsaw?

Yes. All 18 cities in our table, from Lisbon and Dublin in the west to Stockholm, Oslo and Warsaw in the north and east, share the same December dates. Only the Dhanu Sankranti clock time differs between time zones.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates marked Drik are from Drik Panchang. City values are from our calculator (Drik method; where our guides give moonrise, it is the standard astronomical moonrise, checked against the US Naval Observatory, and Drik may show a few minutes later). Please confirm on Drik Panchang and follow your temple. We do not list temple events or darshan timings.