August 2026 runs from Karkata (Shravana) 16 to Simha (Bhadrava) 15 in the Odia calendar. Its big days are Bol Bam begins (3 August) and Raksha Bandhan (27 August). Below is every important date of the month, with its rituals.
- Odia months
- Shravana and Bhadrava
- Sankranti
- Simha Sankranti, 17 August
- Purnima
- 28 August
- Amavasya
- 12 August
August 2026Shravana 16 – Bhadrava 15
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Shravana 16 | ||||||
| 2Shravana 17 | 3Shravana 18Festival: Bol Bam begins; Manasa Panchami | 4Shravana 19 | 5Shravana 20 | 6Shravana 21 | 7Shravana 22 | 8Shravana 23 |
| 9Shravana 24Ekadashi: Ekadashi | 10Shravana 25 | 11Shravana 26 | 12Shravana 27Amavasya: Chitalagi Amavasya | 13Shravana 28 | 14Shravana 29 | 15Shravana 30Festival: Independence Day; Sri Aurobindo Jayanti |
| 16Shravana 31 | 17Bhadrava 1Sankranti: Simha Sankranti | 18Bhadrava 2 | 19Bhadrava 3 | 20Bhadrava 4 | 21Bhadrava 5 | 22Bhadrava 6Festival: Jhulana Yatra begins |
| 23Bhadrava 7Ekadashi: Putrada Ekadashi | 24Bhadrava 8 | 25Bhadrava 9 | 26Bhadrava 10Festival: Milad-un-Nabi | 27Bhadrava 11Festival: Raksha Bandhan; Balabhadra Jayanti; Gamha Parba | 28Bhadrava 12Purnima: Gamha Purnima (Shravana Purnima) | 29Bhadrava 13 |
| 30Bhadrava 14Festival: Khudurukuni Osha | 31Bhadrava 15 |
Important dates in August 2026
| Date | Festival or observance |
|---|---|
| 3 AugustMonday | Bol Bam begins; Manasa Panchami |
| 9 AugustSunday | Ekadashi |
| 12 AugustWednesday | Chitalagi Amavasya |
| 15 AugustSaturday | Independence Day; Sri Aurobindo Jayanti |
| 17 AugustMonday | Simha Sankranti |
| 22 AugustSaturday | Jhulana Yatra begins |
| 23 AugustSunday | Putrada Ekadashi |
| 26 AugustWednesday | Milad-un-Nabi |
| 27 AugustThursday | Raksha Bandhan; Balabhadra Jayanti; Gamha Parba |
| 28 AugustFriday | Gamha Purnima (Shravana Purnima) |
| 30 AugustSunday | Khudurukuni Osha |
Rituals, date by date
3 August: Bol Bam begins; Manasa Panchami
Devotees in saffron walk barefoot to Shiva temples carrying river water in pots slung from a pole, chanting "Bol Bam", and pour it on the linga; Mondays are the most crowded. It is also Manasa Panchami, when the snake goddess Manasa is worshipped with milk.
Why it matters: Shravana is Shiva's month.
In Koraput: The Gupteswar cave temple holds its Bol Bom Yatra in Shravana, with large crowds; plan the visit for a weekday.
9 August: Ekadashi
Families fast from rice and other grains, worship Vishnu, and break the fast after sunrise the next day.
12 August: Chitalagi Amavasya
At Puri the deities wear chita, jewelled forehead marks, and at home families make chitau pitha, rice pancakes, for the family's welfare. A day for offerings of water and sesame to the ancestors (tarpana); many families avoid starting new work.
15 August: Independence Day; Sri Aurobindo Jayanti
Flags are raised at homes, schools and offices, with parades and programmes. Sri Aurobindo's followers mark his birthday with meditation.
17 August: Simha Sankranti
The Sun enters a new sign and a new Odia month begins; families bathe at dawn and pray to the Sun.
22 August: Jhulana Yatra begins
Radha and Krishna are placed on decorated swings in temples and homes, with songs every evening until the full moon.
23 August: Putrada Ekadashi
Couples fast for the blessing of children. Families fast from rice and other grains, worship Vishnu, and break the fast after sunrise the next day.
26 August: Milad-un-Nabi
Muslims mark the Prophet Muhammad's birthday with prayers, processions and shared meals.
27 August: Raksha Bandhan; Balabhadra Jayanti; Gamha Parba
Sisters tie rakhi on their brothers' wrists. For Gamha, cattle are bathed, decorated and fed, and families make manda and kakara pitha.
Why it matters: The birthday of Balabhadra, Jagannath's elder brother, and a thanksgiving for the cattle that work the fields.
28 August: Gamha Purnima (Shravana Purnima)
The full moon of Shravana closes Jhulana Yatra; Gamha celebrations continue. Families bathe at dawn, and many hold a Satyanarayana puja in the evening.
30 August: Khudurukuni Osha
Girls worship Goddess Mangala on the Sundays of Bhadrava, with puffed and fried rice, and tell the story of Taapoi, praying for their brothers' safety.
Koraput in August
August is the monsoon at its fullest: Duduma and Rani Duduma are both full, and Gupteswar has its Shravan crowds. Keep a spare day in the plan for heavy rain.
July 2026 · September 2026 · How the Odia calendar works, and every month
Dates from the Kohinoor Press Sankhyepa Panjika 2026, Cuttack.
