September festivals full list: Janmashtami to Ganesh Chaturthi; a look at the upcoming Hindu festivals

Festivals like Janmashtami and Hartalika Teej have been delayed by a fortnight or so due to Shravan Adhik Maas. Here's a list of Hindu festivals in September.

With Shravan coming to an end on August 31, it's time to usher in the festivities of Janmashtami, Hartalika Teej, and Ganesh Chaturthi in September. Shravan was extended to two months this time due to the phenomenon of Adhik Maas or Mal Maas that happened after a gap of 19 years. Festivals like Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami and Hartalika Teej have been delayed by a fortnight or more compared to the last year due to Mal Maas. During Mal Maas, no festival is celebrated or auspicious work like marriage ceremonies, naming ceremonies, hawan etc is done. However, Mal Maas has ended on August 16 signalling the onset of festival season. Hariyali Teej and Raksha Bandhan are being celebrated on August 19 and August 30 respectively. Raksha Bandhan falls on Purnima Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Shravan. (Also read: Sawan 2023 festivals full calendar: Hariyali Teej, Raksha Bandhan to Janmashtami; dates of 12 major fasts and festivals)

Here are other much-awaited festivals that will be celebrated in September. Take a look.

1. Kajari Teej (September 2)

Monsoon season witnesses the festivities of three types of Teej - Hariyali Teej, Kajari Teej and Hartalika Teej. The rituals and spirit of all the Teej celebrations remain similar and hues of nature like green, yellow, orange, and red are at the centre of the celebration. Kajari Teej is celebrated on the third day of Krishna Paksha of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. The festival is popular in Rajasthan and is celebrated by married women who keep a day-long fast for prosperity and longevity of their spouses. Kajari Teej will be celebrated three days after Raksha Bandhan. Last year Kajari Teej was celebrated on August 14.

2. Krishna Janmashtami (September 6)

Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami celebrated the birth of Lord Krishna and is celebrated with much enthusiasm and fervour by Hindus. People observe a day-long fast, worship Lord Krishna and visit temples, organise cultural events, and prepare Lord Krishna's favourite food and sweets as bhog. Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth (ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada. Many people also go to Mathura and Vrindavan where celebrations are organised at a massive scale. Stories of Bal gopal through colourful jhankis are depicted at home or temples. Last year Janmashtami was celebrated on August 18.

3. Hartalika Teej (September 18)

The third Teej for the year Hartalika Teej is being observed on September 18 this year. Hartalika Teej is celebrated in the Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh and falls 15 days after the celebrations of Kajari Teej. It is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of Bhadrapudis. The day is observed to mark the day when Parvati's female friends abducted (harat means to abduct) her and brought her into deep forests as her father was hell-bent on getting her married to Lord Vishnu. Maa Parvati continued her penance there and eventually got married to Lord Shiva. Last year, in 2022, Hartalika Teej was celebrated on August 30.

4. Ganesh Chaturthi (September 19)

Another major festival that's falling in September this year is Ganesh Chaturthi which is part of Ganeshotsav and is celebrated over a period of 10 days. As the name suggests, the festival celebrates the birth of Hindu God Lord Ganesha and during this festival, the idols of Ganesha made of clay and other such material are made and worshipped. On the last day of the 10-day celebrations, the Visarjan or immersion of idols in the water is done. Ganesh Utsav begins on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the month of Bhadrapada and celebrated primarily in Maharashtra and parts of western India. Ganesha's favourite foods likecoconut, jaggery, modaks are offered to him as bhog and distributed among the devotees as prasad. Last year, in 2022, Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated on August 31.

5. Ananta Chaturdashi/Ganesh Visarjan (September 28)

On the last day of Ganesh Utsav is celebrated Ganesh Visarjan when devotees bid adieu to Lord Ganesha and urge him to return next year soon. Ananta Chaturdashi is a festival dedicated to Vishnu, observed and celebrated by Hindus and Jains. The day is also celebrated as Ananta Chaturdashi which is marked on the fourteenth day of the moon's waxing phase during the month of Bhadrapad. A festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshipped in a serpent form on this day. Last year, Ananta Chaturdashi was celebrated on September 9.