JANUARY

• Friday 14 – Makar Sankrant: One of the most important festivals of the Hindu calendar and celebrates the sun's journey into the northern hemisphere.

FEBRUARY 

• Tuesday 8 – Vasant Panchami: Dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and Brahma's wife. The festival marks the beginning of Spring.

• Tuesday 15 – Milad un Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad): Shia Muslims celebrate this 5 days later.  Some Muslims do not approve of celebrating the birthday, and regard doing so as a religious innovation.

• Sunday 20 – Milad un Nabi (Shia): Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims celebrate this 5 days earlier. Some Muslims do not approve of celebrating the birthday, and regard doing so as a religious innovation.

MARCH 

• Thursday 3 – Mahashivratri: A Hindu festival dedicated to Shiva, one of the deities of the Hindu Trinity.

• Saturday 19 – Holi: The Hindu spring festival.

APRIL 

• Tuesday 12 – Swaminarayan Jayanti: This day marks the birth of Lord Swaminarayan for followers of the Swaminarayan tradition.

• Tuesday 12 – Rama Navami: Birthday of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana.

• Monday 18 April – Hanuman Jayanti: This festival marks the birth of Hanuman, the Monkey God.

AUGUST 

• Monday 1 – Ramadan (start): The Muslim month of fasting.

• Saturday 13 – Raksha Bandhan: The Hindu festival that celebrates brotherhood and love; "Raksha Bandhan" means a thread for protection.

• Monday 22 – Janmashtami - Krishna Jayanti: This festival marks the birth of Krishna, the most highly venerated God in the Hindu pantheon.

• Tuesday 30 – Eid-Ul-Fitr: The end of Ramadan when Muslims celebrate the end of fasting and thank Allah for His help with their month-long act of self-control.

SEPTEMBER 

• Wednesday 28 – Navaratri (start): Navaratri (nine nights) symbolises the triumph of good over evil and marks the start of autumn.

OCTOBER 

• Thursday 6 – Dussera: Celebrates Lord Rama's victory over the evil demon Ravana.

• Wednesday 26 – Diwali: The festival of lights is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. It is an occasion for celebrations by Hindus as well as Jains and Sikhs.

NOVEMBER 

• Sunday 6 – Eid-Ul-Adha: Festival of Sacrifice marking the day after Arafat. The Day of Arafat is the most important day in the Hajj ritual. This is a four day holiday.

• Saturday 26 – Al-Hijira: Islamic New Year. Marks the migration of the Prophet Mohammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina.

DECEMBER 

• Monday 5 – Ashura: Islamic holy day observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Shi'ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martydom of the Prophet's grandson, Hussein.