Rang Panchami 2026: Date, Panchami Tithi, Sunrise and Rituals

The vibrant festival of Rang Panchami 2026 celebrated a few days after Holi brings together colour, joy and subtle spiritual cleansing. It is not only another chance to play with colours but also a gentle way to lighten the atmosphere, refresh the mind and bring the energy of the Holi season to a balanced close.

In the year 2026 Rang Panchami will be observed on Sunday, 8 March 2026. Rang Panchami falls every year on the Krishna Paksha Panchami of the Chaitra month, usually the fifth day after Holi. For 2026 the Panchami Tithi will begin at 07:17 PM on 7 March 2026 and end at 09:11 PM on 8 March 2026. On this day sunrise will be at 06:46 AM and sunset at 06:29 PM, so the whole of 8 March is appropriate for celebrating Rang Panchami.

Rang Panchami 2026: date, timings and Panchang details

Knowing the correct date and timing of Panchami helps devotees and communities plan their celebrations and observances, especially in regions where Rang Panchami is marked with special gatherings.

Rang Panchami 2026: date, Panchami Tithi, sunrise and sunset

Detail	Date and time
Name of the festival	Rang Panchami 2026
Day and date	Sunday, 8 March 2026
Month and lunar phase	Chaitra month, Krishna Paksha
Panchami Tithi begins	7 March 2026, 07:17 PM
Panchami Tithi ends	8 March 2026, 09:11 PM
Sunrise	8 March 2026, 06:46 AM
Sunset	8 March 2026, 06:29 PM

Since Panchami Tithi remains throughout the day and evening of 8 March, the celebrations, bathing, worship and playful use of colours on this date are all regarded as auspicious.

What is Rang Panchami and when is it celebrated

Place of Rang Panchami after Holi

Rang Panchami is the festival of colours that follows Holi. It is observed on Chaitra Krishna Panchami, which generally falls on the fifth day after Holi. Just as Holi around Phalguna Purnima brings a major wave of colour and festivity, Rang Panchami in some traditions is seen as

• a completion and balancing of the festive cycle,
• and a renewed, yet gentler, expression of colour and togetherness.

Special features of Rang Panchami 2026

In 2026 Rang Panchami will fall on Sunday, 8 March, which is convenient for families and communities to gather. On this day in many places

• people once again play with gulal and coloured water,
• processions, folk dances and gatherings are organised,
• and the spiritual and social energy of Holi is enjoyed once more in a relaxed way.

Meaning and spiritual indication of Rang Panchami

Combined sense of “Rang” and “Panchami”

The word “Rang” means colour and “Panchami” denotes the fifth lunar day of the fortnight. Thus Rang Panchami is the day on which colours are celebrated under the influence of Panchami Tithi.

In some understandings Rang Panchami

• allows the remaining festive energy after Holi to be expressed in a more balanced form,
• and deepens the atmosphere of laughter, ease and harmony among people.

Feeling of victory over rajas and tamas

Certain spiritual traditions connect Rang Panchami with the subtle victory over rajas and tamas.

• Rajas relates to excessive restlessness, desire and agitation.
• Tamas relates to inertia, heaviness and ignorance.

It is said that the fire of Holika Dahan helps to burn away these rajasic and tamasic tendencies in the environment. After Holi, Rang Panchami is then seen as a day when

• the atmosphere becomes more pure and light,
• and colours are used to awaken joy, purity and goodwill in that refined space.

Where and how is Rang Panchami celebrated

Rang Panchami in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa and North India

Rang Panchami is known across India but it is especially prominent in

• Madhya Pradesh,
• Maharashtra,
• Goa,
• and some regions of North India.

In these areas on Rang Panchami

• people throw gulal and coloured water on each other,
• drums, folk instruments and songs fill the streets,
• and villages as well as cities see organised group celebrations of colour.

Rang Panchami and Shimgo in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra the festival linked to Rang Panchami is also known as “Shimgo” or “Shimga”.

• It is particularly celebrated among fishing and coastal communities.
• During Shimgo there are palkhi dances, folk songs, bursts of colour and collective dancing.

Thus the day is not limited to colour play. It also serves as a stage for folk music, traditional dance and community bonding.

Shigmo and Rang Panchami in Goa

In Goa the spring period is marked by the Shigmo or Shigmotsav festival.

• On the day of Holi Shigmo festivities begin.
• On the fifth day from Shigmo, people celebrate Rang Panchami by
  • applying gulal to one another,
  • playing with coloured water,
  • and joining processions, dances and decorative tableaux in the streets.

In this way Rang Panchami becomes an integral part of the Shigmo celebration cycle.

Vrindavan and Mathura: Rang Panchami as the closing of Holi

In Vrindavan and Mathura the celebration of Holi continues for many days.

• After Phoolon ki Holi, Lathmar Holi and various temple festivities,
• Rang Panchami often marks the culmination of the Holi season.

The day gently gathers the energy of Krishna’s play and

• offers a joyful yet peaceful completion to the long festival.

Rituals and observances on Rang Panchami

Playing with colours and family celebration

The external forms of Rang Panchami resemble those of Holi, though often in a calmer way. On this day

• families and friends again apply gulal and light colours to one another,
• many people prefer to use dry colours and simple gulal rather than heavy wet colours,
• music, songs and local gatherings continue in a relaxed mood.

In this sense Rang Panchami gives a harmonious and joyful closure to the season of colours.

Worship of Krishna and Radha

In many places during Rang Panchami

• devotees worship Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha.
• In homes and temples
  • flowers, abir, gulal, bhog and Aarti are offered to Radha Krishna,
  • honouring their divine union and playful love.

The colour play reflects the remembrance of their leelas and reminds devotees that

• love, devotion and simplicity make the colours of life more beautiful.

Important timings on Rang Panchami 2026

For those who wish to perform special bath, charity or Puja, the timing of sunrise and sunset on Rang Panchami can be helpful.

Key timings for Rang Panchami 2026

Indicator	Date and time
Date of Rang Panchami	8 March 2026, Sunday
Sunrise	06:46 AM
Sunset	06:29 PM
Panchami Tithi span	7 March, 07:17 PM to 8 March, 09:11 PM

Within these timings, bathing, sankalpa, Puja, charity and colour celebrations are considered to carry full auspicious fruit.

Deeper spiritual meaning of Rang Panchami

Cleansing the atmosphere and using colour as a subtle practice

Some teachings explain that the fire of Holika Dahan helps to burn away

• heavy, negative and rajas tamas dominant energies.

After this, on Rang Panchami

• colours are not seen merely as tools of play and mischief,
• but also as a means to awaken divine qualities and enliven the purified atmosphere.

Awakening the five elements

Another viewpoint sees Rang Panchami as a festival that activates the Panch Tatva or five elements. These are

• earth,
• water,
• fire,
• air,
• and ether.

Human bodies are also understood to be formed from these same elements. During Rang Panchami

• earth and dust mix with colours under the feet,
• coloured water symbolises the element of jala,
• the earlier memory of Holika Dahan is linked to fire,
• gulal floating in the breeze evokes air,
• and colours rising in the open sky touch ether.

Through these symbols the five elements are invited into a more harmonious expression. This balance is believed to support health, vitality and inner equilibrium.

Common questions

When will Rang Panchami be celebrated in 2026 and what are the Panchami timings
Rang Panchami in 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, 8 March 2026. Panchami Tithi will be in effect from 07:17 PM on 7 March 2026 to 09:11 PM on 8 March 2026, so the full day of 8 March is suitable for celebration.

What is the main difference between Holi and Rang Panchami
Holi is observed around Phalguna Purnima, with Holika Dahan and large scale colour festivities, whereas Rang Panchami falls on Chaitra Krishna Panchami. Rang Panchami is often a gentler, joyful and balanced celebration that follows Holi.

In which regions is Rang Panchami especially popular
Rang Panchami is celebrated with special enthusiasm in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa and parts of North India. In Maharashtra it is connected with Shimgo or Shimga, in Goa with Shigmo and in Vrindavan and Mathura it often marks the closing day of Holi festivities.

What are the main rituals of Rang Panchami
On Rang Panchami people play with gulal and colours, sing, dance and gather with family and friends. In many places devotees also worship Krishna and Radha, offering colours, flowers, bhog and Aarti.

What inner lesson can one draw from Rang Panchami 2026
Rang Panchami suggests that festivals are not only about outer colours but also about lightening rajas and tamas within, giving more space to love, simplicity and balance. When celebrated with forgiveness and harmony, Rang Panchami 2026 can colour both mind and environment with a more lasting joy.