Jewish
Hanukkah 2026 हनुक्का
The Jewish Festival of Lights
Saturday, 5 December 2026
Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, recalling the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, with one more candle lit on the menorah each night.
How the date is fixed: Begins on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew lunisolar calendar and lasts eight days; the first candle is lit on the evening before the first day
Why Hanukkah is celebrated
Hanukkah means dedication in Hebrew. The festival celebrates religious freedom and the belief that a small group can stand up to a much larger power. Its lights remind Jewish families to spread light and faith in dark times. It is a joyful home festival rather than a major religious holy day.
History and story of Hanukkah
In the second century BCE, the Greek Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV banned Jewish practice and placed idols in the Temple in Jerusalem. A small band led by Judah Maccabee revolted and took back the Temple around 164 BCE. Jewish tradition holds that they found only one jar of pure oil, enough for one day, yet the Temple lamp burned for eight days. Hanukkah lasts eight days to remember this.
How Hanukkah is celebrated
Families light a nine-branched lamp called the menorah or hanukkiah. One candle, the shamash, is used to light the others: one on the first night, two on the second, up to eight on the last night. It is placed near a window so the light is seen outside. People sing blessings, eat foods fried in oil such as potato pancakes and jam doughnuts, play with a spinning top called a dreidel, and give children small gifts or coins.
Important days and moments
- First candle (Evening of Friday, 4 December 2026)
The first light is kindled after sunset, as Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev. - First day (Saturday, 5 December 2026)
The first full day of the festival, with blessings, songs and fried foods. - Eighth candle (Evening of Friday, 11 December 2026)
All eight candles burn together on the last night. - Last day (Saturday, 12 December 2026)
Hanukkah ends at nightfall after eight days.
Hanukkah across India
India's small Jewish community, made up of the Bene Israel of Maharashtra, the Cochin Jews of Kerala, the Baghdadi Jews of Mumbai and Kolkata, and the Bnei Menashe of Mizoram and Manipur, lights the menorah at home and in synagogues in Mumbai, Thane, Kolkata and Kochi.
Other names and related festivals
- Chanukah
- Feast of Dedication
- Festival of Lights
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah in 2026?
Hanukkah falls on Saturday, 5 December 2026.
Is Hanukkah a bank holiday?
Hanukkah is not a bank holiday in any of the states covered here in 2026, so banks stay open unless the day is a Sunday or a second or fourth Saturday.
Is Hanukkah a central government holiday?
No. Hanukkah is not on the 2026 list of central government holidays. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, when central government offices are closed anyway.
Is the stock market closed on Hanukkah?
Hanukkah falls on a Saturday, when the markets are closed anyway.
What are the other names of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is also known as Chanukah, Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights.
Why does Hanukkah last eight days?
Jewish tradition says a single day's supply of oil kept the Temple lamp burning for eight days after the Temple was rededicated.
Why does the date of Hanukkah change every year?
It follows the Hebrew calendar, which is based on the moon and the sun. It always begins on 25 Kislev, which falls in late November or December.
Where is Hanukkah celebrated in India?
Jewish families and synagogues in Mumbai, Thane, Kolkata, Kochi and parts of the Northeast light the menorah each night of the festival.
Next Jewish festivals (30 days)
No other festival in the next 30 days.
Upcoming central government holidays
Holidays in your state
Bank, state government and school holidays differ from state to state. Pick your state:
Holidays and festivals calendar: October and November 2026
Central government holidays for all of India and major festivals. For bank, state government and school holidays, open your state: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.
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Friday, 2 October Gandhi Jayanti Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's freedom struggle and the voice of truth and non-violence. |
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Sunday, 11 October Sharad Navratri Sharad Navratri is the nine night autumn festival of the Goddess Durga, beginning with Ghatasthapana and leading up to Dussehra, with fasting, prayer, garba... |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Saturday, 17 October Durga Puja Durga Puja celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura with grand pandals, dhak drums, prayers and feasts, especially in West Bengal and ea... |
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Tuesday, 20 October Dussehra Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, celebrates the victory of good over evil, recalling Lord Rama's defeat of Ravana and Goddess Durga's triumph over Mahishasura. |
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Sunday, 8 November Diwali Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the victory of light over darkness with Lakshmi Puja, rows of diyas, sweets and family gatherings on the new moon... |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Sunday, 15 November Chhath Puja Chhath Puja is a four day festival of Bihar and eastern India in which devotees fast and offer arghya to the setting and rising Sun while standing in water. |
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Tuesday, 24 November Guru Nanak Jayanti Guru Nanak Jayanti, or Prakash Purab, celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, with prayers, nagar kirtans, langar and lit up gurdw... |
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Public holiday Major festival Today
- Sat, 17 Oct
Durga Puja - Tue, 20 Oct
Dussehra - Sun, 8 Nov
Diwali - Sun, 15 Nov
Chhath Puja - Tue, 24 Nov
Guru Nanak Jayanti