Sankranti Vrat Calendar 2028
A month-by-month list of every Sankranti of the year - the day the Sun enters a new sidereal sign, twelve times across the year. Each Sankranti is a parva (holy day) for a sacred bath, charity (daan) and offerings to the ancestors; Makar Sankranti (Uttarayana) and Karka Sankranti (Dakshinayana) mark the turn of the Sun's course.
The Sankranti Vrat Calendar lists 12 dates in 2028, from Makar Sankranti on 14 January through Dhanu Sankranti on 15 December. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2084 – 2085.
Monthly Sankranti Days
January 2028
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Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti — the Sun enters Capricorn (Makara) and begins its northward course (Uttarayana), the most celebrated Sankranti. Kept across India as Pongal, Lohri, Bihu, Uttarayan and Khichdi with a holy dip, til-gud (sesame and jaggery) and charity.
February 2028
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Kumbha Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Kumbha (Aquarius). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
March 2028
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Meena Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Meena (Pisces). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
April 2028
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Mesha Sankranti
Mesha Sankranti — the Sun enters Aries (Mesha), the solar new year of many regions. Kept as Vishu, Vaisakhi, Poila Boishakh, Puthandu and Bohag Bihu, with a holy dip and charity.
May 2028
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Vrishabha Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Vrishabha (Taurus). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
June 2028
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Mithuna Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Mithuna (Gemini). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
July 2028
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Karka Sankranti
Karka Sankranti — the Sun enters Cancer (Karka) and begins its southward course (Dakshinayana), the gods' night. A parva for a holy dip and daan.
August 2028
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Simha Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Simha (Leo). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
September 2028
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Kanya Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Kanya (Virgo). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
October 2028
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Tula Sankranti
Tula Sankranti — the Sun enters Libra (Tula). Kept as Tula Sankramana with a holy dip (notably the Cauvery / Tula snana) and charity.
November 2028
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Vrishchika Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Vrishchika (Scorpio). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
December 2028
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Dhanu Sankranti Vrat
Sankranti — the day the Sun enters sidereal Dhanu (Sagittarius). A parva for a holy dip (snana), charity (daan) and ancestral offerings.
Sankranti start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
What the sky brings in 2028
Beyond the dates the Sankranti Vrat Calendar lists, 2028 brings 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 3 are above the horizon somewhere in India. Tula Sankranti falls on 17 October, 1 day later in the year than in 2027 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2028
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 9:43 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 2 days before Makar Sankranti | Pausha Purnima | Not visible |
| 26 Jan 8:37 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 6 Jul 11:49 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashadha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Jul 8:25 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 31 Dec 10:22 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Pausha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal is observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2028
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 7:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Meena → Mesha |
| 28 Feb 7:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Simha re-entry while retrograde |
| 24 Jul 3:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
| 26 Dec 1:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu enters Dhanu on 24 June 2028, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Sankranti Vrat Calendar 2028
How many festivals and vrats does the Sankranti Vrat Calendar list in 2028?
The Sankranti Vrat Calendar lists 12 dates in 2028, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Makar Sankranti on Friday, 14 January 2028, and the last is Dhanu Sankranti on Friday, 15 December 2028.
What are the main festival dates in the Sankranti Vrat Calendar for 2028?
The first major observances of 2028 are:
- Makar Sankranti - Friday, 14 January 2028
- Mesha Sankranti - Thursday, 13 April 2028
- Karka Sankranti - Sunday, 16 July 2028
- Tula Sankranti - Tuesday, 17 October 2028
Which traditional year does 2028 correspond to in the Sankranti Vrat Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2028 spans Vikram Samvat 2084 – 2085. The traditional year does not begin on 1 January, so one Gregorian year usually covers the end of one era year and the start of the next.
Will there be an Adhik Maas in 2028?
No. 2028 has twelve lunar months with no Adhik Maas, so its festival dates fall in their usual Gregorian window rather than being pushed later by an intercalary month.
Will there be any eclipses in 2028?
2028 has 5 eclipses:
- 12 January 2028 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 January 2028 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 6 July 2028 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 22 July 2028 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 31 December 2028 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 3 of these will be kept in India.
Will Guru or Shani change sign in 2028?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2028:
- Shani (Saturn) enters Mesha on 23 February 2028
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Simha on 28 February 2028, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Kanya on 24 July 2028
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Tula on 26 December 2028
Jupiter takes about a year to cross one sign and Saturn about two and a half, so these transits colour the whole year rather than a single week.
Are these 2028 dates the same everywhere?
The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.
About the Sankranti Vrat Calendar
A month-by-month list of every Sankranti of the year - the day the Sun enters a new sidereal sign, twelve times across the year. Each Sankranti is a parva (holy day) for a sacred bath, charity (daan) and offerings to the ancestors; Makar Sankranti (Uttarayana) and Karka Sankranti (Dakshinayana) mark the turn of the Sun's course.
Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.
This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.
