8th

August

Augustus

Latin Script

Aug 1–31 Solar Calendar Leo–Virgo (♌→♍)

Major Festivals

Independence Day India

स्वतंत्रता दिवस

Aug 15

India's national holiday celebrating independence from British rule on August 15, 1947. The Prime Minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort, Delhi. Public holiday across India and celebrated by Indian diaspora globally.

Raksha Bandhan

रक्षा बंधन

Aug full moon (Shravan)

Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters tie a rakhi (sacred thread) on their brother's wrist; brothers pledge protection. One of India's most beloved family festivals.

Janmashtami

जन्माष्टमी

Aug (lunar)

Birthday of Lord Krishna. Celebrated at midnight with devotional songs, dramatic re-enactments of Krishna's birth, and Dahi Handi (breaking of the pot of curd). Major celebrations in Mathura, Vrindavan, and Mumbai.

Auspicious Days for Rituals & Events

Aug 15 — India Independence Day
Raksha Bandhan (full moon) — family bonding festival
Janmashtami (lunar date) — Lord Krishna's birth, highly sacred

About August

August is the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days. Named after Emperor Augustus Caesar. August is one of the most significant months for India — Independence Day (Aug 15) is a national holiday. Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami both typically fall in August (dates vary by lunar calendar). The monsoon continues through August. For the Indian diaspora worldwide, August is a month of patriotic and devotional celebrations. The month marks the transition from Leo to Virgo in the zodiac.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is India's Independence Day and why August 15?
India gained independence on August 15, 1947, when British rule ended following the Indian Independence Act. Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, chose August 15 as it was the second anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. The date is now a gazetted national holiday.
When is Janmashtami 2026?
Janmashtami 2026 falls on August 21, 2026 (Krishnashtami — the 8th lunar day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada). Celebrations peak at midnight, the traditional birth time of Lord Krishna.
When is Raksha Bandhan 2026?
Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on August 9, 2026 (full moon day of Shravan month). Sisters tie rakhis on their brothers' wrists to symbolize the bond between siblings.

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