Quick answer: Valmiki Jayanti falls on Monday, 26 October 2026. It is a gazetted holiday in Chandigarh, so UT government offices are closed. The day marks the birth of Maharishi Valmiki, the sage revered as the author of the Ramayana. In 2027 it falls on Friday, 15 October.
✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
Valmiki Jayanti, also called Pargat Diwas, comes six days after Dussehra this year. Dussehra closes the Ramayana season with Ravan Dahan on 20 October, and the following week the city remembers the poet the epic is credited to.
Valmiki Jayanti 2026 at a glance
| Date | Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Holiday status | Gazetted holiday in the Chandigarh Administration’s 2026 list |
| Tithi | Purnima (full moon) of Ashwin |
| Next year | Friday, 15 October 2027, per the central government list; Chandigarh’s own 2027 list is due in December |
Who was Maharishi Valmiki?
Valmiki is honoured as the Adi Kavi, the first poet. Tradition credits him with the Ramayana, which runs to about 24,000 verses in seven books. The story goes that the first shloka came to him in grief, after he saw a hunter kill one of a pair of mating birds. He later wrote the whole epic in the same metre.
He is also a character in his own story. In the last part of the Ramayana, Sita lives at Valmiki’s ashram, where her sons Lava and Kusha grow up and learn the epic from him.
Wikipedia notes that the festival is celebrated in particular by the Balmiki community, and that its date follows the lunar calendar, falling on the full moon of Ashwin.
Valmiki temples in Chandigarh
These are the Valmiki temples that come up on a Google Maps search for Chandigarh. Most are neighbourhood temples with few online reviews, and we found no website for any of them, so call or ask locally about the Jayanti programme. Paste the plus code into Google Maps to find each one.
| Temple (Google Maps name) | Address | From the Maps listing |
|---|---|---|
| Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram | Daddu Majara Colony Rd, Daddu Majra Colony, Chandigarh 160014 (QP4Q+P4M) | 4.7 from 39 reviews; wheelchair-accessible entrance |
| Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir | Maloya Colony Rd (QP3C+R8M) | 3.9 from 16 reviews; listed as open 24 hours |
| Valmiki Temple | Market Rd (QP39+Q7G) | 4.0 from 8 reviews; listed 5 AM to 7:30 PM |
| Maharshi Balmiki Mandir | Plus code PQ35+XV8 | 3.8 from 18 reviews; listed until 10 PM |
| Shri Valmiki Ji Temple | Plus code QQ23+7RQ | 3.8 from 6 reviews; listed until 10 PM |
Ratings and hours from Google Maps, read on 5 October 2026. Hours on festival days may differ.
How the day is marked
Celebrations usually include prayers and bhajans at Valmiki temples and a Shobha Yatra procession. We found no published route or timing for Chandigarh in 2026. Check with the temple nearest to you, and look out for traffic notices from the Chandigarh Traffic Police in the days before.
Because it is a gazetted holiday, Chandigarh Administration offices are shut on 26 October. For banks and private offices, check your own employer’s or bank’s holiday list.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Valmiki Jayanti in 2026?
Monday, 26 October 2026.
Is Valmiki Jayanti a holiday in Chandigarh?
Yes. It is a gazetted holiday in the Chandigarh Administration list for 2026, so UT government offices are closed.
Who was Maharishi Valmiki?
Valmiki is the sage revered as the author of the Ramayana and honoured as the Adi Kavi, the first poet.
Where are the Valmiki temples in Chandigarh?
Google Maps lists Bhagwan Valmiki Ashram in Daddu Majra Colony, Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir on Maloya Colony Road, and smaller Valmiki temples elsewhere in the city. The table above has the plus codes.
When is Valmiki Jayanti in 2027?
Friday, 15 October 2027, according to the central government holiday list. The Chandigarh Administration publishes its own list in December.
More festival guides
- Dussehra in Chandigarh: Tuesday, 20 October, with Ravan Dahan by sector.
- Ram Leela in Chandigarh: the committees and grounds.
- Karwa Chauth in Chandigarh: Thursday, 29 October.
- Chandigarh festival calendar 2026: every date, verified.
Sources: Chandigarh Administration holiday notification for 2026 (Schedule I); the Government of India DoPT holiday lists for 2026 and 2027; Wikipedia: Valmiki and Pargat Diwas; Google Maps listings for the temples, read on 5 October 2026.
