Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti

Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti, the birthday of the legendary King Agrasena, is an official public holiday in numerous states of northern India. Many of Agrasen’s devotees live in Haryana, Punjab and elsewhere. These people are primarily the Agrahari, Agrawal, and Jain ethnic groups. In 2026, Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti falls on Sunday 11 October. The holiday will be on Friday 1 October in 2027. Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti comes on the fourth of Ashwin on the Hindu calendar, which corresponds to late September or early October on the Gregorian Calendar. King Agrasen is remembered in India as one who taught people to stay unified and to help each other. Therefore, his followers give out free food and medicine on his birthday celebration. There are also special programs teaching about his life and times. The main events, however, are the boisterous and colourful parades through the streets of many cities, in which the relics and idols of Agrasen and certain of his family are carried about and worshiped.