One Moon, Two Dates: Why Kashmir Marks Eid Al-Adha A Day Before The Rest Of India

Ashik Bothra - Mumbai Bureau May 25, 2026 1,250 Views

Eid al-Adha 2026 will be celebrated on two different days in India: most of the country will mark Bakrid on May 28, while Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir will celebrate it on May 27. The split is not about theology as much as it is about moon sighting, local traditions and who communities choose to follow.

How Eid Al-Adha Dates Are Fixed

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Zil Hajj (Dhu al-Hijjah), the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The date each year is decided by the sighting of the crescent that marks the beginning of Zil Hajj if the moon is seen on a particular evening, the next day is treated as the first of the month, and Eid is observed on the 10th day counted from there.

Saudi Arabia, India And The 2026 Calendar

For 2026, Saudi Arabia announced that the crescent for Zil Hajj was sighted on Sunday, 17 May, making May 18 the first of Zil Hajj and placing Eid al-Adha on May 27. In India, most moon-sighting bodies and religious authorities did not confirm the crescent on 17 May, so they counted May 19 as the first of Zil Hajj, leading to Eid on May 28. This is why the Union government, courts and several states revised their Bakrid holiday to May 28 after initial confusion.

Why Kashmir Is Celebrating On May 27

In Jammu and Kashmir, local clerics and the Grand Mufti’s office announced that the Zil Hajj moon had been sighted on 17 May, in sync with Saudi Arabia’s declaration. Based on that, Muslims in Kashmir treated May 18 as the first of Zil Hajj and scheduled Eid al-Adha for May 27, a day earlier than the rest of India but aligned with Saudi Arabia and many Middle Eastern countries. This follows a long-standing regional practice where parts of Kashmir often rely on local moon committees and, at times, match their dates with Mecca.

Faith, Federalism And Festive Logistics

The split dates have had practical implications from holiday notifications and school schedules to travel plans and animal markets forcing governments to adjust official calendars at short notice. Socially, it highlights how India’s federal and religious landscape accommodates multiple authorities and practices within the same festival, without altering the core rituals or spiritual significance of Eid.

Eid Date Divergence Highlights

Eid al-Adha 2026 in most of India will be observed on May 28
Saudi Arabia and several countries, including Muslims in Kashmir, will celebrate on May 27
Difference arises from regional crescent moon sighting decisions for Zil Hajj
Kashmir’s clerics confirmed the moon on 17 May, aligning with Saudi Arabia
Centre and many states revised public holidays after updated moon-sighting inputs