This list covers 29 holidays that start with R, from “Rabindra Jayanti” to “Respect for the Aged Day”. They include religious festivals, national days, and cultural celebrations from India, Europe, Africa, Asia, and beyond. You can use it to plan travel around local events, prepare lessons, write about world cultures, or simply learn something new.
Holidays are special days set aside to mark a belief, a historical event, or a shared tradition. Some are very old, like “Rosh Hashanah”, which has welcomed the Jewish New Year for thousands of years. Others, like “Respect for the Aged Day” in Japan, are more recent national observances.
Below you’ll find the table with the holiday name, date, country or region, traditions, and description.
Holiday: The name of each celebration, so you can quickly find a specific event or browse the list and discover ones you haven’t heard of.
Date: When the holiday takes place, including fixed dates and those that follow lunar or religious calendars, so you know when to expect it each year.
Country/Region: Where the holiday is observed, from a single country to communities worldwide, which helps you see where each celebration is most widely practiced.
Traditions: The customs, foods, rituals, and activities people take part in, so you get a clear picture of what the day looks like in practice.
Description: A short summary of what the holiday means, why it exists, and how people celebrate it, giving you the background in a few sentences.
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Country/Region | Traditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabindra Jayanti | May 9 (Bengali calendar: 25 Boishakh) | West Bengal (India), Bangladesh | Poetry readings, songs by Tagore, cultural programs, dance dramas |
| Raksha Bandhan | Full moon of Shravana (July or August) | India, Nepal | Sisters tie a rakhi thread on brothers’ wrists, exchange of gifts and sweets |
| Ram Navami | March or April (ninth day of Chaitra) | India, Nepal, Hindu communities worldwide | Fasting, temple prayers, readings of the Ramayana, processions |
| Rama Ekadashi | October or November (11th day of Krishna paksha in Kartik) | India, Nepal | Fasting, worship of Vishnu, charity, night prayers |
| Ramadan | Ninth month of the Islamic calendar (shifts about 11 days earlier each year) | Muslim-majority countries and Muslim communities worldwide | Fasting from dawn to sunset, nightly Taraweeh prayers, iftar meals, charity |
| Ramlila | September to October (leading up to Dussehra) | India (especially Uttar Pradesh and Delhi), Indonesia, Southeast Asia | Stage plays of the Ramayana, costumed actors, burning effigies of Ravana |
| Rangpanchami | Five days after Holi (March) | Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (India) | Playing with colored powders, processions, festive foods |
| Ratha Saptami | January or February (seventh day of Magha) | India, especially Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu | Sun worship, rangoli of a chariot, bathing at dawn, offering sweet pongal |
| Rath Yatra | June or July (second day of Ashadha) | Puri, Odisha (India), ISKCON centers worldwide | Giant chariots pulled by devotees, processions of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra |
| Ravidas Jayanti | January or February (Magha Purnima) | India, especially Punjab and Uttar Pradesh | Processions, hymn singing, visits to temples |
| Reconciliation Day | First Monday on or after May 27 (ACT) | Australian Capital Territory, Australia | Community events, cultural performances, public talks |
| Reed Dance | Late August or early September | Eswatini | Thousands of young women carrying reeds, singing and dancing before the king, traditional dress |
| Reformation Day | October 31 | Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Protestant communities worldwide | Church services, hymns such as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, historical talks |
| Remembrance Day | November 11 | United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries | Two minutes of silence at 11 a.m., red poppies, wreath laying, parades |
| Remembrance Sunday | Second Sunday of November | United Kingdom | Church services, parade at the Cenotaph in London, two minutes of silence, poppy wreaths |
| Republic Day (India) | January 26 | India | Grand parade in New Delhi, flag hoisting, military displays, tableaux, Beating Retreat ceremony |
| Republic Day (Turkey) | October 29 | Turkey, Northern Cyprus | Flag displays, fireworks, parades, concerts |
| Restoration Day | August 16 | Dominican Republic | Official ceremonies, military parades, speeches |
| Restoration of Independence Day | May 4 (Latvia), August 20 (Estonia) | Latvia, Estonia | Flag raising, concerts, ceremonies, public gatherings |
| Revolution Day (Mexico) | Third Monday of November (originally November 20) | Mexico | School parades, athletic events, civic ceremonies |
| Ridván | April 21 to May 2 | Baháʼí communities worldwide | Gatherings, prayers, election of local spiritual assemblies, work-free holy days on the first, ninth and twelfth days |
| Rizal Day | December 30 | Philippines | Flag ceremonies, wreath laying at Rizal Park in Manila, school programs |
| Rogation Days | Monday to Wednesday before Ascension Thursday (spring) | Christian communities, historically in Europe | Processions through fields, blessing of crops, litanies, fasting |
| Rongali Bihu | Mid-April (April 14 to 15) | Assam (India) | Bihu dance, dhol drums, feasts, new clothes, exchanging gamosa cloths |
| Rosenmontag | Monday before Ash Wednesday (February or March) | Germany, especially Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz | Giant parades with floats, costumes, throwing candy, satirical themes |
| Rosh Chodesh | First day of each Hebrew month | Jewish communities worldwide | Special prayers, Hallel recitation, women’s gatherings |
| Rosh Hashanah | September or October (1 to 2 Tishrei) | Israel, Jewish communities worldwide | Blowing the shofar, apples dipped in honey, round challah bread, Tashlich ritual |
| Runeberg Day | February 5 | Finland | Eating Runeberg tortes, flying flags, poetry readings |
| Respect for the Aged Day | Third Monday of September | Japan | Family visits, gifts for grandparents, community celebrations, special meals |
Descriptions
Rabindra Jayanti
Celebrates the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengali poet and first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature. Schools and cultural groups hold concerts and recitals of his work.
Raksha Bandhan
A Hindu festival honoring the bond between siblings. Sisters tie a decorative thread on their brothers’ wrists, and brothers promise to protect them and give gifts in return.
Ram Navami
Marks the birth of Lord Rama, a central figure in Hinduism. Devotees fast, visit temples, and listen to recitations of the epic Ramayana, with large processions in cities like Ayodhya.
Rama Ekadashi
A Hindu fasting day that falls just before Diwali and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Devotees fast, pray, and give to charity in the belief that it cleanses sins.
Ramadan
The holy month in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It is a time of prayer, reflection, and generosity, and it ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Ramlila
A series of dramatic performances that retell the story of Lord Rama. It usually ends on Dussehra with the burning of giant effigies of the demon king Ravana.
Rangpanchami
A colorful Hindu festival celebrated on the fifth day after Holi. People throw colored powder and water to mark the victory of good over evil.
Ratha Saptami
A Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun god Surya, who is said to have begun driving his chariot across the sky on this day. Devotees rise early to offer prayers to the rising sun.
Rath Yatra
Also called the Chariot Festival, it sees huge wooden chariots carrying the deities of Lord Jagannath and his siblings pulled through the streets of Puri by thousands of devotees.
Ravidas Jayanti
Marks the birth of Guru Ravidas, a 15th-16th century saint and poet whose verses appear in the Sikh scripture. Followers sing his hymns and hold processions in his honor.
Reconciliation Day
A public holiday in the Australian Capital Territory that recognizes the shared history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. It falls after National Reconciliation Week.
Reed Dance
Known locally as Umhlanga, this annual ceremony brings unmarried young women together to cut reeds for the queen mother’s residence. It celebrates culture and encourages chastity and respect.
Reformation Day
Commemorates Martin Luther posting his Ninety-five Theses in 1517, which sparked the Protestant Reformation. It is a public holiday in several German states and in Slovenia.
Remembrance Day
Honors military members who died in war, observed on the anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918. People wear red poppies and pause for a moment of silence at 11 a.m.
Remembrance Sunday
The British day of national remembrance for those lost in the two World Wars and later conflicts. The main ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London.
Republic Day (India)
Marks the day in 1950 when India’s constitution came into force and the country became a republic. The highlight is a large parade on Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
Republic Day (Turkey)
Known in Turkish as Cumhuriyet Bayramı, it celebrates the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923. Streets are decorated with flags, and fireworks light up the evening.
Restoration Day
Commemorates the 1863 start of the war that restored Dominican independence from Spain. Every four years it also marks the presidential inauguration.
Restoration of Independence Day
Marks the moments in 1990 and 1991 when the Baltic states declared the restoration of their independence from Soviet rule. Latvia observes it on May 4 and Estonia on August 20.
Revolution Day (Mexico)
Known as Día de la Revolución, it commemorates the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1910 against the rule of Porfirio Díaz. Schools and towns hold parades with students in period costume.
Ridván
The most holy Baháʼí festival, commemorating the twelve days in 1863 when Baháʼu’lláh declared his mission in a garden near Baghdad. Baháʼís also elect their local governing councils during this period.
Rizal Day
Honors José Rizal, the national hero executed by Spanish colonial authorities in 1896. Ceremonies are held at his monument in Manila.
Rogation Days
Traditional Christian days of prayer asking for God’s blessing on crops and the coming harvest. Communities historically walked the boundaries of their parishes in procession.
Rongali Bihu
The Assamese New Year and spring festival, the most important celebration in Assam. People dance, sing, feast, and welcome the planting season with traditional music.
Rosenmontag
Known in English as Rose Monday, it is the high point of the German Carnival season. Cities host enormous parades with themed floats that often poke fun at politicians.
Rosh Chodesh
The Jewish observance of the new moon, marking the start of each month in the Hebrew calendar. It is a minor holiday, traditionally associated with women’s prayer groups.
Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish New Year, which begins ten days of reflection leading to Yom Kippur. Families gather for festive meals with sweet foods, symbolizing hopes for a sweet year ahead.
Runeberg Day
Celebrates the birthday of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finland’s national poet and the author of the national anthem’s lyrics. Finns traditionally eat a small almond-flavored pastry called a Runeberg torte.
Respect for the Aged Day
Known as Keirō no Hi, this national holiday honors elderly citizens and celebrates their long lives. Local governments often hold ceremonies, and families visit their grandparents.