Mermaid Day 2026: 5 lesser-known facts about the creature

By Afiur
March 30, 2026

International Mermaid Day

Every year, International Mermaid Day 2026 is observed on March 29 to celebrate the mythical aquatic creature that have intrigued humans for a long time.

What is a mermaid?

A mermaid is a sea-dwelling creature known to be half woman-half fish where the top half of the body is that of a human, and the bottom half is that of a fish.

Mermaids in folklore

One of earliest known origins of mermaid can be traced to the Syrian water goddess Atargatis, Sirens in Greek mythology, and Ningyo in Japanese culture.

Mermaids in India

Popular references include Jalpari; Matsyagandha in Mahabharata; Suvannamaccha in Ramayana; and the record-holding sculpture Sagarakanyaka in Kerala.

Mermaids in popular culture

While the literary fairytale `The Little Mermaid` by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen is really popular, its Disney version with Ariel is a favourite.

See More Stories