Janmashtami 2026
Janmashtami 2026 falls on in Delhi, India (Nishita Kaal, computed for local midnight).
Dates are computed for Delhi, India (Udaya Tithi, Smarta convention; Pradosh dated by sunset, Sankashti by moonrise). See about for the full method and the Vaishnava difference on kshaya dates.
About Janmashtami
Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada. Because Krishna is traditionally born at midnight, the main observance — the nishita puja — runs through the night until dawn.
Devotees fast through the day and break the fast only after the midnight puja. Temples swing a cradled idol of the child Krishna, recite the Bhagavata Purana, and in Maharashtra the day is famous for the dahi-handi pyramid-building contests that re-enact Krishna’s butter-stealing antics. The Vaishnava calendar usually shifts the observance to the following day when the tithi touches no midnight (kshaya).
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Day details for
| Tithi at sunrise | Krishna Ashtami |
|---|---|
| Tithi window | 02:25 – 00:14 (+1 day) |
| Nakshatra | Rohini |
| Sunrise | 06:00 IST |
| Sunset | 18:39 IST |
| Moonrise | 23:24 |
| Moonset | 13:09 |
| Madhyahna (local noon) | 12:20 |
| Pradosh Kaal (2 Muhurta after sunset) | 18:39 – 20:15 |
| Nishita Kaal (8th of 15 night divisions) | 23:57 – 00:43 (+1 day) |
All times are for Delhi, India (IST). The festival-specific observance anchor for this page is Nishita Kaal, computed for local midnight.
Year comparison
| Year | Date | Weekday | Tithi at sunrise (window) | Dating anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday | 02:25 – 00:14 (+1 day) | Nishita Kaal, computed for local midnight | |
| 2027 | Tuesday | 20:53 (-1 day) – 20:25 | Nishita Kaal, computed for local midnight |
Other years
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Methodology and reference
Dates on this page are computed astronomically — sidereal solar and lunar longitudes with the Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa — and dated by the classical rules of Dharmasindhu and Muhurta Chintamani (Udaya Tithi, Pradosh-vyapini and Aparahna conventions as applicable). Every value is regression-checked against Rashtriya Panchang, the official almanac compiled by Positional Astronomy Centre, IMD (Government of India) in Kolkata; the full method is described on the about page.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Janmashtami in 2026?
- Janmashtami 2026 falls on Friday, 4 September 2026 in Delhi, India (Nishita Kaal, computed for local midnight).
- What is Janmashtami?
- Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada. Because Krishna is traditionally born at midnight, the main observance — the nishita puja — runs through the night until dawn.
- How is Janmashtami observed?
- Devotees fast through the day and break the fast only after the midnight puja. Temples swing a cradled idol of the child Krishna, recite the Bhagavata Purana, and in Maharashtra the day is famous for the dahi-handi pyramid-building contests that re-enact Krishna’s butter-stealing antics. The Vaishnava calendar usually shifts the observance to the following day when the tithi touches no midnight (kshaya).
- Why might Janmashtami fall on a different day elsewhere?
- Observance dates follow the tithi current at local sunrise, so cities with different sunrise times can observe a day earlier or later. Vaishnava calendars also shift dates when a tithi touches no sunrise (kshaya).