Mahalaya Amavasya 2026
Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 falls on in Delhi, India (Udaya Tithi, computed for local sunrise).
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 Mahalaya Amavasya
Mahalaya Amavasya is the new moon that closes Pitru Paksha, the fortnight dedicated to the ancestors. It is the most important day of the year for tarpan — offerings of water, sesame and rice to one’s forebears.
Families perform shraddha rites at home or on riverbanks, feed brahmins and the poor, and in Bengal the day also marks the invocation of Durga with the dawn recitation of the Chandi path, six days before the Durga Puja.
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Day details for
| Tithi at sunrise | Krishna Amavasya |
|---|---|
| Tithi window | 21:36 (-1 day) – 21:19 |
| Nakshatra | Hasta |
| Sunrise | 06:18 IST |
| Sunset | 17:57 IST |
| Moonrise | 05:49 |
| Moonset | 17:33 |
| Madhyahna (local noon) | 12:08 |
| Pradosh Kaal (2 Muhurta after sunset) | 17:57 – 19:33 |
| Nishita Kaal (8th of 15 night divisions) | 23:43 – 00:33 (+1 day) |
All times are for Delhi, India (IST). The festival-specific observance anchor for this page is Udaya Tithi, computed for local sunrise.
Year comparison
| Year | Date | Weekday | Tithi at sunrise (window) | Dating anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday | 21:36 (-1 day) – 21:19 | Udaya Tithi, computed for local sunrise | |
| 2027 | Thursday | 10:55 (-1 day) – 08:06 | Udaya Tithi, computed for local sunrise |
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 Mahalaya Amavasya in 2026?
- Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026 in Delhi, India (Udaya Tithi, computed for local sunrise).
- What is Mahalaya Amavasya?
- Mahalaya Amavasya is the new moon that closes Pitru Paksha, the fortnight dedicated to the ancestors. It is the most important day of the year for tarpan — offerings of water, sesame and rice to one’s forebears.
- How is Mahalaya Amavasya observed?
- Families perform shraddha rites at home or on riverbanks, feed brahmins and the poor, and in Bengal the day also marks the invocation of Durga with the dawn recitation of the Chandi path, six days before the Durga Puja.
- Why might Mahalaya Amavasya 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).