Raksha Bandhan 2026
Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on in Delhi, India (Pratah Kaal, computed for local sunrise and daylight).
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 Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, observed on the full moon of Shravana. Sisters tie a rakhi — a thread of silk and gold — on their brother’s wrist, and brothers pledge protection and give a gift in return.
The day begins with a ritual bath and the tying ceremony before noon, with sisters applying a tilak and performing an aarti. The festival is old enough to appear in medieval chronicles, and its modern form as a pan-Indian family celebration is now also observed by communities worldwide.
Loading countdown…
Day details for
| Tithi at sunrise | Sukla Purnima |
|---|---|
| Tithi window | 09:09 (-1 day) – 09:48 |
| Nakshatra | Satabhisaj |
| Sunrise | 05:57 IST |
| Sunset | 18:47 IST |
| Moonrise | 18:53 |
| Moonset | 05:51 |
| Madhyahna (local noon) | 12:22 |
| Pradosh Kaal (2 Muhurta after sunset) | 18:47 – 20:23 |
| Nishita Kaal (8th of 15 night divisions) | 00:00 (+1 day) – 00:44 (+1 day) |
All times are for Delhi, India (IST). The festival-specific observance anchor for this page is Pratah Kaal, computed for local sunrise and daylight.
Year comparison
| Year | Date | Weekday | Tithi at sunrise (window) | Dating anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday | 09:09 (-1 day) – 09:48 | Pratah Kaal, computed for local sunrise and daylight | |
| 2027 | Tuesday | 10:29 (-1 day) – 12:58 | Pratah Kaal, computed for local sunrise and daylight |
Other years
Related
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 Raksha Bandhan in 2026?
- Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on Friday, 28 August 2026 in Delhi, India (Pratah Kaal, computed for local sunrise and daylight).
- What is Raksha Bandhan?
- Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, observed on the full moon of Shravana. Sisters tie a rakhi — a thread of silk and gold — on their brother’s wrist, and brothers pledge protection and give a gift in return.
- How is Raksha Bandhan observed?
- The day begins with a ritual bath and the tying ceremony before noon, with sisters applying a tilak and performing an aarti. The festival is old enough to appear in medieval chronicles, and its modern form as a pan-Indian family celebration is now also observed by communities worldwide.
- Why might Raksha Bandhan 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).