Festival · 2026
Hanuman Jayanti 2026 — Thursday, 2 April 2026
Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Hanuman, Rama’s devoted companion, and is kept in north India on the full Moon of Chaitra.
In 2026
Thursday, 2 April 2026
- Tithi
- Purnima: 1 Apr, 7:06 AM – 2 Apr, 7:42 AM
- Lunar month
- Chaitra
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:10 AM / 6:39 PM
Rule: Chaitra Purnima at sunrise (the North Indian date; South India keeps other months).
In 2027
Tuesday, 20 April 2027
- Tithi
- Purnima: 20 Apr, 4:51 AM – 21 Apr, 3:57 AM
- Lunar month
- Chaitra
- Sunrise / sunset
- 5:51 AM / 6:49 PM
Rule: Chaitra Purnima at sunrise (the North Indian date; South India keeps other months).
Times follow New Delhi’s sunrise and sunset. In other cities the muhurat shifts by some minutes, and occasionally the day by one. Full festival calendar
What is Hanuman Jayanti?
Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Hanuman, the devoted companion of Rama and one of the most widely worshipped deities in India. In north India it is observed on Chaitra Purnima, the full Moon of Chaitra, a few days after Ram Navami. Hanuman is honoured as a figure of strength, courage, humility and unwavering devotion, and for many devotees he is the most approachable of the gods.
Tradition names Hanuman the son of Anjana and Kesari, and of Vayu, the wind god, through whom the divine blessing reached Anjana. A childhood story tells how he leapt at the rising Sun, mistaking it for a fruit. In the Ramayana he crosses the ocean to find Sita in Lanka, carries a mountain to bring the herb that saves Lakshmana, and serves Rama without asking anything for himself.
Many devotees prefer the word Janmotsav to Jayanti, since tradition holds that Hanuman is chiranjeevi, one who lives on. Either way, the day is about devotion expressed through service and courage. Many traditions place his birth at sunrise, so temples open before dawn, and the Hanuman Chalisa is recited through the day. Families visit temples together and remember strength joined with humility.
How it is observed
- Visiting a Hanuman temple early in the morning, often before sunrise.
- Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, Bajrang Baan or Sundarkand, sometimes many times over.
- Offering sindoor mixed with oil (chola) and red flowers to Hanuman’s image.
- Offering boondi, laddoos, roasted gram and jaggery as prasad.
- Keeping a fast for the day in some households.
- Joining processions and community recitations of the Ramcharitmanas.
How the date is fixed
Our calendar gives the north Indian date: Chaitra Purnima, the full Moon of Chaitra. The day chosen is the one on which Purnima is running at sunrise, since in this tradition the tithi at sunrise governs the day. Other regions celebrate Hanuman’s birth on entirely different dates, explained below.
Where practice differs
Tamil Nadu celebrates Hanumath Jayanthi on the new Moon (amavasya) of the Tamil month Margazhi, and Karnataka observes Hanuman Jayanti on Margashirsha Shukla Trayodashi. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the main observance falls on Vaishakha Krishna Dashami, at the end of a forty-one-day deeksha that begins on Chaitra Purnima. Some traditions in north India also celebrate on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi, the day before Diwali, so a devotee may meet more than one Hanuman Jayanti in a year.
Dates and times are computed by our own engine (sunrise, tithi and kalas for New Delhi, Lahiri ayanamsa). In another city, or in an almanac of another tradition, the day can differ by one — follow your family’s tradition.
Questions people ask
Why are there different dates for Hanuman Jayanti?
Different regions follow different traditions about Hanuman’s birth. North India uses Chaitra Purnima, Tamil Nadu the Margazhi new Moon, Karnataka Margashirsha Shukla Trayodashi and the Telugu states Vaishakha Krishna Dashami.
Is it Hanuman Jayanti or Hanuman Janmotsav?
Both names are used. Some devotees prefer Janmotsav because tradition holds that Hanuman is chiranjeevi, still living, while Jayanti is the more common name.
At what time of day is Hanuman worshipped on Hanuman Jayanti?
Many traditions place his birth at sunrise, so devotees visit temples early in the morning, and prayers continue through the day. The date for this year is shown above.