Festival · 2026
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti 2026 — Tuesday, 1 December 2026
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti marks the appearance of Bhairav, the form of Shiva who is revered as the guardian of Kashi and of every Shiva temple.
In 2026
Tuesday, 1 December 2026
- Tithi
- Krishna Ashtami: 1 Dec, 12:12 AM – 1 Dec, 11:14 PM
- Lunar month
- Margashirsha (purnimanta) / Kartika (amanta)
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:56 AM / 5:23 PM
| Nishita kaal | 11:43 PM – 2 Dec, 12:37 AM |
|---|
Rule: Margashirsha Krishna Ashtami (Kartika in the amanta reckoning), a night fast: the Ashtami that holds the night from its start, at pradosh; if on both days, the first. The worship is at nishita.
In 2027
Saturday, 20 November 2027
- Tithi
- Krishna Ashtami: 20 Nov, 7:17 PM – 21 Nov, 5:20 PM
- Lunar month
- Margashirsha (purnimanta) / Kartika (amanta)
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:47 AM / 5:25 PM
| Puja muhurat | 11:40 PM – 21 Nov, 12:33 AM |
|---|---|
| Nishita kaal | 11:40 PM – 21 Nov, 12:33 AM |
Rule: Margashirsha Krishna Ashtami (Kartika in the amanta reckoning), a night fast: the Ashtami that holds the night from its start, at pradosh; if on both days, the first. The worship is at nishita.
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 Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti, also called Kalabhairav Ashtami or Bhairav Ashtami, is kept on the Ashtami, the eighth day, of the waning moon in the month the north calls Margashirsha. Every waning Ashtami is a Kalashtami, a day of Bhairav worship, but this one is held to be the day Bhairav first appeared, and it is the most important of the year.
The story in the Shiva Purana tells that Brahma, in a moment of pride, spoke slightingly of Shiva and claimed to be the highest. From Shiva’s anger a figure arose, Bhairav, who cut off the fifth head of Brahma, and Brahma’s pride was humbled. The skull stayed fixed to Bhairav’s hand, and he wandered the world as a mendicant to atone for the act, until he reached Kashi, where it fell away at the spot now called Kapal Mochan. Shiva then made him the kotwal, the keeper, of the city. The story is told less as a tale of anger than as one of pride corrected and of atonement accepted.
Bhairav is pictured with a dark body, a staff and a dog, his vahana. He is the protector at the gate: in many Shiva temples his shrine stands near the entrance, and pilgrims to Varanasi traditionally visit the Kaal Bhairav temple to pay their respects to the city’s guardian. Adi Shankaracharya’s Kalabhairava Ashtakam, eight verses in praise of the lord of Kashi, is widely recited. There is also a gentle child form, Batuk Bhairav, worshipped in many homes.
On the Jayanti the worship is at night. Temples stay open late, devotees sing and keep vigil, and lamps of mustard oil are lit before the image. Because the dog is Bhairav’s companion, feeding dogs on this day is a widespread custom, and many people do it with simple food as an act of kindness.
How it is observed
- Devotees visit a Bhairav temple, or the Bhairav shrine within a Shiva temple, and many keep a fast through the day.
- Lamps of mustard oil are lit, and flowers, black sesame and simple sweets are offered.
- The Kalabhairava Ashtakam and other hymns are recited, and bhajans are sung.
- The main worship is at night around midnight, and some keep vigil until dawn.
- Dogs are fed with bread, milk or other simple food, as a gesture of care for Bhairav’s companion.
- In Varanasi long queues form at the Kaal Bhairav temple, where the image is specially adorned for the night.
How the date is fixed
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti is Margashirsha Krishna Ashtami in the north’s purnimanta calendar, which is Kartika Krishna Ashtami in amanta calendars; it is the same night, about a week after Kartik Purnima. It is a night fast, and the texts ask for an Ashtami that holds the night (ratri-vyapini). So the day is the one on which Ashtami is already current at pradosh, the start of the night; if it is current at pradosh on two evenings, the first is taken. The worship itself is at nishita, the midnight muhurta, when Bhairav is believed to have appeared; that window is shown above.
Where practice differs
Varanasi, where Bhairav is the kotwal, and Ujjain, with its old Kal Bhairav temple near the Shipra, see the largest gatherings. In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and the south, where amanta calendars are used, the same day is called Kartika Krishna Ashtami, and in Tamil Nadu Bhairavar is worshipped in Shiva temples on every waning Ashtami. In Karnataka the Kalabhairaveshwara temple at Adichunchanagiri is an important centre, and in Rajasthan Bhairuji is honoured as a village guardian. In Nepal Bhairav is widely worshipped, and the great image of Kaal Bhairav at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu draws devotees. Temples follow their own long-standing customs for offerings, which differ from place to place.
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
Who is Kaal Bhairav?
Kaal Bhairav is a form of Shiva, revered as the guardian of Kashi and as the protector at the gate of Shiva temples. Kaal refers to time, over which he is held to be master.
Why are dogs fed on Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
The dog is Bhairav’s vahana and companion. Feeding dogs on this day is a long-standing custom of kindness and respect, done with simple, suitable food.
What is the difference between Kalashtami and Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
Kalashtami is the waning Ashtami of every month, kept for Bhairav. Kaal Bhairav Jayanti is the Kalashtami believed to be the day of his appearance, and it is the principal one of the year.
Can Kaal Bhairav be worshipped at home?
Yes. Many families light a lamp before a picture of Bhairav or of Shiva, recite the Kalabhairava Ashtakam and offer simple food. There is no need for elaborate or unusual rites.