Period · 2027
Kharmas 2027: Start and End Dates and Times
Kharmas, or Malmas, is the month the Sun spends in Sagittarius (Dhanu) and again in Pisces (Meena), the two signs of Jupiter; in North India weddings and similar ceremonies pause by custom.
Kharmas in 2027
Sun in Sagittarius
Begins: 16 December 2026, 10:25 AMEnds: 14 January 2027, 9:10 PM
Sun in Pisces
Begins: 15 March 2027, 7:00 AMEnds: 14 April 2027, 3:28 PM
Sun in Sagittarius
Begins: 16 December 2027, 4:38 PMEnds: 15 January 2028, 3:24 AM
Times are for New Delhi (IST), from our own engine, Lahiri ayanamsa.
What is Kharmas?
Kharmas comes twice a year: from Dhanu Sankranti in mid-December to Makar Sankranti in mid-January, and from Meena Sankranti in mid-March to Mesha Sankranti in mid-April. Each lasts one solar month, about thirty days.
The usual explanation is that when the Sun is in Jupiter’s signs, Jupiter, the karaka of marriage and ceremony, is thought to be weakened for the purpose, so muhurta for samskaras is not given. A folk story says the Sun’s horses rest in these months and donkeys (khar) pull his chariot, which is where the name comes from.
The custom is strongest in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Many South Indian families keep Dhanurmasa (Margazhi) as a month of devotion instead, and do not treat it as a ban.
What custom avoids
These are customs, not rules; families and regions differ.
- Weddings, engagements and the tilak ceremony.
- Griha pravesh and the start of house construction.
- Mundan, janeu (upanayana) and other samskaras.
- Opening a new shop or business, for those who follow muhurta.
The month is given to worship, the Sun’s arghya at dawn, charity and reading scripture. Everyday work, buying household things and travel go on as usual.
How we compute it
Kharmas runs from the Sun’s sidereal ingress into Sagittarius (or Pisces) to its ingress into the next sign, computed with the Lahiri ayanamsa. These are the same sankranti moments as in our festival calendar; Makar Sankranti’s festival day moves to the next day when the ingress is after sunset.
Questions people ask
When does Kharmas end?
At the moment the Sun leaves Sagittarius or Pisces: Makar Sankranti in January and Mesha Sankranti in April. The table gives both moments.
Can we buy a car or a house during Kharmas?
Tradition restricts samskaras and new beginnings more than purchases, and many families buy as usual. If you follow muhurta for a purchase, pick a day outside Kharmas.
Is Kharmas the same as Adhik Maas?
No. Kharmas is a solar month (the Sun in Sagittarius or Pisces) and comes every year. Adhik Maas is an extra lunar month that comes about once in three years. Both are sometimes called Malmas.