Vrat · 2026
Amavasya 2026 — all dates
Amavasya, the new-moon day that ends the dark fortnight, is a quiet day for remembering ancestors, bathing, charity and prayer.
Dates in 2026
| Name | Date | Tithi | Darsha Amavasya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magha Amavasya | 18 Jan 2026Sunday | 18 Jan, 12:04 AM – 19 Jan, 1:21 AM | — |
| Phalguna Amavasya | 17 Feb 2026Tuesday | 16 Feb, 5:34 PM – 17 Feb, 5:31 PM | — |
| Chaitra Amavasya | 19 Mar 2026Thursday | 18 Mar, 8:25 AM – 19 Mar, 6:53 AM | 18 Mar 2026 |
| Vaishakha Amavasya | 17 Apr 2026Friday | 16 Apr, 8:11 PM – 17 Apr, 5:21 PM | — |
| Jyeshtha Amavasya | 16 May 2026Saturday | 16 May, 5:11 AM – 17 May, 1:31 AM | — |
| Adhik Jyeshtha Amavasya | 15 Jun 2026Monday | 14 Jun, 12:20 PM – 15 Jun, 8:24 AM | 14 Jun 2026 |
| Ashadha Amavasya | 14 Jul 2026Tuesday | 13 Jul, 6:49 PM – 14 Jul, 3:13 PM | — |
| Shravana Amavasya | 12 Aug 2026Wednesday | 12 Aug, 1:53 AM – 12 Aug, 11:06 PM | — |
| Bhadrapada Amavasya | 11 Sep 2026Friday | 10 Sep, 10:33 AM – 11 Sep, 8:56 AM | 10 Sep 2026 |
| Ashvin Amavasya | 10 Oct 2026Saturday | 9 Oct, 9:36 PM – 10 Oct, 9:20 PM | — |
| Kartika Amavasya | 9 Nov 2026Monday | 8 Nov, 11:28 AM – 9 Nov, 12:32 PM | 8 Nov 2026 |
| Margashirsha Amavasya | 8 Dec 2026Tuesday | 8 Dec, 4:13 AM – 9 Dec, 6:21 AM | — |
Times for New Delhi (our own calculation, Lahiri ayanamsa). Full festival calendar
Dates in 2027
| Name | Date | Tithi | Darsha Amavasya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pausha Amavasya | 7 Jan 2027Thursday | 6 Jan, 11:14 PM – 8 Jan, 1:54 AM | — |
| Magha Amavasya | 6 Feb 2027Saturday | 5 Feb, 7:05 PM – 6 Feb, 9:26 PM | — |
| Phalguna Amavasya | 8 Mar 2027Monday | 7 Mar, 1:46 PM – 8 Mar, 2:59 PM | — |
| Chaitra Amavasya | 6 Apr 2027Tuesday | 6 Apr, 5:40 AM – 7 Apr, 5:21 AM | — |
| Vaishakha Amavasya | 6 May 2027Thursday | 5 May, 6:17 PM – 6 May, 4:28 PM | — |
| Jyeshtha Amavasya | 4 Jun 2027Friday | 4 Jun, 4:05 AM – 5 Jun, 1:10 AM | — |
| Ashadha Amavasya | 4 Jul 2027Sunday | 3 Jul, 12:06 PM – 4 Jul, 8:32 AM | 3 Jul 2027 |
| Shravana Amavasya | 2 Aug 2027Monday | 1 Aug, 7:20 PM – 2 Aug, 3:35 PM | — |
| Bhadrapada Amavasya | 31 Aug 2027Tuesday | 31 Aug, 2:41 AM – 31 Aug, 11:11 PM | — |
| Ashvin Amavasya | 30 Sep 2027Thursday | 29 Sep, 10:55 AM – 30 Sep, 8:06 AM | 29 Sep 2027 |
| Kartika Amavasya | 29 Oct 2027Friday | 28 Oct, 8:48 PM – 29 Oct, 7:06 PM | — |
| Margashirsha Amavasya | 28 Nov 2027Sunday | 27 Nov, 9:07 AM – 28 Nov, 8:54 AM | 27 Nov 2027 |
| Pausha Amavasya | 27 Dec 2027Monday | 27 Dec, 12:23 AM – 28 Dec, 1:42 AM | — |
What is Amavasya?
Amavasya is the thirtieth tithi, the last day of the Krishna paksha, when the moon is closest to the sun and cannot be seen. It comes once a month. In the amanta calendar of the South and West it closes the lunar month; in the purnimanta calendar of the North it falls mid-month, and we name each Amavasya by its purnimanta month: Mauni Amavasya in Magha, Sarva Pitru Amavasya at the end of Pitru Paksha, and Diwali on Kartika Amavasya. On a Monday it is Somvati Amavasya, and on a Saturday, Shani Amavasya.
Tradition sees Amavasya as the day most closely tied to the pitrs, the ancestors. The Puranas say the ancestors look for remembrance on this day, and it is believed that water, sesame and food offered in their name — tarpan and shraddha — reach them and bring them peace. The dark of the new moon is also read as a time for turning inward: a natural pause between the end of the waning moon and the start of the waxing one, suited to silence, meditation and simple living.
People keep Amavasya to honour their family’s ancestors, to bathe in a holy river, to give in charity and to pray. On Mauni Amavasya many keep silence, and on Somvati Amavasya married women traditionally circle a peepal tree. Amavasya is not a day to fear. Some families avoid starting new ventures on it as a custom, yet it is also the night of Diwali, the brightest festival of the year — a reminder that the new moon brings a fresh start as well as rest.
How it is observed
- Where a fast is kept, it is usually a simple one on Darsha Amavasya: a single sattvic meal, or fruit and milk.
- Tarpan — offering water with black sesame and kusha grass to the ancestors — is done late in the morning or around midday, and any family member may do it with sincerity.
- A bath in a river or at a tirtha is a strong tradition, especially on Mauni and Somvati Amavasya; at home, a bath with a little Ganga water carries the same intent.
- Feeding cows, crows, dogs and ants, and giving food, clothing or sesame to those in need, are common Amavasya customs.
- Lighting a lamp in the evening, under a peepal tree or at the household shrine, is widely practised.
- Many keep the day vegetarian and avoid alcohol as a mark of respect.
- If you are elderly, pregnant, diabetic or unwell, there is no need to fast — remembrance and charity are the heart of the day. Speak to a doctor if you are unsure.
How the date is fixed
Two days can matter, and the list shows both when they differ. The Amavasya day is the day on which Amavasya is running at sunrise; if Amavasya touches no sunrise, it is the day on which Amavasya begins. Darsha Amavasya — the day for the fast and for shraddha and tarpan — is the first day on which Amavasya prevails at madhyahna, the middle fifth of the daylight hours, since midday is the traditional time for offerings to the ancestors. Each Amavasya is named by its purnimanta month, with Somvati or Shani added when it falls on a Monday or a Saturday.
Where practice differs
Because the amanta calendar ends the month on Amavasya, the same new moon can carry a different month name in the South and West than in the North; the day itself does not change. In Bengal, Odisha and Assam, Kartika Amavasya is Kali Puja, and in the South, Mahalaya Amavasya and Thai Amavasai are major days for tarpan. Some communities also mark Bhaumvati Amavasya when it falls on a Tuesday.
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
Is Amavasya an inauspicious day?
It is better seen as a day of rest and remembrance than of bad luck. Some families avoid starting new work on it by custom, but Diwali falls on Amavasya, and many consider it a good day for prayer, charity and meditation.
What is Darsha Amavasya?
It is the day on which Amavasya prevails at midday, used for the fast and for shraddha and tarpan. It is usually the same as the Amavasya day, but it can fall on the day before.
What is Somvati Amavasya?
An Amavasya that falls on a Monday. It is considered especially good for a holy bath, and married women traditionally worship and circle a peepal tree.
Can I do tarpan at home on Amavasya?
Yes. Offering water mixed with black sesame to your ancestors, facing south and keeping their names in mind, can be done at home; a priest is not required.