Sharad Purnima 2026

October 2026

Sunday

Lakshmi & Chandra (the Moon)

The full-moon night when the moon is said to shower nectar

Sharad Purnima Puja Timings

Sharad Purnima on Sunday, October 25, 2026

Ashwin, Shukla Paksha, Purnima

Begins: 11:56 AM, Oct 25 · Ends: 09:41 AM, Oct 26

Duration: 1 night

4 days

About Sharad Purnima

Sharad Purnima is the full-moon night of the lunar month of Ashwin, when the autumn (sharad) season begins. Tradition holds that the moon shines with all sixteen kalas on this night and that its rays carry healing, nectar-like qualities.

In Gujarat it is widely called Sharad Poonam and is marked with garba and raas, while in Bengal, Odisha and Assam it is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja, a night of staying awake in worship of Goddess Lakshmi. In the Braj region it is remembered as Raas Purnima, the night of Krishna's raas with the gopis.

Significance

Marks the end of the monsoon and the start of the clear autumn nights. The vigil (jagran) of Kojagari Purnima is tied to the belief that Lakshmi moves through the night asking who is awake, and blesses those who are.

How to Observe

Prepare kheer (rice pudding) and keep it in the moonlight for some hours before eating it as prasad
Stay awake through the night with bhajans, garba or raas where it is customary
Worship Lakshmi (and, in many homes, Chandra, the Moon)
Observe a fast during the day if your family tradition does so

Regional Variations

Gujarat

Sharad Poonam: garba and raas nights, and milk-based sweets eaten after moonrise.

West Bengal, Odisha, Assam

Kojagari Lakshmi Puja, with alpana floor designs and a night-long vigil.

Braj (Mathura-Vrindavan)

Raas Purnima, celebrating Krishna's raas lila.

Related Festivals & Vrats

Vijayadashami / Dussehra Kartik Purnima / Dev Diwali

Notes: Date and timings shown are computed for New Delhi, India using Swiss Ephemeris. Computed via an evening (Pradosh Kaal ≈ sunset) anchor rather than Udaya Tithi (sunrise) — sourced and verified against 2026's real tithi timings this session; see module docstring's anchor-time finding for why this festival needs it while most others don't. 2026: Purnima runs 11:56 AM Oct 25 to 09:41 AM Oct 26 (Ahmedabad), so the night rites (Kojagari Lakshmi puja, moonlit kheer) fall on the night of Oct 25, which is the date returned. Some calendars list Oct 26 instead because that is the day Purnima prevails at sunrise; both appear in sources read this session (Drik's own listing was for a US city and was not usable). Always cross-check with your family priest for a personalised Muhurat.

Panchang for Sharad Purnima Day Choghadiya Muhurat

Frequently Asked Questions

Sharad Purnima 2026 mein kab hai?

Sharad Purnima 2026 mein Sunday, 25 October ko hai (New Delhi ke panchang ke anusaar). Tithi: Ashwin, Shukla Paksha, Purnima. Yeh tithi 11:56 AM, Oct 25 se 09:41 AM, Oct 26 tak rehti hai. Apne shehar ke hisaab se samay thoda alag ho sakta hai.

Why does this festival's date change every year on the Gregorian calendar?

Most Hindu festivals are set by the lunar Hindu calendar (a specific Tithi within a specific lunar month), not the solar Gregorian calendar used internationally. Since a lunar year runs roughly 11 days shorter than a solar year, the same Tithi lands on a different Gregorian date each year — this is normal and expected, not an error.