Amavasya 2026
Amavasya 2026 falls on Sunday, Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Exact date, puja muhurat & city-wise timings for Amavasya 2026
Key Information
Festival Date
Sunday, January 18, 2026
2026 Calendar Context
Weekday
Sunday
Vikram Samvat
2083
Shaka Samvat
1948
This year Amavasya falls on a Sunday, 11 days earlier than 2025 (2025-01-29) — typical lunar-calendar drift.
Falling on a Sunday gives the day a Surya emphasis — Sun-ruled rites and copper offerings carry extra weight.
The 2025 observance fell on Wednesday, 2025-01-29 — this year arrives 11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar, the familiar 11-day shift of the unmodified lunar year.
Looking ahead to 2027, Amavasya will fall on Thursday, 2027-01-07 (11 days earlier than this year). So planning ritual schedules across years means anchoring to the tithi rather than the Gregorian date.
Astronomical context for Amavasya 2026
On Sunday, January 18, 2026, sunrise in Delhi (the reference city for this page) falls at 07:14 IST and sunset at 17:48 IST — a daylight span of 10h 34m. Across the six pan-Indian cities tabulated below, sunrise on this date varies from 06:18 (Kolkata) at the eastern edge to 07:14 (Mumbai) in the west — a 56-minute difference that drives the city-by-city muhurat shift you see in the table.
For Amavasya 2026, the central rite of udaya tithi (sunrise) depends on the festival tithi being present during that window on 2026-01-18 — confirmed across 6 reference cities in this year's computation pass. Cities further east (Kolkata, Chennai) see the window open ~15-25 minutes before Delhi; cities west of Delhi (Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore) see it start later by a similar margin.
City-Wise Timings for Amavasya 2026
| City | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 7:14 AM | 5:48 PM |
| Mumbai | 7:14 AM | 6:22 PM |
| Bangalore | 6:46 AM | 6:13 PM |
| Chennai | 6:35 AM | 6:03 PM |
| Kolkata | 6:18 AM | 5:15 PM |
| Pune | 7:09 AM | 6:19 PM |
Click any city for detailed local timings, puja vidhi & samagri list
Why This Date?
Amavasya follows the Udaya Tithi rule – the festival is observed on the day when the required tithi prevails at sunrise. This is the default Dharmasindhu convention for festivals without a special time-window requirement.
Legend & History
Amavasya (New Moon) is the day when the Moon is invisible – symbolizing the dark night of the soul before renewal. In Hindu tradition, it is sacred to the Pitrs (ancestors). The term comes from "ama… Read full legend →Show less ↑
Amavasya (New Moon) is the day when the Moon is invisible – symbolizing the dark night of the soul before renewal. In Hindu tradition, it is sacred to the Pitrs (ancestors). The term comes from "ama" (together) and "vasya" (to dwell) – Sun and Moon dwell together.
How to Observe
Offer tarpan (water oblations) and pind daan to departed ancestors. Take a holy bath at a sacred river. Light sesame oil lamps. Avoid starting new ventures. Some observe a full-day fast. Donate to the needy.
Significance
A day for introspection, ancestor worship, and spiritual cleansing. The absence of moonlight represents the void from which new creation emerges. Amavasya is considered the most potent day for pitru karya (ancestral rites).
Looking for Amavasya 2027?
Amavasya 2027 Date & Muhurat