Purnima and Amavasya — the two most important lunar festivals of Hindu panchang. Purnima is the tithi when Moon is fully bright — 180° away from Sun. Amavasya is the tithi when Moon is completely invisible — 0° with Sun. Both tithis are the two ends of the lunar month — Purnima the end of Shukla Paksha, Amavasya the end of Krishna Paksha.
Moon's effect on Earth is highest on these two tithis. Highest tides in the ocean on Purnima and Amavasya. Human body is 70% water — Moon's gravitation also affects mind and emotions. Purnima for auspicious work, Amavasya for ancestral work. The 12 Purnima and 12 Amavasya dates of 2026 in this article.
✦ Religious and Scientific Significance of Purnima
Purnima is considered extremely auspicious for auspicious work and worship. With Moon being 180° away from Sun, its complete light falls on Earth — spiritually considered a symbol of "Purna Brahma". Satyanarayan vrat and katha are observed on Purnima only.
Special Purnimas: Chaitra Purnima (Hanuman Jayanti), Vaishakha Purnima (Buddha Purnima), Ashadha Purnima (Guru Purnima), Shravana Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), Bhadrapada Purnima, Ashwina Purnima (Sharad Purnima), Kartika Purnima (Dev Deepavali), Margashirsha Purnima, Pausha Purnima, Magha Purnima, Phalguna Purnima (Holi).
Scientific effect: Highest tides in the ocean. Human sleep-wake cycle affected. Symptoms intense in mental patients (hence the English word "lunatic" — Luna = Moon). Water-balance changes in the body.
✦ 12 Purnimas of 2026
4 January 2026 (Sun) — Pausha Purnima. Begin: 3 January 11:35 AM, End: 4 January 12:48 PM. Shakambhari Purnima. 4 February 2026 (Wed) — Magha Purnima. Begin: 3 February 9:00 PM, End: 4 February 9:25 PM. Last day of Magha snan.
3 March 2026 (Tue) — Phalguna Purnima / Holika Dahan. 4 March — Rangwali Holi (Dhulandi). 2 April 2026 (Thu) — Chaitra Purnima / Hanuman Jayanti.
1 May 2026 (Fri) — Vaishakha Purnima / Buddha Purnima. 31 May 2026 (Sun) — Jyeshtha Purnima / Vat Savitri Purnima.
1 July 2026 (Wed) — Ashadha Purnima / Guru Purnima. Begin: 30 June 12:35 PM, End: 1 July 11:30 AM. Guru-worship. 31 July 2026 (Fri) — Shravana Purnima / Raksha Bandhan. Begin: 30 July 7:00 PM, End: 31 July 5:35 PM.
29 August 2026 (Sat) — Bhadrapada Purnima. Begin: 28 August 1:30 AM, End: 28 August 11:00 PM. Pitru Paksha begins. 28 September 2026 (Mon) — Ashwina Purnima / Sharad Purnima. Begin: 27 September 12:30 PM, End: 28 September 9:30 AM. Amrita in Moon's rays — night vigil.
27 October 2026 (Tue) — Kartika Purnima / Dev Deepavali. Begin: 26 October 11:00 PM, End: 27 October 7:35 PM. Pushkar Mela. 25 November 2026 (Wed) — Margashirsha Purnima. 25 December 2026 (Fri) — Pausha Purnima.
✦ Significance and Use of Amavasya
Amavasya is traditionally considered inauspicious for auspicious work (marriage, griha pravesh). However, extremely auspicious for pitru-tarpan, shraddha, meditation-sadhana, pitru-puja. According to scriptures, on Amavasya, ancestral deities come to Earth in subtle form — maximum satisfaction from shraddha-tarpan.
Special Amavasyas: Somvati Amavasya (Monday + Amavasya) — extremely auspicious, women worship Peepal, husband's longevity. Mauni Amavasya (Magha Amavasya) — silent vrat. Mahalaya Amavasya (Ashwina Amavasya, end of Pitru Paksha) — supreme day of pitru-tarpan. Diwali Amavasya (Kartika Amavasya) — Mata Lakshmi's festival, wealth-prosperity.
Somvati Amavasya 2026: 22 June (Monday + Amavasya) — only Somvati Amavasya. 108 Peepal-circumambulations by women.
✦ 12 Amavasyas of 2026
19 January 2026 (Mon) — Pausha Amavasya. 18 February 2026 (Wed) — Magha Amavasya / Mauni Amavasya. Sacred bathing, silent vrat. 19 March 2026 (Thu) — Phalguna Amavasya. 17 April 2026 (Fri) — Chaitra Amavasya.
16 May 2026 (Sat) — Vaishakha Amavasya. 15 June 2026 (Mon) — Jyeshtha Amavasya / Somvati Amavasya. Vat-Savitri vrat also. 12 August 2026 (Wed) — Ashadha Amavasya / Hariyali Amavasya.
13 August 2026 (Thu) — Shravana Amavasya / Hariyali Amavasya (second). 12 September 2026 (Sat) — Bhadrapada Amavasya / Pithori Amavasya.
11 October 2026 (Sun) — Ashwina Amavasya / Sarvapitru Mahalaya Amavasya. End of Pitru Paksha — supreme shraddha-day. 8 November 2026 (Sun) — Kartika Amavasya / Diwali. Mahalakshmi Pujan.
7 December 2026 (Mon) — Margashirsha Amavasya / Somvati Amavasya (second). 6 January 2027 — Pausha Amavasya.
✦ Purnima-Amavasya Vrat Procedure
Purnima vrat: Morning bath-sankalpa. Yellow/white clothes. Sattvic meal (one time) throughout the day. Satyanarayan katha in evening. Paran after moon-sighting. Arghya to Moon with milk-rice. Donation — white items (milk, rice, silver, pearls).
Amavasya vrat/shraddha: Sacred bathing in Ganga/river/at home in morning. Black/white clothes. Pitru-tarpan — sit facing south and offer water, sesame, rice, barley. Brahmin-feeding. Donation — black items (black sesame, blanket, shoes, umbrella). Meat-alcohol-nail-cutting completely prohibited.
Somvati Amavasya: Peepal-worship by women — offer water, milk, gram, jaggery on Peepal tree and circumambulate 108 times. Wish for husband's longevity and fortune.
📚Sources & References
Content in this article is verified against the following classical and modern authoritative sources. Readers may independently verify against the original sources.
- ▪Surya Siddhanta — classical Sanskrit astronomical text (~5th century CE)
- ▪Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra — foundational text on Vedic astrology by Maharishi Parashara
- ▪Muhurta Chintamani by Ram Daivajna (16th century) — standard reference for muhurat selection
- ▪Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell, 1998) — basis for all astronomical computations on this site
- ▪Lahiri Ayanamsa — standard sidereal reference adopted by the Indian Calendar Reform Committee (1955)
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Purnima and Amavasya?▼
Purnima = full Moon (end of Shukla Paksha). Amavasya = no Moon (end of Krishna Paksha). Purnima for auspicious work/worship. Amavasya for ancestral work/shraddha. Both two ends of the lunar cycle.
Why no marriage on Amavasya?▼
Moon is invisible on Amavasya — Moon is the karaka of auspicious works. Being the dark phase, auspicious work is considered ineffective. However, exceptions: Some work auspicious on Somvati Amavasya and Diwali Amavasya.
Should kheer be kept out on Sharad Purnima?▼
Yes. On Sharad Purnima (28 September 2026), milk-rice kheer is traditionally made in silver/clay vessel and kept under Moon's rays all night. According to scriptures, amrita-particles from Moon are absorbed in it. Eating empty stomach in morning removes diseases.
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Note: This content is published for educational and cultural reference. For personal religious or astrological decisions, please consult a qualified pandit or jyotishi.