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Purnima
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Dates follow the sunrise tithi convention used on our Tithi page. Temple calendars may differ by a day.
Purnima around 26 September 2026
Saturday, 26 September 2026
Sunrise Purnima (full moon, Shukla 15) — calendar of upcoming dates, importance, practices, stories, and FAQ. Primary reading for New Delhi. Back to next Purnima.
26 September 2026 is not sunrise Purnima for New Delhi.
Purnima for New Delhi
Local check
Confirm the civil date with a city panchang or your temple notice — especially abroad, where sunrise can shift the calendar day.
Companion reading
- Nakshatra: —
- Yoga: —
- Karana: —
What is Purnima?
Purnima is a landmark lunar day in the Hindu calendar — Purnima closes the bright fortnight at full moon, and Amavasya closes the dark fortnight at new moon. Families use these days for named festivals, ancestral rites, charity, and quiet devotion.
Because “today’s tithi” is read at local sunrise, the civil date can differ between cities. This page follows the same sunrise convention as our Tithi tool.
How Purnima is practised
Customs vary by month and region, but the day’s tone is usually gratitude, charity, and lunar devotion.
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Morning
Bathe early, wear clean clothes, and offer a simple home or temple puja. Many recite stotras linked to the month’s deity or to Chandra. Charity of food, clothes, or dakshina is considered auspicious.
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Food and fasting
Some observe a fruit or single-meal fast; others take a full satvik meal without onion and garlic. Named Purnimas (such as Sharad) may have special foods like kheer offered as prasada.
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Evening
Moonrise gathering, deepa lighting, and satsang are popular on major Purnimas. On Sharad Purnima many keep a night vigil and leave milk or kheer in moonlight as a folk observance.
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Named festival days
Match the civil date to the month’s name in your panjika — Guru Purnima for teachers, Buddha Purnima for the Buddha’s remembrance, Kartik Purnima for deepa and holy baths in many regions.
There is no single nationwide Purnima menu. Follow your family custom; when in doubt, prefer light satvik food and avoid alcohol and heavy leftovers from the previous night.
How different regions observe Purnima
The full-moon tithi is shared; festivals and names shift with language and temple culture.
North India
Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, and Kartik Purnima draw large temple crowds. Satyanarayan katha and charity are common. River towns often emphasise snana (holy bath) on Kartik Purnima.
Maharashtra & Gujarat
Ashadhi and Kartiki observances link to Vitthal and Vaishnava calendars. Households keep satvik meals and visit local mandirs; some combine Purnima with community bhajans.
South India
Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam calendars name the day (Pournami / Purnima). Temple towns schedule special abhisheka and deepa. Buddha Purnima and Chitra Pournami are widely marked.
Bengal & the East
Bengali panjika guides the civil date. Sharad and Kartik Purnima sit near major autumn festivals; households may keep lakshmi-related or ancestral remembrances depending on the month.
Diaspora temples
Abroad, “today’s Purnima” follows local sunrise. Temples in the US, UK, Gulf, and Australia publish dates for Guru Purnima and other named days — prefer those over converting an Indian calendar by time zone alone.
Named Purnima observances
Classical and regional lists give special names to certain months’ purnima. Exact civil dates shift every year — use the calendar table above for the next sunrise dates.
| Name | Significance |
|---|---|
| Chaitra Purnima | Spring full moon; regional Hanuman and temple festivals. |
| Vaishakha / Buddha Purnima | Remembrance of the Buddha; satvik day and charity. |
| Jyeshtha Purnima | Early summer full moon in many North Indian lists. |
| Ashadha / Guru Purnima | Honouring gurus and Vyasa; discourses and dakshina. |
| Shravana Purnima | Often linked with Raksha Bandhan in North India. |
| Bhadrapada Purnima | Late monsoon full moon; regional temple observances. |
| Ashvina / Sharad Purnima | Autumn moon; kheer, moonlight, and night vigil customs. |
| Kartika Purnima | Deepa, holy baths, and closing of Kartik vows. |
| Margashirsha Purnima | Winter full moon; quiet home and temple worship. |
| Pausha Purnima | Mid-winter; some regions mark holy baths and charity. |
| Magha Purnima | Late winter; Magh snana traditions at river towns. |
| Phalguna Purnima | Near Holi season in many calendars; spring festivals. |
Common questions about Purnima
When is the next Purnima?
Purnima is the full-moon tithi — the fifteenth lunar day of the bright fortnight (Shukla paksha). It falls about once a lunar month. This page shows the next sunrise Purnima for New Delhi and a calendar of upcoming dates. Near a tithi change, confirm your city’s sunrise reading.
How is the Purnima date decided?
Most common almanacs take the tithi current at local sunrise. If sunrise falls on Shukla Purnima (tithi 15 of the waxing fortnight), that civil morning is treated as Purnima. Printed regional panjikas can differ by a few minutes or, rarely, a day — follow your family or temple tradition when they disagree.
What is done on Purnima?
Many households bathe early, offer satvik food or charity, and worship the deity linked to that month’s named Purnima (for example Buddha Purnima, Guru Purnima, or Sharad Purnima). Some keep a light fast or take only one meal. Moonrise viewing and satsang are common on major named days.
Is Purnima the same as the astronomical full moon night?
They are related but not always the same civil day. Hindu calendars use the sunrise tithi; the exact full-moon moment (opposition) can fall on the previous or next evening. Use this page for ritual “Purnima day,” and a sky calendar if you need the exact astronomical instant.
Why do Purnima festivals have different names?
Each lunar month’s full moon carries a traditional name and story — Kartik Purnima, Sharad Purnima, Guru Purnima, and others. The lunar day is always Purnima; the name and observances change with the month and region.
Can I copy an all-India Purnima date for my city abroad?
Prefer local sunrise. New York, London, and Delhi can show different sunrise tithis on what looks like the same civil date. Diaspora temples often publish their own date — use that or your city’s sunrise Purnima.
Sunrise Purnima is computed from Vedic astronomical ephemeris for each city. Printed regional panchangs can differ by a few minutes or a day — confirm with your family or temple tradition.