Vrat & observance dates · India · IST
Purnima 2026
All Purnima (full moon) dates this year — for vrat, satyanarayan puja and major festivals.
Next Purnima: Saturday, September 26 · Bhadrapada Purnima Vrat
In short
There are 3 Purnima dates in 2026 (India, IST), and the next is Saturday, September 26. The full list is below — tap any date for that day's panchangam.
Purnima · 2026
June 2026
August 2026
September 2026
Computed from the panchang (India, IST · Hyderabad reference). A regional calendar may occasionally differ by a day when a tithi spans or skips a sunrise.
What is Purnima?
All Purnima (full moon) dates this year — for vrat, satyanarayan puja and major festivals.
Purnima is the full-moon day — the last tithi of the waxing (Shukla) fortnight, about once a lunar month. Many major festivals fall on Purnima (Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Holi/Phalguna Purnima, Buddha Purnima), and it is a common day for Satyanarayan puja and vrat.
The full moon is considered auspicious for worship, charity and vratas. Fasting on Purnima and offering to the Moon are common observances.
The dates below are computed from the panchang for India (IST). Tap any date for that day's full panchangam.
How to observe Purnima
- 1 On the Purnima day, wake early, bathe and take a sankalp (vow) to observe the vrat.
- 2 Keep the fast through the day as per the observance — avoiding grains where prescribed.
- 3 Offer puja and prayers to the presiding deity, with japa and reading of the vrat katha.
- 4 Break the fast (parana) at the prescribed time — see that day's panchangam for the exact window.
How this is calculated
Timings are computed with the Drik (observational) method using the Lahiri (Chitra-paksha) ayanamsha, for India (IST) with Hyderabad as the reference location. Sunrise- and sunset-based windows — Rahu Kalam, Choghadiya and the muhurtas — are derived from the day's actual sunrise and sunset, so they shift a few minutes by city.
FAQ
What is done on Purnima?
Purnima is observed with Satyanarayan puja and katha, fasting (Purnima vrat), charity and moon worship. Holy bathing (snan) in rivers is common on major Purnimas.
Which festivals fall on Purnima?
Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Buddha Purnima, Raksha Bandhan (Shravana Purnima) and Holi/Phalguna Purnima all fall on full-moon days.
Is Purnima auspicious?
Yes — the full moon is considered auspicious for worship, vrat, japa and charity. It is a favourable day for many spiritual observances, though weddings and other samskaras still follow their own muhurat rules.
How many Purnimas are in a year?
Usually 12 — one per lunar month; a year with an extra (adhika) month has 13.
What is the significance of the full moon in Hinduism?
Purnima symbolises completeness and abundance, and the moon is fullest and brightest. It is regarded as spiritually potent for meditation, mantra japa and offerings.
What is Sharad Purnima / Kartik Purnima / Guru Purnima?
Sharad (Ashwin) Purnima is the harvest full moon linked to Lakshmi and the Ras Leela; Kartik Purnima is sacred to Shiva and the Ganga; Guru Purnima (Ashadha) honours one's teacher and Sage Vyasa.
Should I fast on Purnima?
Fasting is optional. Many keep a Purnima vrat with the Satyanarayan katha, taking only fruit and milk until the moon is seen, then breaking the fast.
Can we start new work on Purnima?
Purnima is generally favourable for auspicious activities and worship; however, specific ceremonies like weddings and griha pravesh should be fixed by a proper muhurat rather than the tithi alone.
