Amavasya 2026: Dates, Timings, and Pitru Karma

Amavasya 2026 Full Schedule Of Dates And Key Timings

Amavasya, the New Moon day, marks the night when the Moon becomes invisible and the sky appears completely dark. In that darkness, remembrance of ancestors, silence and self reflection find a deeper place. Amavasya is treated less as a day for celebrations and more as a time for Pitru related rites, charity and quiet discipline.

In 2026, there will be twelve Amavasya dates. Each Amavasya is connected with a specific lunar month and its tithi begins and ends according to the Hindu Panchang. The following table presents a clear picture of all Amavasya dates in 2026 along with the start and end of the tithi.

Lunar month	Amavasya date	Tithi begins	Tithi ends
Magha	18 January 2026	18 January, 12:03 am	19 January, 01:21 am
Phalguna	17 February 2026	16 February, evening	17 February, evening
Chaitra	18 March 2026	18 March, 08:25 am	19 March, 06:52 am
Vaishakha	17 April 2026	16 April, 08:11 pm	17 April, 05:21 pm
Jyeshtha	16 May 2026	16 May, 05:11 am	17 May, 01:30 am
Jyeshtha (second)	14 June 2026	14 June, 12:19 pm	15 June, 08:23 pm
Ashadha	14 July 2026	13 July, 06:49 pm	14 July, 03:12 pm
Shravana	12 August 2026	12 August, 01:52 am	12 August, 11:06 pm
Bhadrapada	10 September 2026	10 September, 10:33 am	11 September, 08:56 am
Ashwina	10 October 2026	09 October, 09:35 pm	10 October, 09:19 pm
Kartika	08 November 2026	08 November, 11:27 am	09 November, 12:31 pm
Margashirsha	08 December 2026	08 December, 04:12 am	09 December, 06:21 am

On the basis of these dates, one can plan Pitru tarpan, holy bath, charity and inner practice for each month in advance, so that the day is used with full awareness and devotion.

Why Is Amavasya So Important In Hindu Tradition

Amavasya or the New Moon day in the Hindu lunar calendar, is seen as a highly significant time. It is closely associated with Pitru remembrance, quietude and deep inner work.

On every Amavasya, the Moon disappears from sight and the night symbolises a kind of emptiness. In that emptiness, it becomes easier for a devotee to turn inward and look honestly at one’s karma, relationships and connection with ancestors.

Amavasya is generally considered inauspicious for festive beginnings such as housewarming, marriage ceremonies, engagements or major celebratory inaugurations. It is instead regarded as a day for peace, gratitude and purification.

Pitru Tarpan, Pind Daan And Their Link With Amavasya

In Hindu practice, Amavasya is primarily dedicated to Pitru Karma, the duties and offerings made for ancestors.

• On Amavasya, devotees offer Tarpan, pouring water mixed with sesame seeds, flowers and kusa grass while remembering their ancestors
• Many perform Pind Daan, offering symbolic rice or barley balls at a riverbank or sacred spot, with the names of departed family members in mind
• It is believed that offerings made with sincerity and humility reach the ancestors in a subtle way and help them find contentment

A satisfied Pitru lineage is in turn said to bless the family with protection from illness and unnecessary debt and to support harmony and stability in the household. Those who suspect Pitru Dosha in their chart or face repeated family related obstacles are often advised to honour Amavasya more regularly.

Why Is Amavasya Powerful For Inner Practice

Spiritually, Amavasya represents emptiness, silence and the possibility of beginning afresh.

The absence of moonlight indicates a pause in outward brightness and busy movement. At such times, it becomes easier to examine one’s patterns, release old ways of thinking and set clearer intentions for the path ahead.

Fasting, restraint, silence, meditation and mantra chanting are especially recommended on Amavasya. Saints and seekers have traditionally treated this day as favourable for cleansing the mind and easing the burden of karmic impressions.

Do All Amavasya Days Carry The Same Strength

Each Amavasya has its own subtle flavour depending on the month, nakshatra and other factors, yet all Amavasya days are valuable for Pitru tarpan and sadhana.

Among them, the Amavasya of Magha month holds a special place.

Magha Amavasya Or Mauni Amavasya

Magha Amavasya is widely known as Mauni Amavasya.

• Observing silence on this day is a long standing practice
• Bathing in the Ganga or another sacred river, giving charity and chanting mantras are valued as highly meritorious
• Tradition connects this time with deep austerities and meditation performed by sages over many ages

The vow of silence on Mauni Amavasya can touch the mind at a very deep level and bring more clarity into thoughts and feelings.

Common Rituals Followed On Amavasya

On Amavasya, attention is given to the purification of both home and heart.

• Devotees bathe early in the morning and wear clean, simple clothes
• Water mixed with black sesame is offered facing the south, in honour of ancestors
• Feeding cows, dogs, birds and the needy is considered very auspicious
• Food, clothing or other useful items are given in charity to a Brahmin, a sadhu or another deserving person
• In the evening, lamps are lit and prayers are offered to Pitru Devatas, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu

Many families prefer to spend the Amavasya evening quietly, avoiding unnecessary noise and conflict so that the atmosphere remains gentle and reflective.

Which Deities Are Especially Worshipped On Amavasya

Along with the Pitru Devatas, worship of Shiva and Vishnu is widely recommended on Amavasya.

Lord Shiva is associated with liberation from ancestral burdens and with the dissolution of heavy karmas, so offering water, sesame mixed water and bilva leaves on a Shiva lingam is seen as very beneficial. Lord Vishnu is invoked for harmony, protection and balance in family life.

Those who practice mantra japa may choose to recite “Om Namah Shivaya” or “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” more extensively on Amavasya, to steady the mind and deepen their inner connection.

What Should Be Avoided On Amavasya

Traditional counsel suggests that some actions are best avoided on Amavasya.

• Housewarming ceremonies, marriages, engagements or joyful new ventures are generally not scheduled for this day
• Major travel, large scale financial commitments or risky decisions are often postponed
• Arguments, harsh speech and deliberate hurting of others are seen as especially harmful to the subtle quality of the day

These guidelines are not meant to encourage fear but to support a more careful, inward and peaceful use of the Amavasya energies.

Making Amavasya 2026 Meaningful In Daily Life

If Amavasya passes only as a date on the calendar, without any inner change, its deeper value is lost. The twelve Amavasya dates of 2026 can be used in thoughtful ways.

• One Amavasya can be chosen as a special day for the whole family to gather for Pitru tarpan and remembrance
• A resolve may be taken to keep every Amavasya as a simple day for extra japa, some quiet time and at least one act of meaningful charity
• Those troubled by tension at home or in relationships can use Amavasya for both ancestral offerings and for honest conversations, forgiveness and new commitments

When Amavasya is honoured not only through rituals but also through gradual change in behaviour and attitude, it becomes a doorway to peace for both ancestors and the living family.

Common Questions

What is Amavasya and how often does it occur
Amavasya is the New Moon day in the Hindu lunar calendar, when the Moon is not visible and the lunar month comes to a close. It occurs once every lunar month, so there are twelve Amavasya days in 2026.

Why are auspicious beginnings usually avoided on Amavasya
Amavasya is treated as a day for Pitru remembrance, quietness and inner work rather than for celebration. Its mood is introspective and serious, so marriages, housewarmings and similar events are generally shifted to more outwardly auspicious tithis.

How should Pitru Tarpan be performed on Amavasya
After bathing and wearing clean clothes, one sits facing south and offers water mixed with black sesame and flowers while remembering the ancestors. If possible, the ritual is performed at a river, pond or sacred water body seated on kusa grass or a mat.

Why is Magha Amavasya called Mauni Amavasya and seen as special
Magha Amavasya is known as Mauni Amavasya because of the emphasis on silence, holy bathing, charity and mantra japa. The vow of silence and focused practice on this day are said to purify the mind at a profound level.

What kind of personal resolve can a devotee take for Amavasya 2026
A devotee may decide that on each Amavasya there will be at least one Pitru offering, a short period of silence, some dedicated japa and one intentional act of service for someone in need. Over time, such a simple but regular resolve can support ancestral peace and bring more stability, balance and inner strength into one’s own life.