Sharad Purnima, the full moon of the month of Ashwin, closes the monsoon and opens the festival season. It falls five days after Dussehra, and in 2026 it is on Sunday, 25 October. On this one night of the year the moon is said to shine with all sixteen kalas, and its light to carry amrit.
Sharad Purnima 2026 date and moonrise
Purnima tithi runs from 11:56 AM on Sunday, 25 October to 9:41 AM on Monday, 26 October (New Delhi). The full-moon night is therefore the night of 25 October, when the moon rises at about 5:00 PM in Delhi. Families who keep the Purnima fast by the sunrise tithi observe it on 26 October; check your local panchang.
Kheer in the moonlight
The best-loved custom of the night: make kheer of rice, milk and sugar (many add saffron and cardamom), offer it to the goddess, then leave it in a silver or earthen bowl, covered with a fine cloth, on a terrace or courtyard in the open moonlight until late at night or dawn. In the morning it is eaten as prasad and shared, especially with the elderly and the unwell, for the health it is believed to hold.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
In Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Mithila the night is Kojagari Purnima, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. The story says Lakshmi comes down to earth asking “Ko jagarti?”, “Who is awake?”, and blesses the homes where people keep vigil in prayer. Families draw alpana at the door, worship Lakshmi in the evening, sing the Om Jai Lakshmi Mata aarti, and stay awake with bhajans and games.
Krishna’s Maha Raas
In Braj, Sharad Purnima is the night of the Maha Raas, when Krishna played his flute on the banks of the Yamuna and danced with the gopis under the full autumn moon. Temples in Vrindavan dress Krishna in white and silver for the night.
How to observe Sharad Purnima at home
- Many keep a fast through the day, taking fruit or milk.
- In the evening, worship Lakshmi (and in many homes Vishnu or Krishna) with white flowers, rice, and kheer as bhog.
- After moonrise, offer arghya of water or milk to the moon.
- Place the kheer in the moonlight, and keep the vigil with bhajans if you can.
- Next morning, eat the kheer as prasad and share it with the family.
Frequently asked questions
When is Sharad Purnima in 2026?
Sharad Purnima falls on Sunday, 25 October 2026. Purnima tithi begins at 11:56 AM that day and ends at 9:41 AM on 26 October (New Delhi), so the full-moon night, when kheer is kept in the moonlight, is the night of 25 October. The moon rises at about 5:00 PM in Delhi.
Why is kheer kept in the moonlight on Sharad Purnima?
It is believed that on this night the moon shines with all sixteen kalas (phases) and its rays carry amrit, the nectar of health. Kheer made with milk and rice is left in an open vessel under the moonlight through the night and eaten as prasad in the morning.
What is Kojagari Purnima?
In Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Mithila, Sharad Purnima is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. "Ko jagarti?" means "who is awake?"; Lakshmi is said to roam the earth this night asking the question and blessing those who stay awake in prayer.
