Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 — Saturday 10 October
మహాలయ అమావాస్య 2026
Ashwin (Bhadrapada) Amavasya · Sarva Pitru Amavasya / Pitru Moksha Amavasya / Peddala Amavasya · Amavasya Tithi begins 9 Oct 21:53 IST · ends 10 Oct 21:34 IST · Sankalpa 06:00 – 07:00 IST · Kutup Muhurat 11:36 – 12:22 IST · Rohina Muhurat 12:22 – 13:09 IST · Aparahna Kaal (best for tarpan) 13:09 – 15:29 IST (Hyderabad)
Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 (also called Sarva Pitru Amavasya / Pitru Moksha Amavasya / Peddala Amavasya) falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Mahalaya Amavasya is the most sacred day in the Hindu calendar for ancestor worship — the closing day of the 16-day Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha (Sharad Navaratri starts next day). Shraddha performed on this day reaches ALL ancestors — those whose death-tithi is forgotten, those who died unnaturally, those whose kula-gotra one doesn't know. In Bengal, Mahalaya morning begins with Birendra Krishna Bhadra's legendary "Mahishasura Mardini" chandi-path radio broadcast — a national ritual since 1931. Primary observance: Pre-dawn bath in a river or sacred water, Sankalpa on the ghat, offer Tila-Tarpana (til + water) to all ancestors by name/gotra, offer Pinda-Dana (rice balls + sesame + honey + ghee) facing south, feed Brahmins + cows + crows + dogs + ants (five bhutas), donate clothes/food/dakshina. Recommended muhurat: Amavasya Tithi begins 9 Oct 21:53 IST · ends 10 Oct 21:34 IST · Sankalpa 06:00 – 07:00 IST · Kutup Muhurat 11:36 – 12:22 IST · Rohina Muhurat 12:22 – 13:09 IST · Aparahna Kaal (best for tarpan) 13:09 – 15:29 IST (Hyderabad).
Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 — Date & Muhurat
| Festival Date | Saturday, 10 October 2026 |
| Telugu Masa & Tithi | Ashwin (Bhadrapada) Amavasya |
| Primary Muhurat | Amavasya Tithi begins 9 Oct 21:53 IST · ends 10 Oct 21:34 IST · Sankalpa 06:00 – 07:00 IST · Kutup Muhurat 11:36 – 12:22 IST · Rohina Muhurat 12:22 – 13:09 IST · Aparahna Kaal (best for tarpan) 13:09 – 15:29 IST (Hyderabad) |
| Alternative Names | Sarva Pitru Amavasya / Pitru Moksha Amavasya / Peddala Amavasya |
All timings computed using Lahiri Ayanamsa Swiss Ephemeris for Hyderabad (17.385°N, 78.486°E). For exact local timings in other cities use our Today's Panchangam tool.
Significance of Mahalaya Amavasya 2026
Mahalaya Amavasya is the most sacred day in the Hindu calendar for ancestor worship — the closing day of the 16-day Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha (Sharad Navaratri starts next day). Shraddha performed on this day reaches ALL ancestors — those whose death-tithi is forgotten, those who died unnaturally, those whose kula-gotra one doesn't know. In Bengal, Mahalaya morning begins with Birendra Krishna Bhadra's legendary "Mahishasura Mardini" chandi-path radio broadcast — a national ritual since 1931.
Key Rituals on Mahalaya Amavasya 2026
Pre-dawn bath in a river or sacred water, Sankalpa on the ghat, offer Tila-Tarpana (til + water) to all ancestors by name/gotra, offer Pinda-Dana (rice balls + sesame + honey + ghee) facing south, feed Brahmins + cows + crows + dogs + ants (five bhutas), donate clothes/food/dakshina. In Bengal: sunrise chandi-path, Durga puja pandal inauguration by evening.
Mahalaya Amavasya 2026 Puja Samagri Checklist (Shopping List)
Items to procure 1-2 days before Mahalaya Amavasya 2026:
| # | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Black til (sesame) + water |
| 2 | Rice balls (Pinda — cooked rice + til + honey + ghee) |
| 3 | Kusha grass (dharba) — 3 blades minimum |
| 4 | White clothes (dhoti + angavastram) |
| 5 | Coconut + banana + betel + areca |
| 6 | Ghee lamp + agarbatti + camphor |
| 7 | Naivedyam: kheer, curd rice, seasonal fruits |
| 8 | Silver/copper spoon for arghya |
| 9 | Photograph of departed ancestor (optional) |
| 10 | Dakshina items: clothes, grains, dakshina money for Brahmin |
Regional Variations of Mahalaya Amavasya 2026
Andhra/Telangana: Peddala Amavasya — every household performs pinda-dana at riverbanks (Godavari, Krishna). Bengal: The most iconic day — Mahalaya morning "Mahishasura Mardini" chandi-path radio (5-hour Sanskrit + Bengali recitation by Birendra Krishna Bhadra, still broadcast on All India Radio annually), immediately followed by Durga Puja pandal-hopping starting Shashthi. Tamil Nadu: Aadi Amavasya vs Mahalaya distinction — this is the pan-India shraddha day. Maharashtra: Sarva Pitri Amavasya — mass tarpan at Nashik, Trimbakeshwar. Kerala: Karkidaka Vavu Bali on nearest previous Amavasya. Universal Hindu observance.