Purnima 2026 — All 12 Full Moon Dates & Significance
2026లో మొత్తం 12 పూర్ణిమ తేదీలు ఉన్నాయి, ప్రతి హిందూ చాంద్రమాన మాసంలో ఒకటి. తదుపరి పూర్ణిమ - వైశాఖ పూర్ణిమ (బుద్ధ పూర్ణిమ) - 12 మే 2026, మంగళవారం రోజున వస్తుంది. పూర్ణిమ అనేది శుక్ల పక్షంలో పదిహేనవ తిథి, చంద్రుడు సూర్యునికి 180° దూరంలో ఉండి పూర్తి ప్రకాశమానంగా కనిపిస్తాడు. ఆధ్యాత్మిక సాధనలకు, వ్రతాలకు, దానాలకు మరియు సత్యనారాయణ స్వామి వ్రతానికి అత్యంత శుభ దినం. ముఖ్యమైన పూర్ణిమలు: బుద్ధ పూర్ణిమ (వైశాఖం), గురు పూర్ణిమ (ఆషాఢం), శరద్ పూర్ణిమ (ఆశ్వీయుజం), కార్తీక పూర్ణిమ (కార్తీకం - దేవ దీపావళి), హోళీ పూర్ణిమ (ఫాల్గుణం), రక్షా బంధన్ (శ్రావణం). అన్ని తేదీలు లాహిరి అయనాంశ ద్వారా నిత్య పంచాంగం లెక్కించింది.
Purnima (పౌర్ణమి) is the full moon day in the Hindu lunar calendar — the 15th tithi of Shukla Paksha when the Moon is exactly opposite the Sun (180° separation), fully illuminated. 2026 has 12 Purnimas, one per lunar month. The most celebrated are Buddha Purnima (Vaisakha, May), Guru Purnima (Ashada, July), Sharad Purnima (Ashwija, October), and Kartika Purnima / Deva Diwali (November). All tithi timings below are computed using Lahiri Ayanamsa for Hyderabad, IST.
All Purnimas in 2026
| Date | Day | Purnima Name |
|---|---|---|
| 12 January 2026 | Monday | Pausha Purnima · Shakambhari Purnima |
| 11 February 2026 | Wednesday | Magha Purnima |
| 13 March 2026 | Friday | Phalguna Purnima · Holi · Holika Dahan |
| 12 April 2026 | Sunday | Chaitra Purnima · Hanuman Jayanti (S. India) |
| 12 May 2026 | Tuesday | Vaisakha Purnima · Buddha Purnima |
| 10 June 2026 | Wednesday | Jyestha Purnima · Vat Purnima Vrat |
| 10 July 2026 | Friday | Ashada Purnima · Guru Purnima · Vyas Purnima |
| 8 August 2026 | Saturday | Shravana Purnima · Raksha Bandhan · Narali Purnima |
| 7 September 2026 | Monday | Bhadrapada Purnima · Pitru Paksha begins next day |
| 6 October 2026 | Tuesday | Ashwija Purnima · Sharad Purnima · Kojagara Vrat |
| 5 November 2026 | Thursday | Karthika Purnima · Deva Diwali · Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| 4 December 2026 | Friday | Margashirsha Purnima · Dattatreya Jayanti |
What is Purnima?
Purnima (पूर्णिमा, Telugu: పౌర్ణమి) is the full moon day in the Hindu lunar calendar — the 15th tithi of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha). On this day the Moon is in opposition to the Sun, completing 180° of separation, and appears fully illuminated. Each lunar month has exactly one Purnima, and there are 12 Purnimas in a typical year (13 in a year with an Adhik Maas).
Spiritual Significance
Purnima is considered an extremely auspicious day for spiritual practices, fasting, satyanarayan vrat, sacred bathing in rivers (Ganga snan), donation (dana), and worship of Vishnu, Shiva, and the Moon (Chandra). The full moon's cooling energy (saumya) is believed to enhance meditation, mantra repetition, and devotional activities. Many Hindus observe a full or partial fast on Purnima.
Most Important Purnimas of the Year
- Vaisakha Purnima (Buddha Purnima) — Birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Gautama Buddha
- Guru Purnima (Ashada Purnima) — Worship of one's spiritual teacher; also marks the birth of sage Vyasa
- Sharad Purnima — Considered the brightest moon of the year; Lakshmi's nocturnal vigilance
- Kartika Purnima (Deva Diwali) — Lighting of lamps in Varanasi; commemorates Shiva's victory over Tripurasura
- Holi Purnima (Phalguna Purnima) — Holika Dahan bonfire; Holi celebration the next day
- Raksha Bandhan (Shravana Purnima) — Sister-brother bond ceremony
How Many Purnimas in a Year?
A typical Hindu year has 12 Purnimas, one in each lunar month from Chaitra (March-April) to Phalguna (February-March). However, in a year with an Adhik Maas (intercalary month), there are 13 Purnimas. Adhik Maas occurs approximately every 32-33 months to keep the lunar and solar calendars synchronized.
Calculating Purnima Timings
The exact moment of Purnima (when the Moon is at 180° from the Sun) varies each month and may not coincide with Indian sunrise. For ritual purposes, Purnima is observed on the day during which the Purnima tithi prevails at sunrise (Suryodaya Vyapini Tithi) or at the time of the chosen vrat (e.g., evening Lakshmi puja). Nitya Panchangam computes Purnima entry and exit times using the Lahiri Ayanamsa for any city worldwide.