Festivals · Krishna Chaturdashi
Mahashivratri 2027 and 2026: date and Nishita puja time
The date of Maha Shivratri for 2026 and 2027, the Chaturdashi rule that fixes it, and the Nishita puja window, computed for New Delhi.
In short
Mahashivratri 2027 is on Saturday, 6 March 2027, and Mahashivratri 2026 on Sunday, 15 February 2026, by Astrojar's Panchang engine for New Delhi. Maha Shivratri is the Krishna Chaturdashi (14th of the dark half) of Phalguna in the purnimanta calendar, which is Magha in the amanta calendar. It is a night festival: the main worship is at midnight.
Maha Shivratri dates for 2026 and 2027
| Year | Date | Tithi (New Delhi, IST) | Lunar month | Nishita (around midnight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 15 February 2026 | Krishna Chaturdashi: 5:05 pm, 15 Feb to 5:34 pm, 16 Feb | Phalguna (purnimanta), Magha (amanta) | 12:09 am, 16 Feb to 1:00 am, 16 Feb |
| 2027 | Saturday, 6 March 2027 | Krishna Chaturdashi: 12:03 pm, 6 Mar to 1:46 pm, 7 Mar | Phalguna (purnimanta), Magha (amanta) | 12:07 am, 7 Mar to 12:56 am, 7 Mar |
Times are for New Delhi, in IST, from Astrojar's Panchang engine. Lunar months are given both ways: amanta (the month ends at the new moon, as in the south and west) and purnimanta (it ends at the full moon, as in the north).
How the date of Maha Shivratri is fixed
The day is the one whose night has Chaturdashi running at Nishita, the 8th of the night's 15 muhurtas, around midnight. The fast is kept on that day and the puja done in its Nishita.
| Year | Day | Nishita (around midnight) that day | Krishna Chaturdashi covers it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 15 February 2026 | 12:09 am, 16 Feb to 1:00 am, 16 Feb | All of it ← the festival day |
| 2026 | Monday, 16 February 2026 | 12:09 am, 17 Feb to 1:00 am, 17 Feb | No |
| 2026 | Tuesday, 17 February 2026 | 12:09 am, 18 Feb to 1:00 am, 18 Feb | No |
| 2027 | Saturday, 6 March 2027 | 12:07 am, 7 Mar to 12:56 am, 7 Mar | All of it ← the festival day |
| 2027 | Sunday, 7 March 2027 | 12:07 am, 8 Mar to 12:56 am, 8 Mar | No |
| 2027 | Monday, 8 March 2027 | 12:07 am, 9 Mar to 12:56 am, 9 Mar | No |
The same check on the neighbouring days shows why they were not taken.
Why Maha Shivratri can differ by place and tradition
Every month has a Masik Shivratri on its Krishna Chaturdashi; this page is the yearly Maha Shivratri only. The four prahar pujas through the night follow the night's length at your place.
Sunrise, sunset and moonrise change with the city, so the windows here move for other places. Astrojar's daily Panchang gives them for where you are.
Questions about Maha Shivratri
When is Maha Shivratri in 2026?
Maha Shivratri 2026 is on Sunday, 15 February 2026 (New Delhi). Nishita puja: 12:09 am, 16 Feb to 1:00 am, 16 Feb.
When is Maha Shivratri in 2027?
Maha Shivratri 2027 is on Saturday, 6 March 2027 (New Delhi). Nishita puja: 12:07 am, 7 Mar to 12:56 am, 7 Mar.
What is Nishita kaal on Shivratri?
Nishita is the 8th of the night's 15 muhurtas, the one around midnight. On Maha Shivratri the main puja is done in it, and the day is chosen so that Chaturdashi is running then.
Is Maha Shivratri the same as Masik Shivratri?
No. Masik Shivratri comes every month on the Krishna Chaturdashi; Maha Shivratri is the one in Phalguna (purnimanta), or Magha in the amanta calendar.
Why do some calendars give a different date for Maha Shivratri?
A panchang is worked out for one place. Where the tithi begins or ends close to the part of the day the rule looks at, a city east or west of New Delhi can land on the other side of the boundary. Calendars also differ in tradition (amanta or purnimanta, Smarta or Vaishnava) and in the ephemeris they use.
Sources
- Dates, tithi start and end times, sunrise, sunset, moonrise, Nishita muhurta, Vijaya muhurta, Abhijit muhurta and the rising sign (udaya lagna): Astrojar's Panchang engine (Lahiri ayanamsa), for New Delhi (28.61° N, 77.21° E, IST), computed on 21 October 2026. The tithi and nakshatra end times were checked against the Swiss Ephemeris and agree to within a minute.
- Which part of the day a festival's tithi must cover: Nirnaya Sindhu (Kamalakara Bhatta) and Dharma Sindhu (Kashinatha Upadhyaya), the chapters on the festivals month by month.
This is the traditional reading of the classical texts, given for learning and reflection. It is not a prediction for you, and not medical, legal or financial advice.
Maha Shivratri times for your city
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