Festivals · Krishna Ashtami
Janmashtami 2027 and 2026: date and Nishita puja time
The date of Krishna Janmashtami for 2026 and 2027 by the Smarta rule, why the Vaishnava date can differ, and the midnight puja window, computed for New Delhi.
In short
Janmashtami 2027 is on Tuesday, 24 August 2027, and Janmashtami 2026 on Friday, 4 September 2026, by Astrojar's Panchang engine for New Delhi. Janmashtami marks Krishna's birth at midnight on Krishna Ashtami of Bhadrapada in the purnimanta calendar, which is Shravana in the amanta calendar. Rohini nakshatra at midnight is counted a special joining.
Janmashtami dates for 2026 and 2027
| Year | Date | Tithi (New Delhi, IST) | Lunar month | Nishita (around midnight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, 4 September 2026 | Krishna Ashtami: 2:25 am, 4 Sep to 12:13 am, 5 Sep | Bhadrapada (purnimanta), Shravana (amanta) | 11:57 pm to 12:13 am, 5 Sep |
| 2027 | Tuesday, 24 August 2027 | Krishna Ashtami: 8:24 pm, 24 Aug to 7:20 pm, 25 Aug | Bhadrapada (purnimanta), Shravana (amanta) | 12:01 am, 25 Aug to 12:45 am, 25 Aug |
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 Janmashtami is fixed
By the Smarta rule the day is the one whose night has Ashtami running at Nishita, the 8th of the night's 15 muhurtas, around midnight. The puja is done in Nishita.
| Year | Day | Nishita (around midnight) that day | Krishna Ashtami covers it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, 3 September 2026 | 11:57 pm to 12:43 am, 4 Sep | No |
| 2026 | Friday, 4 September 2026 | 11:57 pm to 12:43 am, 5 Sep | 17 of 46 min ← the festival day |
| 2026 | Saturday, 5 September 2026 | 11:57 pm to 12:42 am, 6 Sep | No |
| 2027 | Tuesday, 24 August 2027 | 12:01 am, 25 Aug to 12:45 am, 25 Aug | All of it ← the festival day |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 25 August 2027 | 12:01 am, 26 Aug to 12:45 am, 26 Aug | No |
| 2027 | Thursday, 26 August 2027 | 12:00 am, 27 Aug to 12:45 am, 27 Aug | No |
The same check on the neighbouring days shows why they were not taken.
Rohini nakshatra at midnight
Rohini nakshatra at Nishita: 2026: no; 2027: no (New Delhi, by the engine's nakshatra times).
Why Janmashtami can differ by place and tradition
Vaishnava communities (ISKCON among them) follow their own rule, which looks at Ashtami at sunrise and at Rohini, and often keep Janmashtami a day later. This page gives the Smarta date only.
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 Janmashtami
When is Janmashtami in 2026?
Janmashtami 2026 is on Friday, 4 September 2026 (New Delhi). Nishita puja: 11:57 pm to 12:13 am, 5 Sep.
When is Janmashtami in 2027?
Janmashtami 2027 is on Tuesday, 24 August 2027 (New Delhi). Nishita puja: 12:01 am, 25 Aug to 12:45 am, 25 Aug.
Why are there two Janmashtami dates?
Smarta tradition keeps the day with Ashtami at midnight. Vaishnava tradition (ISKCON among others) uses its own rule on Ashtami at sunrise and Rohini nakshatra, and is often a day later. Both are correct for their tradition; this page gives the Smarta date.
Is Rohini nakshatra at midnight in 2026 or 2027?
At New Delhi's Nishita, by Astrojar's engine: no in 2026 and 2027. Rohini at midnight is a special joining, but the Smarta date follows the Ashtami.
Why do some calendars give a different date for Janmashtami?
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.
Janmashtami times for your city
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