Sharad Purnima 2026 falls on Sunday, 25 October. It is the full moon that closes the monsoon and opens the clear season — the night when the moon is said to be at its brightest and, in tradition, when its light carries healing. Families leave a bowl of kheer out under it, Bengal keeps a lamp burning for Lakshmi, and Vrindavan stays awake for the Raas.
What happens on Sharad Purnima
The purnima tithi begins around midday on 25 October and runs into the morning of Monday, 26 October, so most families observe the rituals on the night of the 25th. Check your local panchang for exact timings.
- Kheer under the moon. Rice kheer is cooked in the evening and left in the open moonlight, usually in a silver or steel vessel covered with a thin muslin. It is eaten at midnight or the next morning, and is believed to carry the moon's cooling, healing quality.
- Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. In Bengal, Odisha and Assam, this is the night Goddess Lakshmi visits homes. Doors are left open, lamps burn all night, and families stay awake — ko jagarti means "who is awake?".
- Maha Raas in Braj. In Vrindavan and Mathura, this is the night of the Raas Leela, when Krishna is said to have danced with the gopis. Temples stay open late and hold special aartis and performances.
- A fast is kept through the day by many, broken after moonrise.
Where to be on that night
Vrindavan and Mathura
The most atmospheric choice. The Braj temples celebrate Maha Raas with all-night singing and dance, Nidhivan draws its own crowd of stories, and the ghats at Mathura fill with lamps. October weather is perfect for the walking a temple town demands. Our Mathura & Vrindavan darshan covers the main temples, and the full travel guide has the practical detail.
Bengal and the east
Five days after Durga Puja ends, Kolkata lights up again for Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. It is a quieter, home-centred festival — alpana patterns on the floor, lamps at the doorway, and narkel naru and other sweets made through the afternoon.
The high deserts: Ladakh and Spiti
If it is the moon itself you care about, go where the sky is empty. Ladakh and Spiti have almost no light or moisture in the air, and a full moon there lights the whole valley well enough to walk by. Late October is cold and the passes are closing, so plan carefully — our Hanle stargazing trip and the Ladakh guide cover what is possible at that time of year.
Anywhere with an open horizon
A desert camp in Rajasthan, a houseboat on the backwaters, a riverside camp at Shnongpdeng in Meghalaya, a beach on a quiet coast — the ritual travels well. All you need is a clear view of the sky and somewhere to keep the kheer.
🎒 Planning this trip?
Mathura & Vrindavan Darshan Leh to Tso Moriri & Hanle Stargazing 7N/8D Spiti Valley Circuit: Shimla to Manali All Uttar Pradesh trips →If you are keeping the ritual at home
- Cook the kheer in the evening, then set it out once the moon is properly up, roughly an hour after moonrise.
- Cover it with a thin cloth, not a lid — the point is moonlight, and the cloth keeps insects out.
- Silver, steel or clay are the traditional vessels.
- Bring it in before dawn and share it in the morning.
- In cities with heavy haze, a terrace or balcony with an open view works better than a garden hemmed in by buildings.
Planning notes for 2026
- 25 October is a Sunday, which makes a short weekend trip to Braj easy from Delhi-NCR, Agra or Jaipur.
- It falls five days after Dussehra and two weeks before Diwali, so hotels in temple towns are busy but not impossible.
- October nights are cool in the north — carry a light jacket if you plan to sit out.
- If Vrindavan is the plan, reach by afternoon. The lanes near the main temples close to vehicles as the evening builds.
Of all the festival nights in October, this is the gentlest one — no crowds required, no tickets to book. A clear sky and a bowl of kheer are the whole ritual.
Frequently asked questions
When is Sharad Purnima in 2026?
Sunday, 25 October 2026. The purnima tithi carries into the morning of 26 October, so rituals are kept on the night of the 25th.
Why is kheer kept in the moonlight?
Tradition holds that the moon is closest and brightest on this night and that its light has a cooling, healing quality which passes into the kheer.
What is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja?
The same full-moon night celebrated in Bengal, Odisha and Assam, when Goddess Lakshmi is believed to visit homes that stay awake and keep their lamps lit.
Where is Sharad Purnima celebrated most beautifully?
Vrindavan and Mathura for the Maha Raas, Bengal for Kojagari Puja, and the high deserts of Ladakh and Spiti if you simply want the clearest possible moon.
Plan the night with Yatraved
A weekend in Braj for the Raas, a desert camp with an open sky, or a quiet riverside stay — tell us which and we will arrange it. Browse our Uttar Pradesh trips or send us your dates.
