March Equinox 2026 वसंत विषुव

Why March Equinox is celebrated

An equinox is an astronomical event, not a festival. In 2026 the March equinox occurs on 20 March at 20:16 IST. At that moment the Sun sits directly above the equator, and the Earth's axis leans neither towards nor away from it. After this day the Sun appears to move north, so days in India keep getting longer until the June solstice.

The word equinox means equal night. In practice, day length on the equinox in India is a few minutes more than twelve hours, because the atmosphere bends sunlight and the Sun's full disc is counted at sunrise and sunset. The day with truly equal day and night comes a few days earlier.

History and story of March Equinox

Ancient Indian astronomers called this point vishuva. The Indian National Calendar adopted in 1957 is linked to it: the new Saka year begins on 1 Chaitra, the day after the equinox, which is 22 March in 2026. Parsis celebrate Jamshedi Navroz on the equinox, a festival that comes from ancient Persia.

How March Equinox is celebrated

There are no rituals tied to the equinox in India. Schools and planetariums often use it to explain seasons, and some people photograph sunrise to see the Sun rise almost due east.

March Equinox across India

Many Indian solar new year festivals, such as Vaisakhi, Vishu and Bohag Bihu, once fell close to the equinox. Because the Indian solar calendar follows the stars, the slow wobble of the Earth's axis has moved them to mid April. Chaitra Navratri and Gudi Padwa often fall near this time but follow the moon, not the equinox.