Hindu

Sharad Purnima 2026 शरद पूर्णिमा

Night of the Brightest Full Moon

Sunday, 25 October 2026

In 2027: Thursday, 14 October 2027

Sharad Purnima is the bright full moon of Ashwin, when families keep kheer under moonlight, worship Goddess Lakshmi through the night and remember Krishna's Maha Raas in Vrindavan.

How the date is fixed: Ashwin Purnima, the full moon day of the month of Ashwin, which comes a few days after Sharad Navratri and Dussehra.

Why Sharad Purnima is celebrated

Sharad Purnima marks the brightest full moon of the year in the Hindu calendar. Devotees believe that on this night the moon shines with all sixteen kalas, or phases of completeness. According to tradition, its rays carry amrit, a kind of nectar that heals the body and calms the mind.

The night also has a strong link with Goddess Lakshmi. A popular belief says she moves across the earth on this night and asks, "Ko jagarti?", which means "Who is awake?" She blesses homes where people stay awake in prayer. This is why the festival is also called Kojagari Purnima.

For Krishna devotees, this is the night of the Maha Raas. The Bhagavata Purana describes how Krishna played his flute on the banks of the Yamuna and danced with the gopis of Vrindavan under the autumn moon.

History and story of Sharad Purnima

The festival grew out of the farming year. Sharad Purnima falls at the end of the monsoon, when the sky clears and the kharif crop is close to harvest. Farm families saw the clear full moon as a sign of plenty and thanked the gods for a good season.

The story of the Raas Leela gave the night a devotional meaning. Over centuries, temples in Mathura and Vrindavan built special rituals around it. In eastern India, Lakshmi worship on this night became a household custom, often led by the women of the family. Ayurveda also places importance on this season, as the change from rainy weather to autumn is seen as a time to cool and balance the body.

Maharishi Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, is also remembered on this full moon. In 2026 the Purnima tithi runs across 25 and 26 October, so Sharad Purnima is kept on 25 October and Valmiki Jayanti appears on 26 October in official lists.

How Sharad Purnima is celebrated

The best known custom is kheer under the moon. Families cook rice and milk kheer in the evening and leave it in an open vessel on the roof or in the courtyard. A thin cloth or net covers it. People eat it the next morning as prasad, believing it has absorbed the healing rays of the moon.

Many people keep a fast during the day and break it after offering water to the moon at night. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas. In Bengal, Assam and Odisha, families perform Kojagari Lakshmi Puja at night. They draw alpana designs on the floor, set up the idol or a decorated pot, and offer fruits, puffed rice, coconut sweets and khichdi. Many stay awake and play games or sing bhajans.

Temples of Krishna in Braj hold Raas Leela performances and keep the deity in white clothes, in the open moonlight.

Important days and moments

Kheer in moonlight (Night of the full moon)
Families place rice kheer in the open overnight and eat it next morning as prasad, believing the moon's rays bless it.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja (Night of the full moon)
Homes in Bengal, Assam and Odisha worship Goddess Lakshmi with alpana, lamps and bhog, and many people stay awake through the night.
Raas Leela in Braj (Evening and night)
Krishna temples in Vrindavan and Mathura stage Raas Leela and dress the deity in white to honour the Maha Raas.
Kumar Purnima (Morning to night)
Unmarried girls in Odisha fast, pray to the sun and moon, and play traditional games with friends.

Sharad Purnima across India

In West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is a major home festival a few days after Durga Puja. Neighbours visit each other and share bhog late into the night.

In Odisha, the day is Kumar Purnima. Unmarried girls wake early, wear new clothes and pray to the sun and moon for a good husband. They play games and sing folk songs in the evening.

In Gujarat, people gather for garba and eat dudh pauva, flattened rice soaked in milk. In Maharashtra, families drink masala milk under the moon and honour the eldest child of the house. In Braj, Vrindavan and Mathura temples see large crowds for the Raas celebrations.

Other names and related festivals

Kojagara Lakshmi Puja
Kojagari Purnima
Kumar Purnima
Raas Purnima
Kumar Purnima in Odisha
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja in West Bengal

Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti 26 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

When is Sharad Purnima in 2026?

Sharad Purnima falls on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

Is Sharad Purnima a bank holiday?

Banks close for Sharad Purnima in Jammu and Kashmir in 2026, following the RBI holiday list of each region. Elsewhere it falls on a Sunday, when banks are closed anyway. Pick your state below to check.

Which state governments close for Sharad Purnima?

State government offices close for Sharad Purnima in Assam and West Bengal in 2026. Pick your state below for its full holiday list.

Is Sharad Purnima a central government holiday?

No. Sharad Purnima is not on the 2026 list of central government holidays. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday, when central government offices are closed anyway.

Is the stock market closed on Sharad Purnima?

Sharad Purnima falls on a Sunday, when the markets are closed anyway.

What are the other names of Sharad Purnima?

Sharad Purnima is also known as Kojagara Lakshmi Puja, Kojagari Purnima, Kumar Purnima, Raas Purnima, Kojagari Lakshmi Puja.

Why is kheer kept in moonlight on Sharad Purnima?

Devotees believe the moon's rays carry amrit on this night. Kheer kept under the open sky is thought to absorb this blessing. It is eaten the next morning as prasad.

What does Kojagari mean?

It comes from "Ko jagarti", meaning "Who is awake?" According to tradition, Goddess Lakshmi asks this question on the full moon night. She blesses those who stay awake in prayer.