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Festival dates · 2026

Janai Purnima 2026

Also Raksha Bandhan · Shravana Purnima

Shravana Shukla Purnima. The date in 21 cities, computed for local sunrise, with the tithi times.

Short answer.
  • Sydney and Melbourne: Friday 28 August 2026
  • Kathmandu: Friday 28 August 2026
  • New York: Thursday 27 August 2026

The cities split across Thu, 27 Aug and Fri, 28 Aug this year: the tithi boundary falls between their sunrises. The table shows every city.

Date by city

CityDateTithi (local time)Kathmandu date
Australia and New Zealand
SydneyFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pmsame day
MelbourneFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pmsame day
BrisbaneFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pmsame day
PerthFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 11:40 am → Fri, 28 Aug, 12:19 pmsame day
AdelaideFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:10 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 1:49 pmsame day
CanberraFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pmsame day
HobartFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pmsame day
DarwinFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 1:10 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 1:49 pmsame day
AucklandFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 3:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 4:19 pmsame day
Nepal
KathmanduFriday 28 August 2026Thu, 27 Aug, 9:25 am → Fri, 28 Aug, 10:04 am—
United States
New YorkThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 11:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 12:19 amFri, 28 Aug
Dallas–Fort WorthThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 10:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 11:19 pmFri, 28 Aug
HoustonThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 10:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 11:19 pmFri, 28 Aug
ChicagoThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 10:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 11:19 pmFri, 28 Aug
Washington DCThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 11:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 12:19 amFri, 28 Aug
BostonThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 11:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 12:19 amFri, 28 Aug
AtlantaThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 11:40 pm → Fri, 28 Aug, 12:19 amFri, 28 Aug
San Francisco Bay AreaThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 8:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 9:19 pmFri, 28 Aug
Los AngelesThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 8:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 9:19 pmFri, 28 Aug
SeattleThursday 27 August 2026Wed, 26 Aug, 8:40 pm → Thu, 27 Aug, 9:19 pmFri, 28 Aug

Rule: the day the tithi is current at local sunrise (udaya tithi).

What the day observes

The full moon of Shravana. In Nepal men of the twice-born castes renew the janai, the sacred thread, and everyone receives the raksha bandhan thread (doro) on the wrist from a priest; the day is also Kwati Purnima, for the soup of nine sprouted beans, and pilgrims bathe at Gosainkunda. In India it is Raksha Bandhan, when sisters tie the rakhi on their brothers.

How it is kept

A bath, the new thread, the protective thread on the wrist, and the family meal.

Common questions

When is Janai Purnima 2026 in Sydney?

Friday 28 August 2026. Shravana Shukla Purnima; the tithi runs Thu, 27 Aug, 1:40 pm to Fri, 28 Aug, 2:19 pm Sydney time.

When is Janai Purnima 2026 in Nepal?

Friday 28 August 2026 in Kathmandu. Shravana Shukla Purnima; the tithi runs Thu, 27 Aug, 9:25 am to Fri, 28 Aug, 10:04 am Nepal time.

When is Janai Purnima 2026 in the United States?

Thursday 27 August 2026 in New York (the same day across the US cities listed). US sunrises fall ten to fifteen hours behind Kathmandu's, so when the tithi ends in that gap the US keeps the festival a day earlier than Nepal.

Why is Janai Purnima on a different day in different countries?

Because the day is decided by which civil day the tithi (lunar day) is current at local sunrise. Sydney's sunrise is four to six hours ahead of Kathmandu's and New York's ten hours behind, so a tithi that ends between two sunrises gives a different day. In 2026 the cities split across Thu, 27 Aug and Fri, 28 Aug.

How is the Janai Purnima date calculated?

Sun and Moon positions from Meeus' algorithms with the Lahiri ayanamsa, amanta lunar months named by the solar ingress inside them, and the day on which the tithi is current at local sunrise (udaya tithi). Tithi boundaries are accurate to a few minutes; a boundary within minutes of sunrise is worth checking against your temple's panchang.

Other years: Janai Purnima 2027. Nearby: Guru Purnima · Krishna Janmashtami · all festivals.

See also: the full-year calendar by city · why festival dates differ between Nepal, India and Australia.

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