Festival dates · 2026
Chaitra Shukla Navami. The date in 21 cities, computed for local sunrise, with the tithi times.
The cities split across Thu, 26 Mar and Fri, 27 Mar this year: the tithi boundary falls between their sunrises. The table shows every city.
| City | Date | Tithi (local time) | Kathmandu date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia and New Zealand | |||
| Sydney | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 5:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 3:39 pm | same day |
| Melbourne | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 5:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 3:39 pm | same day |
| Brisbane | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 4:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 2:39 pm | same day |
| Perth | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 2:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 12:39 pm | same day |
| Adelaide | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 4:51 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 3:09 pm | same day |
| Canberra | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 5:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 3:39 pm | same day |
| Hobart | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 5:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 3:39 pm | same day |
| Darwin | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 3:51 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 2:09 pm | same day |
| Auckland | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 7:21 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 5:39 pm | same day |
| Nepal | |||
| Kathmandu | Friday 27 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 12:06 pm → Fri, 27 Mar, 10:24 am | — |
| United States | |||
| New York | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 2:21 am → Fri, 27 Mar, 12:39 am | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 1:21 am → Thu, 26 Mar, 11:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Houston | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 1:21 am → Thu, 26 Mar, 11:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Chicago | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 1:21 am → Thu, 26 Mar, 11:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Washington DC | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 2:21 am → Fri, 27 Mar, 12:39 am | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Boston | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 2:21 am → Fri, 27 Mar, 12:39 am | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Atlanta | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Thu, 26 Mar, 2:21 am → Fri, 27 Mar, 12:39 am | Fri, 27 Mar |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Wed, 25 Mar, 11:21 pm → Thu, 26 Mar, 9:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Los Angeles | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Wed, 25 Mar, 11:21 pm → Thu, 26 Mar, 9:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
| Seattle | Thursday 26 March 2026 | Wed, 25 Mar, 11:21 pm → Thu, 26 Mar, 9:39 pm | Fri, 27 Mar |
Rule: the day the tithi is current at local sunrise (udaya tithi). Chaitra Shukla Navami (udaya tithi; some traditions use madhyahna).
The birth of Rama on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra, the last day of the spring Navratri. The Ramayana or the Ramcharitmanas is read through the preceding days, and the birth is marked at midday, the hour tradition gives for it.
Readings, a fast for some, and a cradle ceremony at noon at Rama temples; in Ayodhya the day draws the largest crowds of the year.
In the glossary: rama · hanuman · ramayana.
Friday 27 March 2026. Chaitra Shukla Navami; the tithi runs Thu, 26 Mar, 5:21 pm to Fri, 27 Mar, 3:39 pm Sydney time.
Friday 27 March 2026 in Kathmandu. Chaitra Shukla Navami; the tithi runs Thu, 26 Mar, 12:06 pm to Fri, 27 Mar, 10:24 am Nepal time.
Thursday 26 March 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.
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, 26 Mar and Fri, 27 Mar.
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: Ram Navami 2027. Nearby: Nepali New Year (Bikram Sambat) · Buddha Purnima · all festivals.
See also: the full-year calendar by city · why festival dates differ between Nepal, India and Australia · Dashain 2027 dates.
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