Sharad Purnima 2026: Date, Kheer Ritual and Moon Remedies
By Astro Sandeep, Vedic astrologer and Lal Kitab expert with 21+ years of experience
Key points at a glance
- Sharad Purnima 2026 is observed on the night of Sunday, 25 October 2026, the full moon of Ashwin month.
- The Purnima tithi runs from about 11:55 AM on 25 October to 9:41 AM on 26 October 2026 (IST).
- Some calendars list Monday 26 October because the tithi is present at sunrise that day; the night rituals belong to 25 October.
- The main ritual is keeping rice kheer under the full moon overnight and taking it as prasad, along with Kojagari Lakshmi puja and staying awake.
- The full moon falls with the Sun in Libra and the Moon moving from Revati into Ashwini nakshatra, which makes it a good night for simple Moon remedies.
"Guruji, kheer kab rakhni hai, 25 ko ya 26 ko?" I have had this question from three families in Mohali this week already, and one from a daughter in Surrey who wants to do the ritual the way her nani did in Jalandhar. The confusion is understandable. The tithi starts on one day and ends on the next, and different calendars print different dates. In this guide I give you the verified Sharad Purnima 2026 date and times, explain why some sites say 26 October, walk you through the kheer ritual step by step and share the Moon remedies I actually suggest. You can confirm the tithi for your own city on our daily panchang.
Ask Astro Sandeep about Lal Kitab remedies for a weak Moon
What is Sharad Purnima?
Sharad Purnima is the full moon of Ashwin month, also called Kojagari or Kojagara Purnima and, in Braj, Raas Purnima. Tradition says the Moon shows all sixteen kalas (phases of fullness) on this night, so families keep kheer in its light, worship Goddess Lakshmi and stay awake. In 2026 it falls on the night of 25 October.
Sharad Purnima 2026 date and timings
Sharad Purnima 2026 is on Sunday, 25 October, because the Purnima tithi is present through the evening and midnight of that day.
| Detail | Sharad Purnima 2026 (IST) |
|---|---|
| Night of observance | Sunday, 25 October 2026 |
| Purnima tithi begins | 25 October, about 11:55 AM |
| Purnima tithi ends | 26 October, about 9:41 AM |
| Nishita (midnight) muhurat, Ujjain | 11:45 PM on 25 October to 12:36 AM on 26 October |
| Nakshatra on the night | Revati until about 7:22 PM, then Ashwini |
| Sun and Moon | Sun in Libra (Tula); Moon moves from Pisces into Aries |
Moonrise is around sunset and shifts by a few minutes from city to city, so I am not printing one moonrise time for everyone. Check your city on the panchang on the day. Sunset in Delhi on 25 October is around 5:42 PM, which gives you a rough idea for North India.
Why some calendars say 26 October
Some calendars follow the udaya tithi rule: the tithi present at sunrise names the day. Purnima is present at sunrise on 26 October, so those calendars print Monday. That rule suits a morning Purnima snan (holy bath) and daan (charity). Sharad Purnima, though, is a night festival. Kheer is kept under the moon and Kojagari Lakshmi puja is done around midnight, and on the night of 26 October the tithi has already moved to Pratipada. So for the kheer and the jagran (night vigil), 25 October is the correct night. Many sites simply print one date without saying which rule they used. I would rather you know why.
How to do the Sharad Purnima kheer ritual
The kheer ritual is simple: cook rice kheer in the evening, keep it covered under the open moonlight for some hours, offer it to Goddess Lakshmi and the Moon, and take it as prasad.
- Cook the kheer in the evening. Rice, milk and sugar or jaggery, with cardamom. Families often add a little saffron and dry fruit. Use a clean steel, brass or silver vessel; silver is linked with the Moon in astrology.
- Offer arghya to the Moon. Once the Moon is visible, offer water, ideally with a little raw milk and rice, from a small lota while facing the Moon.
- Keep the kheer under the moon. Place it on a terrace, balcony or courtyard where moonlight reaches it, covered with a thin muslin cloth or a mesh lid so nothing falls in.
- Do Kojagari Lakshmi puja. Light a ghee diya, offer flowers and some of the kheer to Goddess Lakshmi, and recite a Lakshmi stotra or the Shri Suktam if you know it. Kojagari means "who is awake?", and families traditionally stay up for part of the night.
- Take the kheer as prasad. Many families eat it after the midnight puja; others bring it in before dawn and share it in the morning. Share it with everyone in the house.
A practical word. Milk left out all night can spoil, especially in the warm southern cities. Keep it covered, bring it in after a few hours if the night is warm, and anyone with diabetes or a medical diet should follow their doctor's advice on the kheer. Faith and common sense go together.
Why Sharad Purnima matters in Vedic astrology
Astrologically, Sharad Purnima is the night the Moon is full and directly opposite the Sun, so its significations of mind, mother, emotions and nourishment are at their strongest.
In 2026 the Sun sits in Libra, the sign of its debilitation, while the Moon moves through Revati and into Ashwini. Revati is ruled by Mercury and closes the zodiac; Ashwini is ruled by Ketu and opens it. I read this as a good night to close old worries and start a simple discipline, rather than a night for big decisions. If you want to understand how the Sun in Libra affects your own chart this month, read my note on the Sun's transit in Libra.
In Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra the Moon is called the mind (manas). A Moon that is strong and full gives steadiness; a Moon that is weak, afflicted by Saturn or Rahu, or placed in the 6th, 8th or 12th house can show restlessness and changing moods. That is why people with a weak Moon in their kundli take Sharad Purnima seriously.
Moon remedies for Sharad Purnima 2026
Sharad Purnima is a good night for gentle Moon remedies, as long as you treat them as acts of faith and choose them after a personal chart check.
Vedic remedies
- Chant the Chandra mantra "Om Shraam Shreem Shraum Sah Chandramase Namah" 108 times after moonrise, or the shorter "Om Som Somaya Namah".
- Offer arghya to the Moon with water, a little raw milk and white rice.
- Donate white items such as rice, milk, sugar or white clothes to someone in need the next morning.
- Spend a few quiet minutes in the moonlight without your phone. It sounds small. My clients who do it regularly tell me it helps more than they expected.
Lal Kitab remedies
- In Lal Kitab the Moon is tied to the mother. Touch your mother's feet or call her and take her blessings; if she has passed, serve an elderly woman in the family or the neighbourhood.
- Keeping a small piece of solid silver with you is a common Lal Kitab measure for the Moon, but it depends on where the Moon sits in your chart, so check first.
- Lal Kitab upay are done by the person whose chart needs them, with a clean intention, and are not mixed casually with other remedies.
I do not suggest a pearl or moonstone just because it is Sharad Purnima. A gemstone strengthens whatever the Moon rules in your chart, including houses you may not want to strengthen, so I only recommend one after a personal Vedic chart reading.
Book a personal Vedic chart reading to check your Moon
Sharad Purnima myths and facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| The kheer must be kept on 26 October because the calendar says so. | Calendars that print 26 October use the sunrise rule. The moonlit night with Purnima tithi in 2026 is 25 October. |
| Moonlight kheer heals any illness. | It is a traditional prasad and an act of devotion, not a medicine. Health problems need a doctor. |
| Everyone should wear a pearl on Sharad Purnima. | A pearl suits some charts and not others. Check the Moon's house and lordship first. |
| If you sleep, Lakshmi will not visit. | The Kojagari jagran is a devotional practice. Do what your health and family allow; sincerity matters more than hours awake. |
| Remedies done tonight will fix the whole year. | Remedies support effort and awareness. They do not replace either. |
An illustrative example: a weak Moon and a student abroad
This example is illustrative and does not describe a real client.
Imagine a 21-year-old student from Patiala now studying in Surrey. His Moon is in Scorpio, its sign of debilitation, in the 8th house, with Saturn aspecting it. He feels unsettled, sleeps badly before exams and calls home often. The family asks whether he should wear a pearl.
In a case like this I would not start with a gemstone. With the Moon ruling a difficult house for his ascendant, a pearl could amplify the wrong things. On Sharad Purnima I would suggest the Chandra mantra and arghya after moonrise in Surrey, a call to his mother to take her blessings, and kheer shared with his flatmates. More importantly, I would tell him to keep a regular sleep routine and to speak to a counsellor or doctor if the sleep problems continue. Astrology can show a tendency. It does not replace care.
Sharad Purnima for families in Chandigarh, Punjab and abroad
Families in the Chandigarh tricity and across North India keep the kheer on the night of 25 October, and NRI families in Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand also observe it on their local evening of 25 October.
In Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Zirakpur and Kharar, and in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala, the evening of Sunday 25 October is the night. For NRI families the tithi times convert like this: in Brampton and Toronto the Purnima tithi runs from about 2:25 AM on 25 October to about 12:11 AM on 26 October local time, so the evening of 25 October works. On the Pacific coast, in Surrey and Vancouver, the tithi ends around 9:11 PM on 25 October, so do the arghya and keep the kheer early in the evening. In Sydney and Melbourne the tithi starts around 5:25 PM on 25 October, and in Auckland around 7:25 PM, so the night of 25 October works there too. Moonrise differs everywhere, so check your local panchang.
If you would like your own Moon checked before the festival, I do sessions in person at my Mohali office and online for families anywhere. Your birth time is calculated for the city you were born in, wherever that is. Sharad Purnima is followed a few days later by Karwa Chauth, and you can find the Karwa Chauth 2026 moonrise times for your city in my guide. If you want to see where the Moon sits in your own chart, make your free kundli and look at the Moon's house and sign, or read how I approach a full kundli analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sharad Purnima 2026 on 25 or 26 October?
The night of Sunday, 25 October 2026 is Sharad Purnima. The Purnima tithi begins around 11:55 AM on 25 October and ends around 9:41 AM on 26 October (IST). Calendars that print 26 October use the sunrise rule, which suits a morning snan, but the kheer and jagran belong to the night of 25 October.
What time should I keep the kheer in the moonlight?
Keep it out after moonrise on 25 October. Moonrise is around sunset in North India, but it varies by city, so check your local panchang. Many families keep the kheer out until the midnight Lakshmi puja and take it as prasad then; others bring it in before dawn. Keep it covered.
Why is kheer kept under the moon on Sharad Purnima?
Tradition holds that the full Moon of Sharad Purnima shows all sixteen kalas, and that its light blesses the food kept beneath it. Milk and rice are both linked with the Moon in Jyotish. It is a devotional practice and prasad; it is not a medical treatment, and anyone on a special diet should follow medical advice.
What is Kojagari Lakshmi puja?
Kojagari Lakshmi puja is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on the night of Sharad Purnima. "Kojagari" comes from "ko jagarti", meaning "who is awake?". Families light a diya, offer kheer and flowers, recite Lakshmi prayers and stay awake for part of the night, especially in Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Which Moon remedies can I do on Sharad Purnima 2026?
Simple, safe ones. Offer arghya to the Moon, chant the Chandra mantra 108 times, donate white items the next morning and take your mother's blessings, which is the main Lal Kitab measure for the Moon. Gemstones and stronger Lal Kitab upay should be chosen only after a personal chart check.
Can NRIs in Canada or the USA observe Sharad Purnima on 25 October?
Yes. In Toronto and Brampton the Purnima tithi covers the evening of 25 October. On the Pacific coast it ends around 9:11 PM local time, so do the arghya and kheer early. I calculate charts and festival times for the city you live in when you consult me online from abroad.
Can I consult Astro Sandeep about a weak Moon before Sharad Purnima?
Yes. You can book a 30-minute session in person at my office in Mohali or online from anywhere. Share your date, time and place of birth, and I will check the Moon's sign, house, nakshatra and the dasha you are running before suggesting any remedy.
Keeping Sharad Purnima 2026 simple
Keep the kheer out on the night of 25 October, offer arghya, do a short Lakshmi puja and take a few quiet minutes under the full moon. That is enough. If your Moon is weak or your mind has been restless for a while, book a consultation with Astro Sandeep so the remedies fit your chart. For family worries that sit alongside, my family and personal matters sessions look at the whole household picture.
Disclaimer: Astrology, Lal Kitab, numerology and tarot offer guidance based on traditional principles. They are not a substitute for medical, legal, financial, immigration or psychological advice, and no astrologer can guarantee an outcome.
