Astha SangrahASTHA SANGRAHhttps://asthasangrah.comSharad Purnima 2026 on 25 October: Moonrise at 5:00 PM, and When to Keep the Kheer in the Moonlight
Sharad Purnima is on Sunday, 25 October 2026. The moon rises at 5:00 PM, and the Nishita window for the Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is 11:40 PM to 12:31 AM (New Delhi).
- Purnima tithi
- 11:55 AM, 25 October to 9:41 AM, 26 October
- Moonrise
- 25 October, 5:00 PM
- Kojagari Puja (Nishita)
- 11:40 PM, 25 October to 12:31 AM
When and how to keep the kheer
Purnima tithi lasts through the whole night, so the kheer goes out under the moon on the night of 25 October. Make it with cow's milk, rice and mishri, and after moonrise set it on the roof or in the courtyard in a clean vessel, covered with a fine mesh or thin cloth. The next morning, offer it to God first and then take it as prasad.
The moon of sixteen kalas
It is believed that only on Sharad Purnima is the moon complete with all sixteen kalas, and that its rays carry amrit, which is why kheer is left in the moonlight. On this night Krishna performed the Maharaas with the gopis in Vrindavan, so it is also called Raas Purnima.
In Bengal, Odisha and Assam it is Kojagari Purnima. Lakshmi is believed to ask on this night, "Ko jagarti?", who is awake, and to bless those who keep vigil in worship.
The night's worship
Bathe in the evening and worship Maa Lakshmi and the moon. After moonrise, offer the moon arghya of water and milk, then set out the kheer in the moonlight. In the Nishita window, 11:40 PM to 12:31 AM, meditate on Lakshmi, light a lamp, sing the Lakshmi aarti and keep vigil with the family. In Bengal, Lakshmi Puja is done in every home this night, with alpana drawn in the courtyard.
Sharad Purnima across India
In Odisha it is also Kumar Purnima, when unmarried girls worship Kumar, that is Kartikeya. In Gujarat, Sharad Poonam night is for garba, with doodh-pauva set out in the moonlight. Temples in Braj and Vrindavan celebrate the Maharaas on this night, and Maharishi Valmiki's jayanti is also kept on Ashwin Purnima.
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Your questions
Which day is the Sharad Purnima fast?
25 October, because Purnima tithi holds at moonrise that evening and through the night. The tithi ends at 9:41 AM on 26 October, so keeping the kheer out on the night of the 26th misses it.
What time should the Kojagari Lakshmi Puja be done?
The Nishita window, 11:40 PM to 12:31 AM, is considered the most auspicious, as Lakshmi is believed to move about the earth at this hour. If you can't stay up that late, do the puja in the evening after moonrise.
Should the kheer be eaten at night or in the morning?
The custom is to leave it in the moonlight all night and eat it the next morning as prasad, after offering it to God. Some families share the prasad straight after the midnight Lakshmi Puja.
How is arghya offered to the moon?
After moonrise, take water in a lota with a little milk, rice and white flowers, face the moon and pour it slowly while chanting 'Om Somaya Namah'.
Dates and times checked against Drik Panchang and our own panchang, for New Delhi.
