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Maha Shivratri 2026

Maha Shivratri, or Mahashivratri, in 2026: the night and its niśītha (midnight) time for your city, by the pradoṣa and midnight tests.

Magha (amanta) / Phalguna (purnimanta), Krishna Chaturdashi

Maha Shivratri in Delhi

Sunday, 15 February

In Delhi, the Caturdaśī holds all of Sunday night’s midnight and none of Monday night’s, so Maha Shivratri is on Sunday.

Niśītha, midnight00:09 – 01:00 (early Mon 16 Feb)
CaturdaśīSun 17:05 – Mon 17:34

Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

How the day is chosen

Some texts take the Caturdaśī current at pradoṣa, others the one current at midnight (niśītha). With midnight on both nights, pradoṣa decides; with pradoṣa on both, midnight decides; when each night has one, midnight decides. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

Sunday night or Monday night in Delhi

Delhi time

In Delhi, the Caturdaśī runs from Sun 17:05 to Mon 17:34: the Caturdaśī holds all of Sunday night’s midnight and none of Monday night’s, so Maha Shivratri is on Sunday. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

Every monthly Shivratri: Masik Shivratri 2026

Maha Shivratri 2026 around the world

Each city’s own sunrise and sunset
Sunday, 15 February in all 16 cities
  • DelhiNiśītha 00:09 – 01:00 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • MumbaiNiśītha 00:27 – 01:17 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • KolkataNiśītha 23:25 – 00:15
  • ChennaiNiśītha 23:58 – 00:47
  • BengaluruNiśītha 00:08 – 00:58 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • HyderabadNiśītha 00:05 – 00:55 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • AhmedabadNiśītha 00:28 – 01:18 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • PuneNiśītha 00:23 – 01:13 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • JaipurNiśītha 00:15 – 01:06 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • LucknowNiśītha 23:54 – 00:45
  • LondonNiśītha 23:46 – 00:42
  • New York CityNiśītha 23:43 – 00:36
  • TorontoNiśītha 00:04 – 00:58 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • SydneyNiśītha 00:47 – 01:30 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • DubaiNiśītha 00:07 – 00:58 (early Mon 16 Feb)
  • SingaporeNiśītha 00:54 – 01:42 (early Mon 16 Feb)
Why every city agrees In Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, London, Sydney, Dubai and Singapore, the Caturdaśī holds Sunday night’s midnight and none of Monday night’s, so Maha Shivratri is on Sunday. In New York City and Toronto, the Caturdaśī holds Sunday night’s midnight and none of Saturday night’s, so Maha Shivratri is on Sunday. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

Other years: Maha Shivratri 2027, Maha Shivratri 2028; all Maha Shivratri dates.

Questions

From the Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337, with the page for each.

When is Maha Shivratri 2026?

In Delhi, on Sunday, 15 February 2026, with the niśītha pūjā that night, 00:09 – 01:00 (early Mon 16 Feb). Every city on this page keeps the same day. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

What is the nishita kaal?

Niśītha is the middle of the night: two ghaṭikās around it, in Mādhava’s words, which this page takes as a fifteenth of the night centred on its midpoint. The texts that favour midnight say Śiva appeared then as the liṅga. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠335

How is Maha Shivratri different from the monthly Shivratri?

Maha Shivratri is the dark Caturdaśī that ends amānta Māgha. The Nirṇaya-sindhu also calls every dark Caturdaśī a Śivarātri and decides it by the same pradoṣa and midnight tests. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334, 340

Why is the date different in the US or UK?

Maha Shivratri is decided by the Caturdaśī at pradoṣa and midnight at the city. The tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, but sunrise and sunset come at different hours, so a city far to the west or east can keep another day. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337

How the day is found

Read the methodology
The night
The dark Caturdaśī ending amānta Māgha, by the pradoṣa and midnight tests. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 334⁠–⁠337.
Niśītha
Two ghaṭikās around the middle of the night (Mādhava, p. 335), taken as a fifteenth of the night centred on its midpoint: our reading.
Pradoṣa
Three muhūrtas after sunset.
Sunrise and sunset
At the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction, for the chosen city. Every date is that city’s own.

Sunrise and sunset at the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction · Lahiri ayanamsa for month names · each city’s own time · Swiss Ephemeris · Method