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Sankrantis in 2028

All twelve saṅkrāntis of 2028, the Sun’s entry into each sign: the moment of the ingress, the puṇyakāla and the day for the bath and gifts in your city.

Next sankranti in Delhi

Makar Sankranti

Saturday, 15 January

Makar Sankranti is in 454 days. In Delhi, the Sun enters Makara at 03:24, in the night of Friday to Saturday, and a night Makara ingress goes to the next day, so the bath and gifts fall on Saturday, from sunrise to midday, its first five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Sun enters MakaraSat 15 Jan
03:24
Puṇyakāla07:16 –
12:30

The twelve sankrantis of 2028

Each city’s own time

In date order. Each gives the moment the Sun enters the sign, the day for the bath and gifts, and the puṇyakāla, the window the Dharmasindhu gives for its class, kept to daylight by our reading. Dharmasindhu pp. 2⁠–⁠3 Each gift is Viśvāmitra’s, as Hemādri gives it. NS pp. 6⁠–⁠7; DS p. 2 The texts also count the tropical ingress; each row gives it as a note, and it never sets the date. NS pp. 7⁠–⁠8; DS p. 2

Makar Sankranti

Ayana

The Sun enters Makara (Capricorn). The gift: firewood and fire.

Sun entersSat 15 Jan, 03:24
Bath and giftsSat 15 Jan
Puṇyakāla07:16 – 12:30
Most meritorious07:16 – 09:16

In Delhi, the Sun enters Makara at 03:24, in the night of Friday to Saturday, and a night Makara ingress goes to the next day, so the bath and gifts fall on Saturday, from sunrise to midday, its first five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Other usages: Baudhāyana holds both days meritorious, Fri 14 Jan and Sat 15 Jan: the usage of Gujarat, the east and the north. Hemādri splits a night ingress at midnight, as for the other ten, which gives the same day. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 326⁠–⁠327

Tropical ingress, a note only: Wed 22 Dec 2027, 08:12.

Kumbh Sankranti

Viṣṇupada

The Sun enters Kumbha (Aquarius). The gift: a cow, water and grass.

Sun entersSun 13 Feb, 16:23
Bath and giftsSun 13 Feb
Puṇyakāla09:59 – 16:23
Most meritorious14:23 – 16:23

In Delhi, the Sun enters Kumbha at 16:23 on Sunday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 16 ghaṭīs before it.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Thu 20 Jan, 18:51.

Meen Sankranti

Ṣaḍaśīti

The Sun enters Meena (Pisces). The gift: land and garlands.

Sun entersTue 14 Mar, 13:15
Bath and giftsTue 14 Mar
Puṇyakāla13:15 – 18:28
Most meritorious13:15 – 15:15

In Delhi, the Sun enters Meena at 13:15 on Tuesday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 16 ghaṭīs after it.

  • Kharmas 2028, the popular name for the Sun’s month in Pisces, begins with this sankranti.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Sat 19 Feb, 08:56.

Mesh Sankranti

Viṣuva

The Sun enters Mesha (Aries). The gift: a ram.

Sun entersThu 13 Apr, 21:44
Bath and giftsThu 13 Apr
Puṇyakāla12:21 – 18:44
Most meritorious16:44 – 18:44

In Delhi, the Sun enters Mesha at 21:44, in the first half of the night of Thursday to Friday, so the bath and gifts fall on Thursday, from midday to sunset, its last five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Mon 20 Mar, 07:47.

Vrishabh Sankranti

Viṣṇupada

The Sun enters Vrishabha (Taurus). The gift: cows.

Sun entersSun 14 May, 18:36
Bath and giftsSun 14 May
Puṇyakāla12:12 – 18:36
Most meritorious16:36 – 18:36

In Delhi, the Sun enters Vrishabha at 18:36 on Sunday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 16 ghaṭīs before it.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Wed 19 Apr, 18:39.

Mithun Sankranti

Ṣaḍaśīti

The Sun enters Mithuna (Gemini). The gift: clothes, food and drink.

Sun entersThu 15 Jun, 01:13
Bath and giftsThu 15 Jun
Puṇyakāla05:23 – 12:21
Most meritorious05:23 – 07:23

In Delhi, the Sun enters Mithuna at 01:13, in the second half of the night of Wednesday to Thursday, so the bath and gifts fall on Thursday, from sunrise to midday, its first five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Sat 20 May, 17:39.

Kark Sankranti

Ayana

The Sun enters Karka (Cancer). The gift: a ghee-cow (ghṛta-dhenu).

Sun entersSun 16 Jul, 12:06
Bath and giftsSun 16 Jul
Puṇyakāla05:34 – 12:06
Most meritorious10:06 – 12:06

In Delhi, the Sun enters Karka at 12:06 on Sunday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 30 ghaṭīs before it.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Wed 21 Jun, 01:32.

Simha Sankranti

Viṣṇupada

The Sun enters Simha (Leo). The gift: an umbrella, with gold.

Sun entersWed 16 Aug, 20:28
Bath and giftsWed 16 Aug
Puṇyakāla12:25 – 18:58
Most meritorious16:58 – 18:58

In Delhi, the Sun enters Simha at 20:28, in the first half of the night of Wednesday to Thursday, so the bath and gifts fall on Wednesday, from midday to sunset, its last five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Sat 22 Jul, 12:23.

Kanya Sankranti

Ṣaḍaśīti

The Sun enters Kanya (Virgo). The gift: clothes and a house.

Sun entersSat 16 Sep, 20:21
Bath and giftsSat 16 Sep
Puṇyakāla12:15 – 18:23
Most meritorious16:23 – 18:23

In Delhi, the Sun enters Kanya at 20:21, in the first half of the night of Saturday to Sunday, so the bath and gifts fall on Saturday, from midday to sunset, its last five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Tue 22 Aug, 19:30.

Tula Sankranti

Viṣuva

The Sun enters Tula (Libra). The gift: sesame and milk products.

Sun entersTue 17 Oct, 08:15
Bath and giftsTue 17 Oct
Puṇyakāla06:24 – 14:15
Most meritorious07:15 – 09:15

In Delhi, the Sun enters Tula at 08:15 on Tuesday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 15 ghaṭīs either side of it.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Fri 22 Sep, 17:15.

Vrishchik Sankranti

Viṣṇupada

The Sun enters Vrishchika (Scorpio). The gift: a lamp.

Sun entersThu 16 Nov, 08:01
Bath and giftsThu 16 Nov
Puṇyakāla06:45 – 08:01
Most meritorious06:45 – 08:01

In Delhi, the Sun enters Vrishchika at 08:01 on Thursday, in daylight, so the bath and gifts fall that day, in the daylight of the 16 ghaṭīs before it.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Mon 23 Oct, 02:43.

Dhanu Sankranti

Ṣaḍaśīti

The Sun enters Dhanu (Sagittarius). The gift: clothes and a vehicle.

Sun entersFri 15 Dec, 22:40
Bath and giftsFri 15 Dec
Puṇyakāla12:16 – 17:25
Most meritorious15:25 – 17:25

In Delhi, the Sun enters Dhanu at 22:40, in the first half of the night of Friday to Saturday, so the bath and gifts fall on Friday, from midday to sunset, its last five nāḍīs the most meritorious.

  • Kharmas 2028, the popular name for the Sun’s month in Sagittarius, begins with this sankranti.

Tropical ingress, a note only: Wed 22 Nov, 00:24.

Which sankrantis the texts weigh most

The Dharmasindhu ranks the four classes, each more meritorious than the one before: the viṣṇupada saṅkrāntis (Vṛṣabha, Siṃha, Vṛścika and Kumbha), the ṣaḍaśīti (Mithuna, Kanyā, Dhanus and Mīna), the two viṣuvas (Meṣa and Tulā) and the two ayanas (Makara and Karka). The Nirṇaya-sindhu gives the same. The two ayanas weigh most, then the two viṣuvas. Dharmasindhu p. 3; Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 8

At these four, a fast is given before the bath, of three nights or of one day and night, though not for a householder with a son. The śrāddha, without piṇḍas, is obligatory at the two ayanas. NS pp. 7⁠–⁠8; DS p. 2

In 2028 these four are Makar Sankranti, Mesh Sankranti, Kark Sankranti and Tula Sankranti.

Questions

From the Dharmasindhu and the Nirṇaya-sindhu, with the page for each.

What is a sankranti?

A saṅkrānti is the Sun’s entry into a sign of the zodiac, which it makes twelve times a year. The texts set a puṇyakāla around each one for the bath, the gifts and the śrāddha, and the day that holds it is the day of the bath and gifts. This site counts the sidereal ingress, by the Lahiri ayanamsa. Dharmasindhu pp. 2⁠–⁠3

How many sankrantis are there in a year?

Twelve, one for each sign, about a month apart. In 2028 the first is Makar Sankranti, on Saturday, 15 January in Delhi, and the last is Dhanu Sankranti, on Friday, 15 December. The Dharmasindhu sorts them into four classes: four viṣṇupada, four ṣaḍaśīti, two viṣuva and two ayana saṅkrāntis. Dharmasindhu p. 3

What is the punya kaal?

The puṇyakāla is the time for the bath, the gifts and the śrāddha at a saṅkrānti, and its length depends on the sign: 15 ghaṭīs either side of the ingress for Meṣa and Tulā (the Nirṇaya-sindhu gives 10), 16 before it for Vṛṣabha, Siṃha, Vṛścika and Kumbha, 16 after it for Mithuna, Kanyā, Dhanus and Mīna, 30 before it for Karka and 40 after it for Makara. A ghaṭī is 24 minutes, and only the part in daylight counts, by our reading. The texts do not use the term mahā-puṇyakāla. Dharmasindhu pp. 2⁠–⁠3

Which sankrantis matter most?

The two ayanas: Makara, which begins the Sun’s northward course, and Karka, which begins its southward one. The two viṣuvas, Meṣa and Tulā, come next. The Dharmasindhu ranks the four classes, each more meritorious than the one before: viṣṇupada, ṣaḍaśīti, viṣuva and ayana. The śrāddha is obligatory at the two ayanas. Dharmasindhu pp. 2⁠–⁠3; Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 8

Why can the day differ by city?

The Sun enters a sign at the same moment everywhere, but sunrise, sunset and midnight come at different hours in each city. An ingress in daylight in one city can fall at night in another, and one before midnight in one city can come after it in another, which moves the bath and gifts to another day. Dharmasindhu p. 2

How each day is found

Read the methodology
The ingress
The Sun’s sidereal entry into each sign, by the Lahiri ayanamsa, the moment the panchang reports.
The windows
Meṣa and Tulā 15 ghaṭīs either side (NS: 10); Vṛṣabha, Siṃha, Vṛścika and Kumbha 16 before; Mithuna, Kanyā, Dhanus and Mīna 16 after; Karka 30 before; Makara 40 after (Mādhava: 20). Kept to daylight, our reading of DS p. 3 (DS p. 2; NS pp. 5⁠–⁠6).
Sunrise and sunset edges
Within two ghaṭīs of sunset, a window after the ingress turns to the ghaṭīs before it; within two ghaṭīs of sunrise, a window before it turns to those after (DS p. 2; NS p. 6).
A night ingress
Before midnight, the previous day from midday to sunset; after midnight, the next day from sunrise to midday; at midnight, both half-days (DS p. 2; NS pp. 9⁠–⁠10). Midnight is the midpoint between sunset and sunrise, and “at midnight” the two-ghaṭī niśītha around it: our readings.
Makara and Karka at night
Makara goes to the next day, from sunrise to midday (DS p. 85; NS p. 326), and Karka to the previous day, after its midday (DS p. 41; NS p. 161), as in the south. Baudhāyana’s both days and the midnight split of Hemādri and others are shown beside them (NS pp. 161, 326⁠–⁠327).
Most meritorious
The five nāḍīs nearest the ingress, or after a night ingress the last five before sunset or the first five after sunrise (DS p. 85; NS pp. 161, 326). Five for a day ingress is our reading.
Tropical ingress
The texts also count the ingress shifted by the ayanāṃśa (NS pp. 7⁠–⁠8; DS p. 2). It is shown as a note and never sets the date.
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 the ingress · each city’s own time · Swiss Ephemeris · Method