Panchangam 25 December 2026, Friday: Pausha Month Begins in North India, Krishna Dwitiya, Punarvasu Nakshatra and Lakshmi Puja

Quick answer: Friday 25 December 2026 is Krishna Dwitiya, the second day after the full moon. Drik Panchang for Hyderabad gives Dwitiya until 11:25 PM IST and Punarvasu nakshatra until 10:50 PM. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar, the month of Pausha begins today; in the Telugu amanta calendar, it is still Margashirsha.

For many families, especially abroad, today is also a public holiday, which makes it a good day for unhurried worship. A Friday lamp for Lakshmi, the tenth Tiruppavai verse at dawn, and a calm family meal are enough to make the day meaningful.

Today's Panchang (Hyderabad)

Source: Drik Panchang day panchang for Hyderabad, Telangana (IST). Tithi and nakshatra end times are the same instant everywhere in India; sunrise, sunset and moonrise shift by a few minutes from city to city.

Two calendars, one sky

India uses two main ways of naming lunar months. In the purnimanta system, common in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and nearby states, each month ends on the full moon. Since Margashirsha Purnima prevailed at sunrise yesterday, North India enters Pausha (Paush) today. In the amanta system of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, each month ends on the new moon, so these regions remain in Margashirsha until the coming Amavasya.

This is why a North Indian and a Telugu calendar can disagree about the month name for two weeks while agreeing on every tithi and festival date. Understanding this saves a lot of confusion. Our guide to the five limbs of the panchang explains the basics.

Religious significance

Pausha is closely associated with worship of Surya, the Sun, in North Indian tradition, and Sundays during this month are kept with special Sun prayers in some families. It also overlaps with Kharmas, the period when the Sun is in Dhanu, during which many communities avoid weddings. In the South, the same weeks are Dhanurmasam, given to dawn worship of Vishnu.

Punarvasu, today's nakshatra, is associated with Aditi, the mother of the gods, and is traditionally remembered as the birth star of Lord Rama. Its name suggests "the return of the good": a renewal after difficulty. For a Friday dedicated to Lakshmi, it is a gentle theme of homecoming and restoration.

Simple Friday puja

• Clean the entrance and puja space in the morning and draw a rangoli.
• Light a ghee lamp before Lakshmi, or Lakshmi with Narayana.
• Offer fresh flowers, kumkum and a little rice. Lotus is traditional but any flower is fine.
• Chant the mantra below 27 or 108 times.
• Offer naivedyam of milk, fruit or a homemade sweet.
• In the evening, light a lamp at the doorway after sunset (5:49 PM in Hyderabad).

No materials? Light a candle or lamp, sit with your family for two minutes, and say a short thank-you prayer together.

Mantra for the day

Om Shriyai Namah

Meaning: "Om, salutations to Shri." Shri is Lakshmi's oldest name, meaning radiance, grace and auspiciousness. Chant it to cultivate a sense of gratitude and well-being; no material outcome is promised.

What you can do today

• Read the tenth Tiruppavai pasuram at dawn if you follow Dhanurmasam.
• If you follow the North Indian calendar, offer water to the Sun at sunrise to welcome Pausha.
• Use the holiday to visit elderly relatives or call those far away.
• Prepare for tomorrow's Akhuratha Sankashti: note the moonrise time for your city.
• Donate warm clothing or blankets, a traditional winter charity.
• Spend a little time in quiet reflection on what you would like to "return to" in the new year, in Punarvasu's spirit.

For families and children

Holidays are a good time to teach children how the calendar works. Show them a printed panchang and a wall calendar, and help them find the tithi for their birthday. Tell them the story of Rama's birth under Punarvasu and let them draw Ayodhya celebrating.

Hindus abroad: Fri 25 Dec at local sunrise

Outside India, go by your local sunrise, not Indian clock times. The table gives local sunrise and sunset and the tithi and nakshatra at local sunrise, computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; festival dates abroad can differ by a day — follow your temple's panchang.

Krishna Dwitiya prevails at sunrise in almost every city listed; in Sydney it is still Pratipada. Indian community temples abroad may follow either the purnimanta or amanta month name, depending on the community they serve.

Frequently asked questions

Does Pausha month begin on 25 December 2026?

In the purnimanta calendar, used across most of North India, yes: Drik Panchang lists "Pausha begins (North)" on Friday 25 December 2026, the first day after the Margashirsha full moon. In the amanta calendar of the Telugu states, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, the month is still Margashirsha until the new moon.

Why do North and South India show different month names today?

Purnimanta months end on the full moon, so the dark fortnight after Purnima belongs to the next month. Amanta months end on the new moon. The tithi is the same everywhere; only the month label for the Krishna paksha differs.

Is Pausha an auspicious month?

Pausha is widely associated with worship of the Sun, and in many North Indian families it overlaps with Kharmas, when weddings are postponed. Customs differ by community, so check with your family priest before fixing ceremonies.

What is the tithi on 25 December 2026?

Krishna Dwitiya prevails at sunrise and lasts until 11:25 PM IST in Hyderabad, after which Tritiya begins. The nakshatra is Punarvasu until 10:50 PM.

Can Hindus join Christmas celebrations?

Many Hindu families, especially abroad, enjoy the season with friends and colleagues as a cultural holiday. There is no conflict with keeping your own daily prayers; many simply light their lamp as usual and use the holiday for family time.

A closing thought

Two calendars can name the same moon differently and still point to the same sky. Let that be a small lesson in patience with each other's traditions. Tomorrow is Akhuratha Sankashti, the Ganesha fast broken at moonrise.

Previous day: Panchang Thursday 24 December 2026. Next day: Panchang Saturday 26 December 2026. Whole month: December 2026 Hindu festivals, dates and rituals.

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): Panchang timings and festival observances can vary by location, regional calendar and family tradition. This guide follows Drik Panchang for Hyderabad (IST). Please verify local puja timings with a trusted panchang or priest.

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