Nagula Chavithi 2026 in the USA: Thursday 12 November, a Day Before India, with Puja at Home and Sunset Times by City

Quick answer: Nagula Chavithi 2026 USA falls on Thursday 12 November 2026, one day before India, where it is on Friday 13 November. That is the Drik Panchang date for the USA, and it is the same in every time zone, from the East Coast to the West Coast.

If your parents in Hyderabad or Vijayawada are fasting on Friday, you will already have done your puja on Thursday. That is not a mistake. Each place follows the tithi at its own sunrise, and in the US the Chaturthi tithi is in force at sunrise on Thursday. All times in this guide are local US time.

Nagula Chavithi 2026 USA date compared with India

The US Karthika calendar also starts a day earlier than India's. Here are the nearby dates for the USA:

For the whole month see our Karthika Masam 2026 USA guide.

What Nagula Chavithi is about

Nagula Chavithi is the day of the Naga devatas, the serpent deities. It falls on the fourth day (Chavithi) of the bright fortnight of Karthika, a few days after Diwali. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is one of the best-loved days of the month. Women traditionally fast, go to a snake anthill (putta) at dawn, pour milk, and offer flowers, turmeric, kumkum and sweets such as chalimidi and chimmili.

Families pray for the health of their children, for protection from snakebite and for blessings on the family line. The serpent is also honoured as part of the divine: Adisesha is Vishnu's couch, Vasuki is Shiva's ornament, and Subrahmanya (Kartikeya) is often worshipped in serpent form in South India.

Many Kannada families keep their main Naga worship at Naga Panchami in Shravana, but those with Telugu roots or from border districts often mark Karthika's Nagula Chavithi too. In mixed Telugu-Kannada homes in the US, it is common to keep both in a simple way.

Why skip the anthill in America

In India the anthill puja is part of village life. In the US it is a poor fit, for practical and ethical reasons:

• Wild animals live there: pouring milk into a burrow can harm whatever lives inside. Snakes do not drink milk as food; it can make them ill.
• Fire ants: in Texas, Georgia, Florida and much of the South, a mound may belong to fire ants, whose stings are painful and can be dangerous for some people.
• Rules on land: parks, HOA common areas and other people's yards are not places to leave food or milk.
• Snakes are wildlife: many states protect native snakes. Never handle, disturb or feed a wild snake. If one is on your property, call local animal control or a licensed wildlife service.

Respectful alternatives for US homes

• Metal naga idol: a small silver, brass or copper naga figure, available at many Indian stores, can be bathed with milk and water in a plate at your home altar.
• A picture or kolam: draw a naga with rice flour or turmeric on a plate or board, and worship it.
• Temple naga shrine: some South Indian temples in the US have a naga image or shrine. Ask your temple whether a Nagula Chavithi abhishekam is planned and what you may offer.
• Milk afterwards: use the abhishekam milk as prasadam if it is clean, or pour it on a houseplant or garden soil in small amounts. Do not leave it outdoors for animals.

Simple Nagula Chavithi puja at home

• Bathe early and light a lamp before the naga idol or picture.
• Apply turmeric and kumkum to the idol and offer flowers.
• Pour a little milk over the idol in a plate, then water.
• Offer chalimidi (rice flour and jaggery), chimmili (sesame and jaggery), fruits or soaked chana as naivedyam.
• Chant "Om Nagadevatayai Namah" 11 or 108 times, and pray for the safety of your family.
• Many women tie a yellow thread or apply turmeric to children's foreheads as a blessing.

We do not list a clock-time muhurat. Most families simply do the puja in the morning. If you want a precise window, look up Drik Panchang for your own city.

Sunset context in US cities

Some people keep a fast until evening. These are Drik Panchang sunset times for Monday 9 November 2026; on Thursday 12 November sunset will be a few minutes earlier.

Daylight saving has ended by now, so it is dark before 5 PM in much of the country. If you fast until sunset, you may be able to break it at home before dinner.

Fasting and health

A traditional fast means no grains until the puja, with milk, fruit and the naivedyam taken afterwards. On a busy Thursday, a lighter fast is fine. Elders, diabetics, people with heart, kidney or blood-pressure conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and anyone on regular medicine should consult a doctor first. If you feel unwell, eat and continue to pray.

Explaining Nagula Chavithi to children

Children in the US may only know snakes from nature shows. You can tell them that Hindus see God in all living beings, and that on this day we thank the serpents, which keep fields free of rats and are part of the balance of nature. Then show them the respectful way: we pray to the naga at home, and we leave real snakes alone in the wild. A short story about Adisesha or Krishna dancing on Kaliya keeps it lively.

Practical tips for a US weekday

• Thursday is a working and school day. Do the puja before the school run and save the sweets for the evening.
• Buy sesame, jaggery and rice flour at your Indian store over the Diwali weekend.
• In apartments, keep the lamp small and watch it; many buildings have sensitive smoke alarms.
• Thursday evening in the US is already Friday in India, so a family call can mark the day together on both sides.

Frequently asked questions

What is the date of Nagula Chavithi 2026 in the USA?

Drik Panchang gives Thursday 12 November 2026 for the USA. The date is the same in every US city in our table, from New York to Seattle.

Why is the US date different from India?

Festivals follow the tithi (lunar day) at local sunrise. Because the US is many hours behind India, the Chaturthi tithi is already in force at American sunrise on Thursday, while in India it is counted from Friday 13 November. Follow the US date if you live in the US.

What is the puja time for Nagula Chavithi in the USA?

We do not give a clock muhurat. Most families do the puja in the morning before work. If you need an exact window for your city, check Drik Panchang with your city selected. Do not use India's timings in the US.

Can I pour milk into an anthill or snake hole in the USA?

Please don't. Snakes do not need milk, a wild burrow is home to living animals, and in the South fire ant mounds can cause painful stings. Offer the milk to a metal or silver naga idol at home or at a temple shrine instead.

Who should not fast on Nagula Chavithi?

Elders, diabetics, people with heart, kidney or blood-pressure conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and anyone on regular medicine should talk to a doctor first and keep a light fast or simply pray.

How is Nagula Chavithi linked to Karthika Masam?

Nagula Chavithi is the Chaturthi of the bright fortnight of Karthika. In the US, Karthika Masam 2026 begins on Monday 9 November, so Nagula Chavithi comes in the first week of the month.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. The date and sunset times are from Drik Panchang for the USA and are given in local US time. We have not listed temple events or a clock muhurat; check Drik Panchang for your city and your temple for its plans. The fasting advice is general and is not medical advice.

Related guides

• Nagula Chavithi 2026: date, naga puja, rituals and mantra
• Karthika Masam 2026 in the USA
• How to celebrate Nagula Chavithi abroad
• Kartika Masam 2026 Monday rituals in the USA
• Shiva temples to visit during Karthika Masam 2026 in the USA
• Nagula Chavithi 2026 in Canada