Solar New Year 2027: Puthandu, Vishu, Baisakhi Dates

Quick answer: The solar new year in 2027 begins with Mesha Sankranti on Wednesday 14 April, when the Sun enters Aries at 3:33 PM IST (Drik, Chennai). Puthandu, the Tamil new year, and Baisakhi are on Wednesday 14 April, and Vishu in Kerala is on Thursday 15 April 2027.

The lunar new year, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and the start of Chaitra Navratri, is a week earlier, on Wednesday 7 April: see Ugadi 2027 and Gudi Padwa 2027.

Last updated: 30 October 2026. We will update this page in place as April comes closer.

Solar new year 2027: dates by festival

Festival	Region	Date 2027	Rule
Puthandu (Tamil Varusha Pirappu)	Tamil Nadu, Tamil diaspora	Wednesday 14 April	Sankranti after sunrise and before sunset: same day
Vishu (Medam 1)	Kerala, Malayali diaspora	Thursday 15 April	Kerala cut-off: Sankramam too late on 14 April
Baisakhi / Vaisakhi	Punjab, Haryana, Sikh diaspora	Wednesday 14 April	Mesha Sankranti day
Pohela Boishakh	West Bengal, Bangladesh	Around 14 or 15 April	Local calendar; check your association
Bohag (Rongali) Bihu	Assam	Around 14 or 15 April	Local calendar; check your association
Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuva)	Odisha	Around 14 or 15 April	Local calendar; check your association

Source: Drik Panchang, Puthandu 2027, Chennai (Tamil Shaka Samvata 1949, Sankranti moment 3:33 PM), the Drik Malayalam daily panchangam for 14 April 2027 (Meenam 31, Metam Sankramam), and Drik's 2027 Hindu calendar for Hyderabad (Mesha Sankranti and Solar New Year, 14 April), checked 30 October 2026. We did not check Bengal, Assam or Odisha against their own calendars.

Mesha Sankranti moment around the world

Mesha Sankranti is a single instant everywhere: 3:33 PM IST on 14 April 2027 (10:03 AM UTC). Tamil custom is that if it falls after sunrise and before sunset, the new year starts that day; if it falls after sunset, it starts the next day. The table applies that rule to each city using local sunrise and sunset. Canada's BC, Alberta and Manitoba use fixed UTC-7, UTC-6 and UTC-5 from November 2026; these match summer clocks in April, so the times below are unaffected. The USA and Canada are on daylight time from 14 March 2027, the UK on BST from 28 March. Australia and New Zealand moved back to standard time on Sunday 4 April.

Place	Sankranti (local time)	Compared with local sunrise and sunset	Puthandu by the Tamil rule
Chennai	3:33 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
Singapore	6:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	6:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
Dubai, UAE	2:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
London, UK	11:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
Durban, South Africa	12:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunrise, before sunset	Wed 14 Apr 2027
Sydney, Australia	8:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunset	Thu 15 Apr 2027
Melbourne, Australia	8:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunset	Thu 15 Apr 2027
Auckland, New Zealand	10:03 PM, Wed 14 Apr	after sunset	Thu 15 Apr 2027
New York, USA	6:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	before sunrise	see note
Chicago, USA	5:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	before sunrise	see note
Los Angeles, USA	3:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	before sunrise	see note
Toronto, Canada	6:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	before sunrise	see note
Vancouver, Canada	3:03 AM, Wed 14 Apr	before sunrise	see note

Source: the Sankranti moment is from Drik's Chennai page, and local times, sunrise and sunset are calculated by HinduTone. In North America the Sankranti falls before local sunrise on 14 April, so the rule does not apply neatly; most Tamil associations there follow the Chennai date of Wednesday 14 April, but ask yours. In Australia and New Zealand the Sankranti is after local sunset, so those families follow the rule and keep Thursday 15 April. Check with your community, since some groups prefer the India date.

Puthandu: Tamil new year

Puthandu, also called Tamil Varusha Pirappu, opens the Tamil month of Chithirai. Families rise early and see the kani, an auspicious arrangement of fruits (especially mango and banana), flowers, gold, a mirror and coins, first thing in the morning. A bath, new clothes and a visit to the temple follow. Mango pachadi, which mixes sweet, sour and bitter tastes, is the festival dish, a close cousin of Ugadi pachadi. See our Puthandu 2026 guide to kani and history.

Vishu: Malayalam new year

Vishu in Kerala is centred on the Vishukkani: the first sight on waking is a tray of golden konna flowers, rice, fruit, a mirror, coins and a lamp near an image of Krishna, seen with eyes closed and then opened. Elders give Vishukkaineettam, a small gift of money, and the family shares a sadhya. See our Vishu 2026 guide.

Baisakhi and Vaisakhi

Baisakhi marks the spring harvest in Punjab and the founding of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699. Gurdwaras hold Akhand Path and Nagar Kirtan processions, and fairs and bhangra follow. See our Baisakhi 2026 guide.

Pohela Boishakh, Bohag Bihu and Pana Sankranti

Pohela Boishakh (Bengali new year): our Pohela Boishakh guide describes the customs of Halkhata, new clothes and festive meals.
Bohag (Rongali) Bihu in Assam: our Rongali Bihu guide covers the seven days of Bihu, the Bihu dance and food.
Pana Sankranti, or Maha Vishuva Sankranti, in Odisha: our Pana Sankranti guide explains the pana drink and the day's customs.

What to do with the new year, wherever you are

Clean your home and set up a small, simple shrine.
See something auspicious first, in your own tradition: a lamp, flowers, fruit or a loved one's face.
Wear new or freshly washed clothes and visit a temple, gurdwara or community gathering.
Cook a festive dish with a mix of tastes, or at least share sweets.
Spend time with elders, and take a moment to set one small intention for the year.

Frequently asked questions

When is Puthandu 2027, the Tamil new year?

Puthandu 2027 is on Wednesday 14 April 2027, per Drik Panchang. Mesha Sankranti happens at 3:33 PM IST that day, after sunrise and before sunset, so the Tamil month Chithirai begins the same day.

When is Vishu 2027?

Vishu 2027 is on Thursday 15 April 2027. Drik Panchang's Malayalam calendar shows Wednesday 14 April as the last day (31) of Meenam, because Metam Sankramam comes after the Kerala cut-off that day, so Medam 1 and Vishu fall on 15 April.

When is Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) 2027?

Baisakhi falls on Mesha Sankranti, Wednesday 14 April 2027, according to Drik Panchang's 2027 calendar. Gurdwaras in Punjab and abroad usually hold their celebrations and Nagar Kirtans on or near the nearest weekend.

Why are Puthandu and Vishu on different days in 2027?

Both mark the Sun's entry into Mesha, but Tamil Nadu and Kerala apply different rules. Tamil Nadu counts the same day if Sankranti falls between sunrise and sunset. Kerala has its own cut-off for the day, and in 2027 the Sankranti falls after it, so Vishu moves to the next day.

Is the solar new year the same as Ugadi?

No. Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and Chaitra Navratri are on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Wednesday 7 April 2027, and follow the lunar calendar. Puthandu, Vishu, Baisakhi and the other solar new years follow the Sun's entry into Mesha a week later.

When is Pohela Boishakh and Bohag Bihu 2027?

Both are celebrated around 14 and 15 April, depending on local calendars. West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Bangladesh each fix their own day, so check your local association or the calendar of your community.

Editor's note

Editor's note (30 October 2026): The Sankranti moment and the Puthandu date are from Drik Panchang's Puthandu 2027 page for Chennai, the Vishu date from Drik's Malayalam day panchangam, and Mesha Sankranti and Baisakhi from Drik's 2027 Hindu calendar for Hyderabad, checked 30 October 2026. Times for other cities are calculated by HinduTone. We have not verified the Bengal, Assam or Odisha days against their own calendars. Customs vary by region and family.

Solar New Year 2027: Puthandu, Vishu, Baisakhi, Pohela Boishakh and Bihu Dates (14 and 15 April)