Quick answer: Sunday 20 December 2026 is Day 12 of Margasira Masam in India. The tithi is Shukla Ekadashi until 8:14 PM IST, then Dwadashi (until 5:36 PM IST on Mon 21 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). It is Vaikuntha (Mukkoti) Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti. Sunrise in Hyderabad is 6:41 AM IST (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. It is day 5 of Dhanurmasam: Tiruppavai pasuram 5 by the count from 16 December.

Margasira Masam 2026 (amanta, the Telugu and Kannada reckoning) began on Wednesday 9 December in India, the USA, Canada, the UK and the UAE (Thursday 10 December in Sydney). It ends with Amavasya on Thursday 7 January 2027 (Friday 8 January in Sydney). Full dates, the five Lakshmivara Thursdays and the month's festivals are in our Margasira Masam 2026 guide.

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Sunrise and sunset by city (Day 12)

Margasira and Dhanurmasam worship is done at dawn, and many families light a lamp again at sunset, so both times are given. Hyderabad times are from Drik Panchang's day page. Times marked 'calculated (approx.)' use the standard sunrise equation because Drik Panchang's page for that city and date was not available to us; on the dates we could check they matched Drik within a minute. Every city is for the same calendar date, Sunday 20 December. A tithi begins and ends at the same moment worldwide, so the tithi at local sunrise can differ from India's: it is shown for each city abroad, and for an Indian city where it differs from Hyderabad.

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  • Hyderabad: sunrise 6:41 AM, sunset 5:47 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:30 AM, sunset 5:39 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:36 AM, sunset 5:57 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:25 AM, sunset 5:46 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 7:08 AM, sunset 5:27 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 7:06 AM, sunset 6:05 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 7:16 AM, sunset 4:31 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 9:44 AM EST)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:25 AM, sunset 5:24 PM CST, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 8:44 AM CST)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:17 AM, sunset 4:52 PM PST, calculated (approx.); Dwadashi at local sunrise (until 4:06 AM PST on Mon 21 Dec)
  • London: sunrise 8:03 AM, sunset 3:52 PM GMT, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 2:44 PM GMT)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:47 AM, sunset 4:42 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 9:44 AM EST)
  • Dubai: sunrise 6:59 AM, sunset 5:34 PM GST, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 6:44 PM GST)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:40 AM, sunset 8:04 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.); Ekadashi at local sunrise (until 1:44 AM AEDT on Mon 21 Dec)
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For other cities, check your city's panchang. Dhanurmasam country guides: USA, UK, Canada, Australia. Margasira Thursdays abroad: USA, UK, Canada, Australia.

Today's tithi and nakshatra

  • Tithi: Shukla Ekadashi until 8:14 PM IST, then Dwadashi (until 5:36 PM IST on Mon 21 Dec).
  • Nakshatra: Ashwini until 2:55 PM IST, then Bharani (until 1:08 PM IST on Mon 21 Dec).
  • Paksha and month: Shukla Paksha (waxing moon), Margasira (Margashirsha, amanta).

A tithi changes at the same moment everywhere in the world. Only the clock time differs. When Ekadashi ends in your time zone:

  • New York and Toronto: Ekadashi ends 9:44 AM EST on Sun 20 Dec
  • Dallas: 8:44 AM CST on Sun 20 Dec
  • San Jose: 6:44 AM PST on Sun 20 Dec
  • London: 2:44 PM GMT on Sun 20 Dec
  • Dubai: 6:44 PM GST on Sun 20 Dec
  • Sydney: 1:44 AM AEDT on Mon 21 Dec
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Festival of the day: Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti

Sunday 20 December 2026 is Vaikuntha (Mukkoti) Ekadashi, Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti, all listed by Drik Panchang today. Ekadashi runs from 10:09 PM IST on 19 December to 8:14 PM IST today. Because this Shukla Ekadashi falls inside Dhanurmasam, it is Vaikuntha Ekadashi: devotees fast, keep vigil and seek Uttara Dwara (northern gate) darshan at Tirumala, Bhadrachalam and other Vishnu temples, each of which announces its own arrangements. Gita Jayanti remembers the day Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. See Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 and Gita Jayanti 2026.

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The fast is broken on Monday 21 December after sunrise (Dwadashi lasts until 5:36 PM IST). Abroad, dates and parana differ by city and tradition; see Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in the USA and the city tables in our Gita Jayanti guide.

Today's Margasira practice: Tiruppavai pasuram 5

Today is day 5 of Dhanurmasam. By the one-pasuram-a-day count from 16 December used in our Dhanurmasam 2026-27 guide, the dawn recitation is Tiruppavai pasuram 5. Temples that begin on 17 December are one verse behind, at pasuram 4; follow your temple's count. The guide's table gives a short meaning for each verse, and our Tiruppavai 30 pasurams guide has Telugu meanings.

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5 things to do today

  1. Bath before sunrise: bathe before or around sunrise (see the city list above). Warm water is fine on cold mornings, especially for elders and children.
  2. Lamp and muggu: light a lamp in the morning and again at sunset, and draw a muggu (kolam) at the door.
  3. Tiruppavai: sing or listen to pasuram 5 at dawn, or read its meaning in the Dhanurmasam guide.
  4. Read the Gita: read a few verses of the Bhagavad Gita. Our guide suggests reading through the month, especially from Gita Jayanti on 20 December.
  5. Food and warm clothes: give food or warm clothing to someone in need during the cold weeks of the month, as our Margasira guide suggests.
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3 things to avoid today

  • Sleeping through the dawn: if you are keeping the month's practice, the early bath, lamp and prayer are its heart.
  • Arguments and harsh words: Margasira is kept for prayer, reading and kindness.
  • A fast beyond your health: fasting is optional. Pregnant women, elders, diabetics and anyone on regular medicine should speak to a doctor first and can keep a lighter vratam with fruit or milk.

Mantra for today

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Meaning: "I bow to Lord Vasudeva (Vishnu), the Supreme." In the Bhagavad Gita (10.35) Krishna names Margasira as his own month, so this twelve-syllable mantra suits every day of it. Chant it 11, 27 or 108 times after the morning bath.

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Chant with devotion and at your own pace. Traditions differ from family to family, so follow your elders or your temple priest where they guide you differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tithi on Sunday 20 December 2026?

The tithi is Shukla Ekadashi until 8:14 PM IST, then Dwadashi (until 5:36 PM IST on Mon 21 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). The nakshatra is Ashwini until 2:55 PM IST, then Bharani (until 1:08 PM IST on Mon 21 Dec).

What time is sunrise on 20 December 2026?

In Hyderabad sunrise is 6:41 AM and sunset 5:47 PM IST (Drik Panchang). In Chennai sunrise is 6:25 AM and in New Delhi 7:08 AM IST (calculated, approx.). Other cities are listed on this page.

Which Tiruppavai pasuram is sung on Day 12?

Pasuram 5, by the one-pasuram-a-day count from Wednesday 16 December 2026 used in our Dhanurmasam guide. Temples that begin on 17 December sing pasuram 4 today. Follow your temple's count.

Is Day 12 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

The calendar date is the same, Sunday 20 December, but the tithi at local sunrise can differ. Going by the tithi times above and calculated sunrise, Ekadashi is at sunrise in New York, Dallas, London, Toronto, Dubai and Sydney; Dwadashi is at sunrise in San Jose (Hyderabad: Ekadashi). Ekadashi fasting dates abroad can differ by tradition; check your temple or our Gita Jayanti city tables.

Which mantra can I chant on Day 12?

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Meaning: I bow to Lord Vasudeva (Vishnu), the Supreme. In the Bhagavad Gita (10.35) Krishna names Margasira as his own month, so this twelve-syllable mantra suits every day of it. Chant it 11, 27 or 108 times after the morning bath.

Sources

Tithi and nakshatra times are from Drik Panchang's Hyderabad day pages (IST, checked on 9 October 2026); a tithi ends at the same moment everywhere in India. Sunrise and sunset for Hyderabad are from Drik Panchang; lines marked calculated (approx.) use the standard sunrise equation, which matched Drik's Hyderabad times within a minute on every December day. Clock times abroad are the same instants converted to local time, and the tithi at local sunrise is worked out from them.

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