Quick answer: Saturday 26 December 2026 is Day 18 of Margasira Masam in India. The tithi is Krishna Tritiya until 8:04 PM IST, then Chaturthi (until 5:12 PM IST on Sun 27 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). It is Akhuratha Sankashti Chaturthi. Sunrise in Hyderabad is 6:44 AM IST (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. It is day 11 of Dhanurmasam: Tiruppavai pasuram 11 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 18)

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, Saturday 26 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 6:44 AM, sunset 5:50 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:33 AM, sunset 5:42 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:38 AM, sunset 6:00 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:28 AM, sunset 5:49 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 7:11 AM, sunset 5:30 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 7:09 AM, sunset 6:08 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 7:18 AM, sunset 4:34 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 9:34 AM EST)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:27 AM, sunset 5:27 PM CST, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 8:34 AM CST)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:20 AM, sunset 4:55 PM PST, calculated (approx.); Chaturthi at local sunrise (until 3:42 AM PST on Sun 27 Dec)
  • London: sunrise 8:05 AM, sunset 3:56 PM GMT, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 2:34 PM GMT)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:50 AM, sunset 4:46 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 9:34 AM EST)
  • Dubai: sunrise 7:02 AM, sunset 5:37 PM GST, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 6:34 PM GST)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:43 AM, sunset 8:07 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.); Tritiya at local sunrise (until 1:34 AM AEDT on Sun 27 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: Krishna Tritiya until 8:04 PM IST, then Chaturthi (until 5:12 PM IST on Sun 27 Dec).
  • Nakshatra: Pushya until 8:12 PM IST, then Ashlesha (until 6:04 PM IST on Sun 27 Dec).
  • Paksha and month: Krishna Paksha (waning moon), Margasira (Margashirsha, amanta). North Indian (purnimanta) calendars call this fortnight Paush Krishna.

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

  • New York and Toronto: Tritiya ends 9:34 AM EST on Sat 26 Dec
  • Dallas: 8:34 AM CST on Sat 26 Dec
  • San Jose: 6:34 AM PST on Sat 26 Dec
  • London: 2:34 PM GMT on Sat 26 Dec
  • Dubai: 6:34 PM GST on Sat 26 Dec
  • Sydney: 1:34 AM AEDT on Sun 27 Dec
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Festival of the day: Akhuratha Sankashti Chaturthi

Drik Panchang lists Akhuratha Sankashti Chaturthi on Saturday 26 December 2026 for Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. Krishna Chaturthi begins at 8:04 PM IST, and families who keep the Sankashti fast for Lord Ganesha break it after moonrise: about 8:32 PM in Hyderabad and 8:19 PM in Delhi (Drik). See our Akhuratha Sankashti 2026 guide.

Abroad, our Sankashti guide gives today, Saturday 26 December, for the Americas, the UK, the Gulf and Africa, and Sunday 27 December for Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

Today's Margasira practice: Tiruppavai pasuram 11

Today is day 11 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 11. Temples that begin on 17 December are one verse behind, at pasuram 10; 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 11 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 Gam Ganapataye Namah

Meaning: "I bow to Lord Ganapati." "Gam" is Ganesha's seed syllable. Many families chant it at the start of any puja, and on Chaturthi before breaking the fast.

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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 Saturday 26 December 2026?

The tithi is Krishna Tritiya until 8:04 PM IST, then Chaturthi (until 5:12 PM IST on Sun 27 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). The nakshatra is Pushya until 8:12 PM IST, then Ashlesha (until 6:04 PM IST on Sun 27 Dec).

What time is sunrise on 26 December 2026?

In Hyderabad sunrise is 6:44 AM and sunset 5:50 PM IST (Drik Panchang). In Chennai sunrise is 6:28 AM and in New Delhi 7:11 AM IST (calculated, approx.). Other cities are listed on this page.

Which Tiruppavai pasuram is sung on Day 18?

Pasuram 11, 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 10 today. Follow your temple's count.

Is Day 18 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

The calendar date is the same, Saturday 26 December, but the tithi at local sunrise can differ. Going by the tithi times above and calculated sunrise, Tritiya is at sunrise in New York, Dallas, London, Toronto, Dubai and Sydney; Chaturthi is at sunrise in San Jose (Hyderabad: Tritiya).

Which mantra can I chant on Day 18?

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah. Meaning: I bow to Lord Ganapati. Gam is Ganesha's seed syllable. Many families chant it at the start of any puja, and on Chaturthi before breaking the fast.

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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