Quick answer: Tuesday 29 December 2026 is Day 21 of Margasira Masam in India. The tithi is Krishna Shashthi until 1:24 PM IST, then Saptami (until 12:36 PM IST on Wed 30 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). Sunrise in Hyderabad is 6:45 AM IST (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. It is day 14 of Dhanurmasam: Tiruppavai pasuram 14 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 21)

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, Tuesday 29 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 6:45 AM, sunset 5:51 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:34 AM, sunset 5:43 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:40 AM, sunset 6:02 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:29 AM, sunset 5:51 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 7:12 AM, sunset 5:32 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 7:10 AM, sunset 6:09 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 7:19 AM, sunset 4:36 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 2:06 AM EST on Wed 30 Dec)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:28 AM, sunset 5:29 PM CST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 1:06 AM CST on Wed 30 Dec)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:21 AM, sunset 4:57 PM PST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 11:06 PM PST)
  • London: sunrise 8:06 AM, sunset 3:58 PM GMT, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 7:06 AM GMT on Wed 30 Dec)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:50 AM, sunset 4:48 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 2:06 AM EST on Wed 30 Dec)
  • Dubai: sunrise 7:03 AM, sunset 5:38 PM GST, calculated (approx.); Shashthi at local sunrise (until 11:54 AM GST)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:45 AM, sunset 8:08 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.); Shashthi at local sunrise (until 6:54 PM AEDT)
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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 Shashthi until 1:24 PM IST, then Saptami (until 12:36 PM IST on Wed 30 Dec).
  • Nakshatra: Purva Phalguni until 3:43 PM IST, then Uttara Phalguni (until 3:36 PM IST on Wed 30 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 Shashthi ends in your time zone:

  • New York and Toronto: Shashthi ends 2:54 AM EST on Tue 29 Dec
  • Dallas: 1:54 AM CST on Tue 29 Dec
  • San Jose: 11:54 PM PST on Mon 28 Dec
  • London: 7:54 AM GMT on Tue 29 Dec
  • Dubai: 11:54 AM GST on Tue 29 Dec
  • Sydney: 6:54 PM AEDT on Tue 29 Dec
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Festival of the day

Drik Panchang lists no festival for Tuesday 29 December 2026 (Hyderabad). Tomorrow is Kalashtami, and Thursday 31 December is the fourth Margasira Thursday.

Today's Margasira practice: Tiruppavai pasuram 14

Today is day 14 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 14. Temples that begin on 17 December are one verse behind, at pasuram 13; 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.

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 14 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 Tuesday 29 December 2026?

The tithi is Krishna Shashthi until 1:24 PM IST, then Saptami (until 12:36 PM IST on Wed 30 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). The nakshatra is Purva Phalguni until 3:43 PM IST, then Uttara Phalguni (until 3:36 PM IST on Wed 30 Dec).

What time is sunrise on 29 December 2026?

In Hyderabad sunrise is 6:45 AM and sunset 5:51 PM IST (Drik Panchang). In Chennai sunrise is 6:29 AM and in New Delhi 7:12 AM IST (calculated, approx.). Other cities are listed on this page.

Which Tiruppavai pasuram is sung on Day 21?

Pasuram 14, 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 13 today. Follow your temple's count.

Is Day 21 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

The calendar date is the same, Tuesday 29 December, but the tithi at local sunrise can differ. Going by the tithi times above and calculated sunrise, Saptami is at sunrise in New York, Dallas, San Jose, London and Toronto; Shashthi is at sunrise in Dubai and Sydney (Hyderabad: Shashthi).

Which mantra can I chant on Day 21?

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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