Quick answer: Wednesday 16 December 2026 is Day 8 of Margasira Masam in India. The tithi is Shukla Saptami until 10:45 PM IST, then Ashtami (until 11:25 PM IST on Thu 17 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). Dhanurmasam begins today. Sunrise in Hyderabad is 6:39 AM IST (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. It is day 1 of Dhanurmasam: Tiruppavai pasuram 1 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 8)

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, Wednesday 16 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 6:39 AM, sunset 5:45 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:28 AM, sunset 5:37 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:34 AM, sunset 5:56 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:23 AM, sunset 5:45 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 7:06 AM, sunset 5:26 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 7:04 AM, sunset 6:03 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 7:13 AM, sunset 4:29 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 12:15 PM EST)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:22 AM, sunset 5:22 PM CST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 11:15 AM CST)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:15 AM, sunset 4:51 PM PST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 9:15 AM PST)
  • London: sunrise 8:00 AM, sunset 3:51 PM GMT, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 5:15 PM GMT)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:45 AM, sunset 4:41 PM EST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 12:15 PM EST)
  • Dubai: sunrise 6:57 AM, sunset 5:32 PM GST, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 9:15 PM GST)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:38 AM, sunset 8:02 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.); Saptami at local sunrise (until 4:15 AM AEDT on Thu 17 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 Saptami until 10:45 PM IST, then Ashtami (until 11:25 PM IST on Thu 17 Dec).
  • Nakshatra: Shatabhisha until 2:02 PM IST, then Purva Bhadrapada (until 3:30 PM IST on Thu 17 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 Saptami ends in your time zone:

  • New York and Toronto: Saptami ends 12:15 PM EST on Wed 16 Dec
  • Dallas: 11:15 AM CST on Wed 16 Dec
  • San Jose: 9:15 AM PST on Wed 16 Dec
  • London: 5:15 PM GMT on Wed 16 Dec
  • Dubai: 9:15 PM GST on Wed 16 Dec
  • Sydney: 4:15 AM AEDT on Thu 17 Dec
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Festival of the day: Dhanu Sankranti, Dhanurmasam begins

The Sun enters Dhanu (Sagittarius) at 10:29 AM IST on Wednesday 16 December 2026 (Drik Panchang, Hyderabad), so Dhanurmasam (Margazhi in Tamil Nadu) begins today and runs to Bhogi, Thursday 14 January 2027. Vishnu temples begin special dawn worship, Andal's Tiruppavai is sung one pasuram a day, and many families offer pongali as prasadam. See our Dhanurmasam 2026-27 guide.

In North America the Sun enters Dhanu on the night of Tuesday 15 December, so Wednesday 16 December is the first Dhanurmasam dawn there too. Country guides: USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe, Singapore.

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Today's Margasira practice: Tiruppavai pasuram 1

Today is day 1 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 1. Temples that begin on the morning after Dhanu Sankranti (as Tirumala did last season) start tomorrow; 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 1 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 Wednesday 16 December 2026?

The tithi is Shukla Saptami until 10:45 PM IST, then Ashtami (until 11:25 PM IST on Thu 17 Dec) (Drik Panchang, IST). The nakshatra is Shatabhisha until 2:02 PM IST, then Purva Bhadrapada (until 3:30 PM IST on Thu 17 Dec).

What time is sunrise on 16 December 2026?

In Hyderabad sunrise is 6:39 AM and sunset 5:45 PM IST (Drik Panchang). In Chennai sunrise is 6:23 AM and in New Delhi 7:06 AM IST (calculated, approx.). Other cities are listed on this page.

Which Tiruppavai pasuram is sung on Day 8?

Pasuram 1, by the one-pasuram-a-day count from Wednesday 16 December 2026 used in our Dhanurmasam guide. Temples that begin on the morning after Dhanu Sankranti start tomorrow, 17 December. Follow your temple's count.

Is Day 8 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

Yes. Wednesday 16 December is Day 8 everywhere, and going by the tithi times above and calculated sunrise, Saptami is at sunrise in New York, Dallas, San Jose, London, Toronto, Dubai and Sydney, as in Hyderabad. Only the clock times differ.

Which mantra can I chant on Day 8?

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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