Kaal Bhairav Jayanti 2026
1st Dec 2026
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti 2026 is on Tuesday, 1 December 2026. Ashtami tithi begins at 12:12 AM IST on 1 Dec and ends at 11:14 PM IST on 1 Dec. Ashtami is the tithi at sunrise on 1 Dec.
| Ashtami tithi begins | 12:12 AM, Tue, 1 Dec |
|---|---|
| Ashtami tithi ends | 11:14 PM, Tue, 1 Dec |
| Abhijit Muhurta | 11:55 AM – 12:38 PM |
| Times for | Ujjain (IST) |
काल भैरव जयंती 2026 कब है?
काल भैरव जयंती 2026 मंगलवार, 1 दिसंबर को है। अष्टमी तिथि 1 दिसंबर को रात 12:12 बजे से 1 दिसंबर को रात 11:14 बजे तक रहेगी।
On this page: prarthanas and mantras with audio · questions about Kaal Bhairav Jayanti
Ashtami
Navami
Festival Pooja & Pandit Booking
Want a Pandit-led pooja for this festival at home, or online if you live abroad? Dharmayana connects you with verified Pandits for all major Hindu festivals — Diwali, Navratri, Shivratri, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and more.
You can book:
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Bookings, samagri lists and Pandit assignment are all handled inside the Dharmayana app — choose the festival, pick a date and the rest is taken care of.
Prarthana, Mantras & Vrat Katha
Every festival has its own prarthanas, stotras and vrat kathas. Reading or listening to them on the festival day is the simplest way to observe the tradition at home.
Inside the Dharmayana app you can listen to:
- 1000+ prarthanas, mantras and stotras with clear audio
- Festival-specific kathas — Lakshmi, Durga, Shiva, Ganesha, Krishna
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Browse the full collection of prarthanas or get the app to play them on the festival morning without ads.
Festival Date, Tithi & Muhurat
Hindu festivals are tied to a specific Tithi, not a fixed date — so the day shifts every year and even varies slightly across cities.
Open the Panchanga for the festival day to see the exact Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana and Shubh Muhurat for pooja in your location.
The Dharmayana app keeps track of all upcoming festivals on the Hindu calendar and reminds you in advance.
Personalised Astrology Around Festivals
Festivals are also a good time to look at your kundali — many families plan sankalp, donations or new beginnings around them.
Inside the app you can:
- Generate your personal Vedic kundali
- Talk to a Jyotisha for guidance around career, relationships or health
- Run kundali matching before fixing a marriage during the festival season
All of this is available inside the Dharmayana app — no fixed schedule, use it whenever you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Kaal Bhairav Jayanti in 2026?
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti 2026 falls on Tuesday, 1 December 2026. Ashtami tithi runs from 12:12 AM, 1 Dec to 11:14 PM, 1 Dec IST, as calculated for Ujjain. Times shift by a few minutes for other cities.
What is Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
Marked on Krishna Paksha Ashtami of Margashirsha, this is the day Shiva is said to have manifested Bhairava from his brow to behead Brahma's arrogant fifth head. Worshippers feed dogs — his vahana — and offer mustard oil, black sesame and sindoor at midnight.
Why is Kaal Bhairav Jayanti observed?
The Shiva Purana tells the core story. Brahma's fifth head boasted of superiority over Shiva, so Shiva emanated Bhairava, who sliced it off with a thumbnail. The skull then stuck to his hand as a begging bowl — the Brahmahatya curse — and only fell away when he reached Kashi, at the spot now called Kapal Mochan. From that day Kaal Bhairav stays on as the Kotwal (police chief) of Kashi; pilgrims to the Vishwanath temple are expected to seek his permission first. Adi Shankara's eight-verse Kalabhairava Ashtakam hails him as Kashika-pura-adhinatha, lord of the city. The Kashi Khand promises that circling him eight times wipes out accumulated sins, which is why devotees walk past the eight Ashta Bhairava shrines that ring his main temple.
What are the other names for Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
Kaal Bhairav Jayanti is also known as Kalabhairav Jayanti and Bhairav Ashtami.
Which prarthanas are recited on Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?
Kalabhairavashtakam is recited on Kaal Bhairav Jayanti. You can listen to it with audio on this page.
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