Vaishakha Amavasya 2026 Date

About Vaishakha Amavasya

The new moon of Vaishakha — the second lunar month, which also holds Akshaya Tritiya and Buddha Purnima. In the South Indian Amanta calendar this same day is observed as Shani Jayanti, the birth of Lord Shani; North Indian almanacs date the festival identically but label it Jyeshtha Amavasya.

The Vaishakha new moon is best known in the South as Shani Jayanti — the birthday of Shani, the planetary lord of karma and delayed justice. Devotees fast, light sesame-oil lamps and visit Shani shrines, where hawan and homam are offered to soften his seven-and-a-half-year transit (Sade Sati). The shastric idea behind the day is that Shani rewards honest effort but withholds reward from those who lack his grace, so the prayers are for fair returns on work already done. Like every Amavasya, the day also carries Shraddha and Tarpan for ancestors, since the moonless night is held to bring the Pitrus closer; the shastras count all twelve Amavasyas among the 96 occasions fit for Shraddha. Kalasarpa Dosha puja, done for those with afflicted snake-planet placements, is also commonly scheduled today.