Maha Shivaratri 2026 and 2027: Date and Nishita Puja Time in 49 Cities

Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, is observed on the night of Krishna Chaturdashi, the fourteenth tithi of the waning Moon, in the lunar month of Magha. Some calendars name the month Phalguna because they count months from the full Moon, but it is the same night. Devotees fast, stay awake through the night, and offer water, milk and bilva leaves at a Shiva lingam, often with the chanting of Om Namah Shivaya.

The rule for the date is about the night, not the day. The puja is done in the Nishita Kaal, the middle of the night, and the festival belongs to the civil date on which Chaturdashi is in force at that time. When Chaturdashi covers the midnight of only one night, the choice is easy. The fast is broken the next morning, after sunrise and after Chaturdashi has ended; the parana window is shown in the table.

Because the test is made at local midnight, cities in different time zones can land on different dates. A city in Australia may already be in the night that a city in North America has yet to reach, and the tithi may be in force at midnight in one place and have ended in another. Daylight saving does not change the date but it does move the clock times of the Nishita window and the parana.

A calm note: the vigil is a matter of devotion, and people keep it in many ways, from a full fast to a light meal of fruit and milk. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take regular medicine, speak to your doctor before fasting. Your family or temple may also keep a different night, and it is right to follow them.

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