Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2026 (Mahalaya): Date, Shraddha Muhurat and What to Do

Sarva Pitru Amavasya in 2026 is on Saturday, 10 October. It closes Pitru Paksha, and it is the shraddha for every ancestor — above all for those whose tithi is not known, and for any shraddha that could not be performed on its own day. Falling on a Saturday, it is also a Shani Amavasya, and Navratri begins the next morning.

• Date: Saturday, 10 October 2026
• Amavasya tithi: 9:37 PM on 9 October to 9:20 PM on 10 October
• Kutup muhurat: 11:44 AM – 12:31 PM
• Rauhina muhurat: 12:31 PM – 1:17 PM
• Aparahna: 1:17 PM – 3:37 PM
• Next day: Navratri Ghatasthapana, Sunday, 11 October
• Times: Delhi

The shraddha for every ancestor

"Sarva Pitru" means all the ancestors. On this day the shraddha is offered not to one departed person on the anniversary of their tithi but to the whole line — every generation remembered and every one forgotten. That is why the tradition directs three kinds of shraddha to it:

• ancestors whose date or tithi of passing is not known;
• any tithi shraddha that was missed earlier in the fortnight;
• ancestors who died a natural death on a Chaturdashi, since Chaturdashi itself is kept for untimely deaths — see Ghata Chaturdashi.

Those who died on an Amavasya tithi are, of course, honoured on this day as well.

How the 2026 date was worked out

Amavasya begins at 9:37 PM on Friday, 9 October and ends at 9:20 PM on Saturday, 10 October. It holds the whole of Saturday's afternoon (Aparahna), from 1:17 PM to 3:37 PM, which is the part of the day that decides a shraddha. The complete fortnight is in the shraddha calendar for 2026.

A Saturday Amavasya

An Amavasya that falls on a Saturday is called Shani Amavasya, or Shanishchari Amavasya, and it is observed in its own right, particularly with worship of Shani and offerings of mustard oil and black sesame. In 2026 the two observances fall together. Keep the shraddha within its midday and afternoon window; any Shani observance can follow in the evening.

How to observe the day

• Bathe early and prepare the meal for the ancestors, without onion and garlic.
• In the Kutup muhurat, from 11:44 AM, offer tarpan facing south with water, black sesame and kusha grass, naming the ancestors you know and including those you do not.
• Offer the pinda and the meal; set aside portions for a cow, a dog and the crows, and feed a Brahmin with dakshina. Complete the rites before 3:37 PM.
• At dusk, many families light a lamp at the doorstep to see the ancestors off at the close of the fortnight — the pitru visarjan.

The full procedure is in the Pitru Paksha 2026 guide. The Pitru Stotra and the Pitra Chalisa are commonly recited on this day.

Mahalaya, and the eve of Navratri

In Bengal and eastern India the day is Mahalaya. It marks the end of the Pitri Paksha and the beginning of the Devi Paksha, and before dawn households tune in to the recitation of Mahishasura Mardini — read about the Mahalaya Mahishasura Mardini. Across India the next morning, Sunday, 11 October, brings Ghatasthapana and the first day of Shardiya Navratri — see Navratri 2026. The fortnight given to the ancestors turns directly into the nine nights given to the Goddess.

Frequently asked questions

When is Sarva Pitru Amavasya in 2026?
On Saturday, 10 October 2026. Amavasya runs from 9:37 PM on 9 October to 9:20 PM on 10 October and holds the whole of Saturday afternoon.

Whose shraddha is performed on Sarva Pitru Amavasya?
The shraddha of all ancestors — especially those whose tithi is not known, anyone whose tithi shraddha was missed, those who died naturally on a Chaturdashi, and those who died on an Amavasya.

Is Sarva Pitru Amavasya 2026 a Shani Amavasya?
Yes. It falls on a Saturday, so it is also Shani (Shanishchari) Amavasya. Keep the shraddha in its midday window; Shani worship can follow in the evening.

Is Mahalaya the same as Sarva Pitru Amavasya?
Yes, in Bengal and eastern India the day is called Mahalaya. It closes the Pitri Paksha and opens the Devi Paksha, and Navratri begins the next day.

What is the shraddha muhurat on 10 October 2026?
In Delhi, Kutup is 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM, Rauhina 12:31 PM to 1:17 PM, and the Aparahna 1:17 PM to 3:37 PM.