Phalguna Amavasya 2026: Date, time, rituals and significance of Amavasya tithi

Amavasya is one of the most powerful day to honor ancestors. This falls every month on New Moon day. The day holds a great religious and spiritual significance among Hindus. On this particular day, people offer prayers to their ancestors, and engage in various religious and spiritual activities. This time, Solar Eclipse is also going to occur on Phalguna Amavasya. This month, Phalguna Amavasya is being observed on February 17, 2026. Phalguna Amavasya Begins - February 16, 2026 - 05:34 PMPhaguna Amavasya Ends - February 17, 2026 - 05:30 PM Amavasya or New Moon is a significant day in Hindu religion. This day is dedicated to worship ancestors and forefathers. People visit ganga ghats to take a holy dip in ganga river as it is considered meritorious to do so, perform pitru puja and pitru tarpan and light a diya beneath the peepal tree. They also perform hawan for pitru shanti. The day is fully dedicated to worship ancestors so people offer their sincere prayers to them and seek the blessings. This day is considered meritorious to do charity. This is a time of a month for spiritual purification.Do you know that this Amavasya is unique because this time, Surya Grahan is taking place on the same day and people should be extra careful this time. Though, the Surya Grahan will not be visible in India but still there are few guidelines, which everyone should follow on this day. 1. Charity should be done on this day. 2. Feed people and animals. 3. Avoid eating, sleeping during at the time of Eclipse. 4. One must avoid purchasing, interview, grah pravesh and mundan. Amavasya is mainly observed to worship ancestors and forefathers and for that people perform various puja rituals and these puja rituals are mentioned below:1. Wake up early in the morning and take a holy bath. 2. Many devotees visit ganga ghats to take a holy bath. 3. This day is considered auspicious to do charity and make donations.4. People invite priest and brahmins for pitru tarpan or patru puja. 5. The day is considered extremely powerful so people must worship cows on this day and offer first chapati to the holy cow. 1. One should not purchase clothes and shoes on this day. 2. People should eating tamasik food. 3. Avoid doing tamasik activities on this sacred day. 4. People should feed cow, ants and crows on this auspicious day. 5. People are advised to take a holy dip in ganga river and if its not possible then they can add few drops of gangajal in teir bucket and take bath from that water. 6. It is considered meritorious to give the first chapati to cow.