Ugadi / Gudi Padwa in Delhi

Date and timing in this city

In Delhi, Ugadi and Gudi Padwa fall on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada — the first day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month Chaitra. Because the festival is tied to the tithi rather than to a fixed solar date, the day moves each year.

For Delhi (दिल्ली), with the time zone Asia/Kolkata, the dates given are:

• 2026: Thursday 19 March 2026
• 2027: Wednesday 7 April 2027

These dates are computed for Delhi's own sunrise. The tithi is reckoned from that local sunrise, which is why the observance in Delhi can sit on a different calendar day than in other places. Many households begin the day with a bath before sunrise, offer prayers, and read or listen to the Panchangam for the year ahead.

Why the date can differ from India

It is common to see Ugadi or Gudi Padwa listed on one date for the country and another for a particular city. Two reasons account for most of this.

First, the tithi is measured from local sunrise. Delhi's sunrise differs from that of Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Pune, so the moment when Pratipada is current can fall on a different day.

Second, regional traditions differ in how the lunar month is counted. In the amanta system, the month ends at the new moon; in the purnimanta system, it ends at the full moon. North Indian practice often follows purnimanta, while much of the Deccan and the South follows amanta. Where these traditions meet — as they do in a city like Delhi, which draws people from many regions — families may observe on slightly different days.

This is a normal feature of the calendar, not an error. For personal observance, follow the Panchangam your family or tradition uses, and consult a qualified jyotishi for questions about your own chart.

Where and how the community celebrates

Ugadi is the lunar new year as observed in the Deccan — in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, where the same day is known as Gudi Padwa. The presiding deity associated with the day is Brahma.

In Delhi, these communities mark the day at home and in community gatherings. Common elements include:

• An early bath and prayers at the household shrine.
• Reading or hearing the new year's Panchangam.
• Preparing and sharing the traditional Ugadi pachadi, with its blend of tastes.
• In Maharashtra homes, raising the Gudi and wearing new clothes.

Details vary by family, region and the amanta or purnimanta reckoning followed.

Practical tips

• Confirm the date against Delhi's sunrise, not another city's.
• If your family follows a different regional calendar, that observance may fall on another day — this is expected.
• Prepare the pachadi fresh on the day.
• For personal chart questions, consult a qualified jyotishi.