Hindu festival · San Francisco Bay Area
Mauni Amavasya
Dates for the Bay Area
- Sunday, 18 January 2026Major bathing day
- Friday, 5 February 2027Major bathing daynext
- Tuesday, 25 January 2028Major bathing day
Why it matters
A major Magha new-moon bathing day, especially associated with Prayagraj, emphasizing silence, purification, self-restraint and ancestor remembrance.
The story behind it
“Mauna” means silence; some devotees observe periods of silence alongside sacred bathing, charity and prayer.
Prayers and worship
Tarpana where appropriate, family-deity worship, Shiva/Vishnu/Devi prayers according to tradition, japa and charity.
Fasting and devotional customs
Some families fast, avoid elaborate celebrations, perform ancestral rites or visit sacred waters. Regional Amavasyas may have additional customs.
What is typically offered
Water, sesame, lamps, simple food or charity for ancestor rites; deity offerings depend on the regional observance.
Visiting a temple that day
Temple programs may be quieter and may include tarpanam services. If participating in ancestor rites, follow the priest’s instructions closely. Temple practices vary by region and sampradaya. Dress modestly, remove footwear where required, follow priest/volunteer directions, ask before photography, and check the temple’s event page for exact pooja, fasting and prasādam arrangements.
Spiritual themes
Reflection, remembrance, purification and renewal.
Request this pooja
Ask Sri Kumar Gurukkal about a pooja for Mauni Amavasya — at your home, at a temple, or with family joining remotely. A request is an enquiry, not a booking.
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Subscribe to the festival calendar Share on WhatsAppThe 2026–27 dates were compiled from a Northern-California Panchāṅgam reference for the Fremont / Bay Area location. The 2028 date is computed by this site’s own engine from the festival’s standard definition, tested against the 2026–27 dates: Pauṣa kṛṣṇa amāvāsyā (amānta; Māgha kṛṣṇa amāvāsyā in the pūrṇimānta reckoning — the same day), judged at the tithi at sunrise (udaya-vyāpinī). No 2028 date has been checked against a printed almanac or reviewed by Sri Kumar Gurukkal. They can differ from a calendar computed for another city or another sampradāya. Please confirm any date on which you plan a ceremony with Sri Kumar Gurukkal. How these dates are calculated →