Recurring observance · San Francisco Bay Area
Amāvāsyā
Why it matters
Amavasya is the new-moon day, often devoted to inward reflection, ancestor remembrance, charity and deity-specific regional observances.
The story behind it
Many traditions regard the dark-moon phase as especially suitable for tarpanam to ancestors, quiet spiritual practice and resetting household or personal intentions.
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.
Every Amāvāsyā date, 2026–2027
Bay Area dates
- 18 Jan 2026Amavasya
- 16 Feb 2026Amavasya
- 18 Mar 2026Amavasya
- 16 Apr 2026Amavasya
- 16 May 2026Amavasya
- 14 Jun 2026Amavasya
- 13 Jul 2026Amavasya
- 12 Aug 2026Amavasya
- 10 Sep 2026Amavasya
- 10 Oct 2026Amavasya
- 8 Nov 2026Amavasya
- 8 Dec 2026Amavasya
- 7 Jan 2027Amavasya
- 5 Feb 2027Amavasya
- 7 Mar 2027Amavasya
- 6 Apr 2027Amavasya
- 5 May 2027Amavasya
- 4 Jun 2027Amavasya
- 3 Jul 2027Amavasya
- 1 Aug 2027Amavasya
- 30 Aug 2027Amavasya
- 29 Sep 2027Amavasya
- 28 Oct 2027Amavasya
- 27 Nov 2027Amavasya
- 27 Dec 2027Amavasya
- 25 Jan 2028Amavasya
- 24 Feb 2028Amavasya
- 25 Mar 2028Amavasya
- 24 Apr 2028Amavasya
- 23 May 2028Amavasya
- 22 Jun 2028Amavasya
- 21 Jul 2028Amavasya
- 19 Aug 2028Amavasya
- 18 Sep 2028Amavasya
- 17 Oct 2028Amavasya
- 15 Nov 2028Amavasya
- 15 Dec 2028Amavasya
Request a pooja
Ask Sri Kumar Gurukkal about a pooja for this observance — at your home, at a temple, or with family joining remotely. A request is an enquiry, not a booking.
Request a poojaOpen the full calendarEvery Amāvāsyā date in your calendar
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Subscribe to Amāvāsyā Download .icsBackground reading
- Amāvāsyā and Pūrṇimā — the two ends of the monthAmāvāsyā is the new moon, the moment the Moon catches up with the Sun and the lunar month ends.
- What a tithi is, and why it is not a dayA tithi is the time the Moon takes to gain twelve degrees on the Sun.
These are recurring observances whose dates follow the tithi at a particular moment of the day (sunrise, sunset, moonrise or midnight), computed for the Fremont / Bay Area location. The 2028 dates are computed by this site’s own engine from one rule for the whole observance, tested against every 2026–27 date. No 2028 date has been checked against a printed almanac or reviewed by Sri Kumar Gurukkal. Fasting rules and exact windows differ by lineage — please confirm with Sri Kumar Gurukkal or your family priest. How these dates are calculated →