AstrologgerKalashtami in October 2026
When is Kalashtami in October 2026? Saturday, 3 October — tithi 3 Oct 8:00 AM to 4 Oct 5:52 AM (New Delhi).
| Date | Tithi Begins | Tithi Ends | Name | Day | Paksha / Month (purnimanta) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 2026 | 3 Oct, 8:00 AM | 4 Oct, 5:52 AM | Kalashtami (Ashwina) | Sat | Krishna · Ashwina |
All dates & times computed for New Delhi (IST) with the Swiss Ephemeris + Lahiri ayanamsa — not copied.
Kalashtami timings in October 2026
When each tithi begins, when it ends, and how long it actually runs — computed for Delhi (IST).
| Date | Tithi begins | Tithi ends | Duration | Day | Paksha | Lunar month (purnimanta) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct | 3 Oct, 8:00 AM | 4 Oct, 5:52 AM | 21 hours 52 minutes | Saturday | Krishna | Ashwina |
Each Kalashtami this month
Kalashtami (Ashwina) — Saturday 3 Oct, in the Krishna paksha of Ashwina (purnimanta). The tithi runs 21 hours 52 minutes, from 3 Oct 8:00 AM.
How October compares
Across 2026, a Kalashtami tithi averages 24 hours 2 minutes. In October it averages 21 hours 52 minutes — shorter than the year's average.
Over the year the figure ranges from 21 hours 48 minutes in September to 26 hours 27 minutes in February. The spread exists because the Moon does not move at a constant rate, so a tithi is not a fixed length — which is why the vrat date shifts against the English calendar from month to month.
There are 13 Kalashtamis in 2026, of which 1 falls in October.
Every other vrat in October 2026
The other observances falling in the same month, in calendar order.
| Vrat | Dates | Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Ekadashi | 6 Oct — Indira Ekadashi · 22 Oct — Papankusha Ekadashi | View |
| Pradosh Vrat | 8 Oct — Guru Pradosh · 23 Oct — Shukra Pradosh | View |
| Masik Shivratri | 8 Oct — Masik Shivratri (Ashwina) | View |
| Amavasya | 10 Oct — Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru) Amavasya | View |
| Vinayaka Chaturthi | 14 Oct — Vinayaka Chaturthi (Ashwina) | View |
| Skanda Sashti | 16 Oct — Skanda Sashti (Ashwina) | View |
| Bhanu Saptami | 18 Oct — Bhanu Saptami | View |
| Masik Durgashtami | 19 Oct — Masik Durgashtami (Ashwina) | View |
| Purnima | 26 Oct — Ashwina Purnima | View |
| Masik Karthigai | 27 Oct — Masik Karthigai (Kartika) | View |
| Sankashti Chaturthi | 29 Oct — Vakratunda Sankashti | View |
What is Kalashtami?
Kalashtami is the monthly night of Kaal Bhairav, kept on the waning-fortnight Ashtami. Bhairav is worshipped as the remover of fear, the punisher of wrongdoing and the master of time; his vrat is traditionally kept for protection, discipline and relief from Rahu- and Shani-related afflictions.
Bhairav worship
The worship is done in the evening or night — a mustard-oil lamp, black sesame, and the Kalabhairav Ashtakam of Adi Shankaracharya are its heart. Feeding dogs, Bhairav's companions, is considered especially meritorious on this day.
How to observe Kalashtami
The vrat is kept from sunrise and the main worship falls after dark, since Bhairav is a deity of the night. Devotees bathe, take a sankalp, and worship at dusk or midnight with a mustard-oil lamp, black sesame, urad, and flowers. The Kalabhairav Ashtakam of Adi Shankaracharya is the common recitation. Feeding dogs is treated as part of the observance rather than an extra, the dog being Bhairav's vahana. The fast is broken the next morning, and practice varies considerably between households and regions.
Why the vrat is kept
Bhairav is approached as the remover of fear and the guardian who enforces order, so the vrat is traditionally kept for protection, courage, freedom from debt and litigation, and relief where Shani or Rahu are held to be troubling a chart. In the Shaiva tradition he is also the kshetrapal, the guardian of sacred ground, which is why so many temples keep a Bhairav shrine at the boundary. These are the reasons tradition gives; they are not claims about outcomes.
The katha — why Bhairav appeared
The Shiva Purana relates that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva once disputed which of them was supreme, and Brahma spoke arrogantly, resting his claim on his five heads. From Shiva's anger arose a fierce form, Kaal Bhairav, who severed the fifth head with his fingernail. The sin of brahmahatya then followed Bhairav, and Brahma's skull clung to his hand, so that he wandered as a mendicant carrying it. At Vishnu's counsel he came to Kashi, where the skull fell away at the bank of Matsyodari and the sin left him. Shiva then appointed him to remain there as the kotwal of Kashi, the city's guardian, and it is said that none may dwell in Kashi without his leave. The Margashirsha Kalashtami is kept as Kalabhairav Jayanti, his day of appearance.
Kalashtami puja samagri
Gather these before the evening worship:
- An image or idol of Kaal Bhairav
- A mustard-oil lamp (sarson ka tel diya)
- Black sesame (kala til)
- Urad dal
- Red or black flowers
- Sindoor and chandan
- Incense (dhoop)
- Coconut and seasonal fruit
- Food to offer dogs
Frequently asked questions
When is Kalashtami in October 2026?+
October 2026 has one Kalashtami: Kalashtami (Ashwina) — Saturday, 3 October 2026. Timings are computed for New Delhi.
What is the Kalashtami tithi time in October 2026?+
3 October: tithi 3 Oct 8:00 AM to 4 Oct 5:52 AM. (New Delhi, IST)
How many Kalashtami are in 2026?+
There are 13 Kalashtami in 2026 for the Delhi region — one each lunar month on the Krishna Ashtami, including Kalabhairav Jayanti in Margashirsha.
Who is Kaal Bhairav?+
Kaal Bhairav is the fierce manifestation of Shiva, the lord of time (kaal) and the guardian (kshetrapal) of sacred places — famously of Kashi, where he is the city's kotwal.
When is Kalabhairav Jayanti?+
The Kalashtami of Margashirsha (November–December) is observed as Kalabhairav Jayanti, the day of Bhairav's manifestation.
How is the vrat kept?+
Devotees fast, worship Bhairav at night with mustard-oil lamps, recite the Kalabhairav Ashtakam, and feed dogs — his vahana. Practice varies by tradition.
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