Mauni Amavasya 2026 | Mauna Amavasya

Mauni Amavasya, also known as Mauna Amavasya, is observed on the No Moon day in Magha month (January – February). In 2026, Mauni Amavasya date is January 18.

Magh Mela is celebrated during the Magh month and it is one of the most auspicious days to perform ritual bath at Triveni Sangam or Prayag at Allahabad.

Mauni or Mauna or Muni means a spiritual performer who practices silence as a part of his daily rituals and pujas. It is believed on Mauni Amavasya day conjunction of the sun and the moon takes place.

Mauni Amavasya is known as Chollangi Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh. It is also celebrated as Darsh Amavasya in some other places of India. Mauna Amavasya coincides with Paush Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Meaning and timing

• “Mauni” comes from “mauna” (silence), and “Amavasya” is new‑moon; together it denotes a day for disciplined silence, introspection and austerity.​

• It falls on Magha Krishna Amavasya; in 2026 many North‑Indian panchangs mark Mauni Amavasya on Sunday 18 January 2026, with Amavasya tithi spanning roughly from midday 18th to early 19th January (exact span varies slightly by source/panchang).​

Spiritual significance

• Tradition associates this day with deep inner purification, strengthened sankalpa, and powerful support for dhyana and mantra‑japa; many see it as ideal for stabilising the mind and moving beyond compulsive speech.​

• It is also famed as a key Kumbh‑Mela snan day at Prayagraj and other tirthas, where Mauni Amavasya snan is believed to destroy sins, grant pitru‑kripa and uplift spiritual fortunes.​

Core vrata and puja‑vidhi

• Brahma‑muhurta: Wake early, perform nitya‑karmas and bathe in Ganga or another sacred river; if not possible, bathe at home adding a few drops of Ganga‑jal, til and amla to the water.​​

• Sankalpa and devata‑puja:

  • In front of Vishnu or Krishna (common North‑Indian practice) or your iṣṭa‑devata, take sankalpa of fast, mauna and snan‑daan for inner purity and pitru‑shanti.​​

  • Offer water, flowers, incense, deepa and satvic naivedya; many texts recommend yellow items (haldi, chana‑dal, yellow sweets) for Vishnu on this day.​

• Maun‑vrata and upavasa:

  • Observe full or partial silence, at least limiting speech to bare necessity; combine with fast (nirjala or phalahar/vrata‑bhojan) depending on health and ability.​

  • Keep the mind engaged in nama‑japa or mantra‑japa rather than outward conversation.​​

Pitru‑karya, snan‑daan and charity

• Perform tarpan or at least deepa‑daan and pind/sesame offerings for ancestors, especially if there are unfulfilled shraddha duties; Magha Amavasya is strongly linked with pitru‑upasana.​

• Give daan according to capacity: food, til‑gud, grains, clothes, blankets or money to poor people, brahmanas or sadhus; this is repeatedly stressed as essential to complete Mauni Amavasya vrata.​

Sadhana focus for the day

• Recommended practices include:

  • Continuous mental japa of your gayātri/Sri‑Krishna/Sri‑Rama/Siva‑mantra, or at least one mala every hour during waking time.​​

  • Longer sitting for dhyana, trataka on deepa or ishta‑murti, and scriptural reading, especially Gita or Bhagavata, done silently.​

• The day is held to help end negative speech patterns, gossip and anger, replacing them with inner stillness; devotees look at it as a yearly reset for vak‑shuddhi and manas‑shuddhi.​