Hanuman Jayanti 2026: date, puja timing, tithi and fasting rules

Hanuman Jayanti marks the birth of Hanuman, celebrated across India as a day of devotion and strength.

A tithi is a lunar day, and most of north India marks Hanuman Jayanti on the Purnima (full-moon) tithi of the Hindu month of Chaitra. Because this is a lunar reckoning, the Gregorian date shifts each year — we don't print a fixed 2026 date here; check a current panchang.

Some Indian states observe Hanuman Jayanti on a different tithi entirely, following their own regional calendar rather than the north Indian Purnima reckoning. Confirm the date for the specific region you're visiting rather than assume one nationwide date.

The exact auspicious window (muhurat) for the puja varies by location and by the panchang used, and we don't invent a specific clock time here. Major temples typically publish their own puja schedule for the day closer to the date.

Many devotees observe a fast from sunrise, commonly breaking it after the evening aarti or once the day's puja concludes; some keep a stricter fast until moonrise. Exact rules vary by regional and family tradition, and are a personal devotional choice rather than a requirement for visitors.

• Sankat Mochan Temple, Varanasi — one of the best-known Hanuman temples in north India.
• Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya — a major Hanuman shrine with its own Jayanti observance.
• Regional Hanuman temples across the country, many with strong local followings and their own processions.

• Processions and recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa.
• Free community meals (bhandara) at many temples.
• Some akharas (wrestling schools) hold events, given Hanuman's association with strength.