Darsha Amavasya
Darsha Amavasya isn't a festival tied to one particular month — it's the ancestor-tarpan day that recurs at the end of every amanta month's Krishna paksha, about 12 times a year (one extra in an adhik masa year). By panchang convention, when the tithi prevailing between sunrise and sunset is partly Chaturdashi and partly Amavasya, that day is given this name — meaning it doesn't always fall on an Amavasya tithi itself; sometimes it falls on the preceding Chaturdashi day instead.
This year's dates (2026)
- Sunday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Mauni Amavasya'Sunday, 18 January 2026
- Tuesday; the panchang name is the plain 'Darsha Amavasya'Tuesday, 17 February 2026
- Wednesday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Amavasya' even though the tithi itself is Chaturdashi — a day-choice exampleWednesday, 18 March 2026
- Friday; the panchang name is the plain 'Darsha Amavasya'Friday, 17 April 2026
- Saturday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Bhavuka Amavasya' — a specially-named month, with its own pageSaturday, 16 May 2026
- Sunday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Amavasya' (plain), the tithi itself is Chaturdashi — the same pattern as 18 MarchSunday, 14 June 2026
- Tuesday; the panchang name is the plain 'Darsha Amavasya'Tuesday, 14 July 2026
- Wednesday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Thanavayi Amavasya' — a specially-named month, with its own pageWednesday, 12 August 2026
- Thursday; the panchang name is 'Darsha Pithori Amavasya' — tithi itself is Chaturdashi (same pattern as 18 March/14 June); a specially-named month, with its own pageThursday, 10 September 2026
- Saturday; the panchang name is 'Sarvapitri Darsha Amavasya' — a specially-named month, with its own pageSaturday, 10 October 2026
- Monday; the panchang name is 'Somvati Amavasya' — a weekday-based type, with its own pageMonday, 9 November 2026
- Tuesday; the panchang name is the plain 'Darsha Amavasya'Tuesday, 8 December 2026
Some months carry their own special name for this day — Paush has Mauni Amavasya, Vaishakh has Darsha Bhavuka Amavasya, Ashadh has Deep/Thanavayi Amavasya, and Bhadrapad has Sarvapitri Amavasya — other months remain a plain "Darsha Amavasya." There are also separate, weekday-based types not tied to a month: Somvati Amavasya and Shani Amavasya.
Significance
Closing the lunar month, remembering ancestors: the moon isn't visible on Amavasya; this day at the end of every Marathi month is regarded as the start of a new lunar cycle and a day for remembering one's ancestors — this same underlying framework is shared by the Mauni, Bhavuka, Thanavayi, and Sarvapitri sibling pages.
A concrete example of which day "darsha" falls on: on 18 March and 14 June 2026, the tithi of that very day is itself Krishna Chaturdashi (the Amavasya tithi begins late and ends the following day, together with Shukla Pratipada), yet the panchang name is still "Darsha Amavasya." This shows the name doesn't always apply on the Amavasya tithi day itself.
A second example of how one tithi can produce two different days: in November 2026, the Ashwin Krishna Amavasya tithi appears to split across two separate days — Diwali's Lakshmi Puja falls on 8 November (a pradosh-kaal-based rule), while the Somvati Amavasya tied to the same amavasya falls separately on 9 November (a darsha/tarpan-related rule). This shows how different rituals, based on the same amavasya tithi, can land on different dates under different day-selection rules.
The weekday+tithi combination is a separate basis: Somvati Amavasya (on a Monday) and Shani Amavasya (on a Saturday) aren't tied to a month — they occur in any month whenever the matching weekday lines up, with the count changing every year. This is a different classification basis from the monthly "darsha" sibling names (Mauni/Bhavuka/Thanavayi) — the two shouldn't be confused with each other.
The detailed ancestor-tarpan framework is on the Pitru Paksha page. For those whose death-tithi is unknown, or whose shraddha was missed, Sarvapitri Amavasya (in Bhadrapad) is regarded as the year's collective-opportunity day.
Who observes it
Anyone wishing to perform ancestor-tarpan or shraddha — especially those who don't know their ancestors' death-tithi, or whose tithi-shraddha was missed (this applies especially to Sarvapitri Amavasya). Many families perform a simple tarpan/donation on the general monthly amavasya according to their own household tradition. No source found any universal gender/age restriction — this varies by tradition.
The legend
This general monthly concept doesn't have its own single mythological legend (a birth/avatar story) — the closing of the lunar month and ancestor-remembrance is its core significance. The specially-named siblings that do have their own legend — for example, Shani Jayanti's birth story — can be read on their own pages.
Puja vidhi
- Bath and sankalp: an early-morning bath is taken, then a sankalp is made in the ancestors' name.
- Tarpan: water mixed with sesame seeds is offered to ancestors.
- Donation: food and clothing are donated to those in need.
- A simple household puja: some traditions also mention worship of the moon or Shiva.
The exact sequence and mantras vary by family and local tradition; Sarvapitri Amavasya's detailed panchbali/pindadan ritual is on the Sarvapitri Amavasya page. The exact tithi start/end time varies by city — check the day page linked in the table above.
What you need
Black sesame, water, materials for donation (food/clothing), simple household puja items. (Can vary by tradition.)
Cloth (for donation)Fasting
Many people eat a simple sattvic meal or keep a fast — this isn't a universally mandatory rule; it varies by tradition.
Mantra
No specific mantra for this general concept was found in any source — the detailed tarpan-mantra reference is on the Sarvapitri Amavasya page.
Regional customs
"Darsha" is a general prefix, to which some months add a special suffix (Mauni, Bhavuka, Thanavayi) — while other months (Magh, Chaitra, Nij Jyeshtha, Kartik) remain the plain "Darsha Amavasya." No source explains the exact etymology/origin of either "Thanavayi" or "Bhavuka" — both are recorded only as panchang names on their own sibling pages (Deep Amavasya, Darsha Bhavuka Amavasya), and no meaning is invented here either.
The literal meaning of "darsha" is usually given as "darshan/seeing," but no source explains exactly how this term applies given that the moon isn't visible at all on this day. "Kuhu Amavasya" (a third technical type, a mix of Amavasya and Pratipada) was also found in one source, but this name doesn't appear directly anywhere in the 2026 panchang data used here — so both details are noted only as background, not as settled claims.
In the Marathwada region, a separate, standalone agricultural festival called "Darsha Vela Amavasya"/"Yelvas" is observed in the month of Margashirsh — farmers set up Lakshmi in their fields and worship the "black mother" (kali-aai). This is a distinct topic from the general Darsha Amavasya, with its own separate cultural identity.
Date (2026 — full annual cycle)
| Date | Day | Tithi/Masa | Panchang name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 January | Sun | Paush Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Mauni Amavasya | Special name, separate page |
| 17 February | Tue | Magh Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Amavasya | Plain (this page's main subject) |
| 18 March | Wed | Phalgun Krishna Chaturdashi | Darsha Amavasya | Plain, tithi itself is Chaturdashi |
| 17 April | Fri | Chaitra Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Amavasya | Plain |
| 16 May | Sat | Vaishakh Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Bhavuka Amavasya | Special name, separate page |
| 14 June | Sun | Adhik Jyeshtha Krishna Chaturdashi | Darsha Amavasya | Plain, tithi itself is Chaturdashi |
| 14 July | Tue | Nij Jyeshtha Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Amavasya | Plain |
| 12 August | Wed | Ashadh Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Thanavayi Amavasya | Special name, separate page |
| 10 September | Thu | Shravan Krishna Chaturdashi | Darsha Pithori Amavasya | Special name, tithi itself is Chaturdashi, separate page |
| 10 October | Sat | Bhadrapad Krishna Amavasya | Sarvapitri Darsha Amavasya | Special name, separate page |
| 9 November | Mon | Ashwin Krishna Amavasya | Somvati Amavasya | Weekday-based, separate page |
| 8 December | Tue | Kartik Krishna Amavasya | Darsha Amavasya | Plain |
Avoid this confusion: "Darsha Amavasya" falls on a different date every month — there's no single "fixed" date. If you're looking for a specific month's amavasya, pick the right row from the table above; for the specially-named dates (Mauni/Bhavuka/Thanavayi/Sarvapitri/Somvati), the detailed guidance is on each one's own page. 10 September, in Shravan, carries the panchang name "Darsha Pithori Amavasya" — as with 18 March and 14 June, the tithi that day is itself Chaturdashi (the Amavasya tithi begins later that same day and ends the next day, 11 September — which the panchang records as just the plain "Amavasya," without the "Darsha" prefix). See the Pithori Amavasya page for details.
Good to know
- To do: remembrance of ancestors according to your household tradition, tarpan (if possible), donation.
- This day falls on a different date each month — always check that month's panchang (or the table above) to know whether today is Darsha Amavasya.
- For the specially-named months (Mauni/Bhavuka/Thanavayi/Sarvapitri), see the detailed guidance on each one's own page.
FAQ
- What is Darsha Amavasya?
- The traditional ancestor-tarpan day that falls at the end of every amanta month's Krishna paksha — about 12 times a year (one extra in an adhik masa year).
- What's the difference between Darsha Amavasya and a plain Amavasya?
- "Darsha" is a panchang-technical term that applies to a day meeting a specific tithi-timing rule; not every amavasya is "darsha" — for example, in 2026, 11 September (the day after the Chaturdashi tithi on 10 September) carries just the panchang name "Amavasya," not "Darsha."
- Which day is Darsha Amavasya on — Chaturdashi or Amavasya tithi?
- Either is possible, depending on that month's tithi timing — in 2026, this day actually fell on the Chaturdashi tithi itself on 18 March, 14 June, and 10 September.
- Why does each month's amavasya have a different name?
- Paush (Mauni), Vaishakh (Bhavuka), Ashadh (Thanavayi), and Bhadrapad (Sarvapitri) carry a traditional special name; other months remain a plain "Darsha Amavasya."
- What should be done on Darsha Amavasya?
- Tarpan, donation, a simple household puja — the details vary by family tradition.
- How are Mauni, Bhavuka, Thanavayi, and Sarvapitri Amavasya different from each other?
- All are siblings within the "Darsha Amavasya" family, just falling in different months, each with its own significance/name — full detail is on each one's own page.