Civil date versus tithi
A Gregorian date begins at midnight. A tithi begins and ends according to the angular relationship of the Moon and Sun, so it can change in the middle of a civil day. Shraddha date selection therefore considers which tithi is present during the relevant local daytime period.
A 2026 location example
| Reference location | Purnima | Pratipada sequence | Sarva Pitru Amavasya |
|---|---|---|---|
| India New Delhi | September 26 | September 27 | October 10 |
| United States New York / New Jersey example | September 25 | September 26 | October 9 |
| Canada Toronto example | September 25 | September 26 | October 9 |
| United Kingdom UK example (Bangor/Oxford references) | September 26 | September 27 | October 10 |
| Dubai / UAE Dubai example | September 26 | September 27 | October 10 |
| Australia Sydney example | September 26 | September 27 | October 10 |
Why sunrise and local time matter
Panchang day boundaries and the placement of the afternoon period are calculated locally. The same astronomical tithi can therefore be assigned to different civil dates in New Delhi, Toronto or New York.
How this page is sourced
Dates were checked against current 2026 Panchang/calendar sources. The visible source links below are included so readers and search/AI systems can trace the calendar basis. Where sources are location-specific, the city is stated rather than presenting a country-wide clock time.