Chitra Pournami 2026

Chitra Pournami is the full-moon day of Chaitra Shukla Paksha, in the first month of the Telugu year. As the first Pournami after Ugadi, it is a very auspicious day for Satyanarayana vratham, Pournami puja and charity. In South India it is popularly called Chitra Pournami.

What Makes This Pournami Special

On this day the moon is usually in Chitta (Chitra) nakshatram, which gives the day its name. In Tamil Nadu, devotees worship Chitragupta, the record-keeper of Yama, and pray for forgiveness of their wrongs; Tiruvannamalai girivalam and the Chithirai festivities of Madurai fall in this season. In North India this day is Hanuman Jayanti. Some Telugu devotees also worship Hanuman specially on Chaitra Pournami, though most people in the Telugu states celebrate Hanuman Jayanti on Vaishakha Bahula Dashami.

Puja Steps

• Take an early bath, in a river if possible, and clean the house and puja space.
• Worship your family deity, and if possible perform Sri Satyanarayana Swamy vratham.
• Offer a betel-leaf garland and sindhuram to Hanuman and read Hanuman Chalisa.
• After moonrise, offer arghyam to the moon along with milk or payasam.
• Since summer heat is setting in, donating buttermilk, panakam, water pots, umbrellas and footwear, or running a chalivendram, is highly meritorious.

Fasting and Rules

Some devotees fast through the day and eat after seeing the moon; others keep the vratham with one sattvic meal. Non-vegetarian food and alcohol are avoided, and one tries to remain truthful and calm in word and deed.

Significance

Worship and charity on the first Pournami of the year are believed to bring auspiciousness for the whole year. The custom of remembering Chitragupta reminds us that every action is accounted for, and that we should live by dharma.

Like the cool light of the Chaitra full moon, may peace and calm fill everyone's life.