Margasira Masam 2026: Dates, Lakshmivara Vratam Thursdays, Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Dhanurmasam (Telugu Calendar)

Quick answer: Margasira Masam 2026 begins on Wednesday 9 December 2026 and ends on Thursday 7 January 2027 in the Telugu and Kannada amanta calendar (calculated). Its five Thursdays for the Lakshmivara vratam are 10, 17, 24 and 31 December 2026 and 7 January 2027. The month's great day is Sunday 20 December 2026, when Mukkoti (Vaikuntha) Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti fall together.

Margasira follows Karthika. After a month of lamps and Shiva worship, the focus turns to Vishnu and Lakshmi. From 16 December, Dhanurmasam adds early-morning worship and the singing of Andal's Tiruppavai.

All dates are India dates. Most are calculated by HinduTone's ephemeris calculator, which we checked against Drik Panchang to within one or two minutes. Please confirm them on Drik Panchang or in your family panchangam.

Margasira Masam 2026 dates at a glance

Why Margasira is special: "masanam margashirsho'ham"

In the tenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes his glories. In verse 10.35 he says:

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्। मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः॥

Transliteration: brihat-sama tatha samnam gayatri chhandasam aham, masanam margashirsho'ham ritunam kusumakarah.

Meaning: "Among the Sama hymns I am the Brihat Sama; among metres I am the Gayatri; among months I am Margashirsha; among seasons I am spring, the bearer of flowers."

Because Krishna names this month as his own, devotees treat all of Margasira as sacred. It is a good month to begin reading the Gita, chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama or taking up a daily practice. Fittingly, Gita Jayanti falls within it. See Gita Jayanti 2026.

Margasira Lakshmivara vratam 2026: the five Thursdays

In Telugu, Thursday is also called Lakshmivaram. During Margasira, many Telugu women worship Goddess Lakshmi on each Thursday for the well-being and prosperity of the family. In Maharashtra the same custom is called the Margashirsha Guruvar vrat.

• 1st Thursday: 10 December 2026 (calculated)
• 2nd Thursday: 17 December 2026 (calculated)
• 3rd Thursday: 24 December 2026 (calculated)
• 4th Thursday: 31 December 2026 (calculated)
• 5th Thursday: 7 January 2027 (calculated)

A typical Lakshmivara puja, kept simple:

• Clean the home and draw a muggu (rangoli) at the entrance in the morning.
• Set up a kalasham with water, mango leaves and a coconut, or simply place a picture of Lakshmi on a clean cloth.
• Offer turmeric, kumkum, flowers and a ghee lamp. Recite the Sri Lakshmi Ashtottaram or Sri Suktam if you know it.
• Read the Margasira Lakshmivara vratam katha from your family's vrata book, as it is commonly told in your region.
• Offer naivedyam such as payasam, pulihora or fruit, and share tambulam with married women who visit.

Families differ in how many Thursdays they observe and how they close the vratam. Follow your elders or family priest. For more on the rituals, see Margasira Lakshmi Vratam: rituals and benefits and Margashirsha Guruvar Vrat 2026.

Festivals within Margasira Masam 2026

Subrahmanya Shashti, Tuesday 15 December 2026 (calculated). Margasira Shukla Shashti is sacred to Lord Subrahmanya. Telugu and Kannada devotees offer worship at Subrahmanya temples and at snake shrines. See Subrahmanya Shashti 2026.

Dhanurmasam, from Wednesday 16 December 2026 (calculated). When the Sun enters Dhanu, Vishnu temples begin special dawn worship. Andal's Tiruppavai is sung one pasuram a day, and many families offer pongali as prasadam. Dhanurmasam runs until Makar Sankranti, which is usually observed on Friday 15 January 2027 (please confirm on Drik). See Dhanurmasam 2026 and Tiruppavai 30 pasurams with Telugu meanings.

Mukkoti Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti, Sunday 20 December 2026 (calculated). Margasira Shukla Ekadashi falls inside Dhanurmasam, so it is Vaikuntha Ekadashi. As commonly told, the three crore (mukkoti) gods come to worship Vishnu on this day. Devotees fast and seek Uttara Dwara (northern gate) darshan at Tirumala, Bhadrachalam and other Vishnu temples. Each temple announces its own darshan arrangements. See Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in India.

Margasira Pournami and Datta Jayanti, Wednesday 23 December 2026 (calculated). The full moon is honoured with Satyanarayana puja in many homes and with Datta Jayanti at Datta temples such as Pithapuram. See Margasira Pournami 2026 and Datta Jayanti 2026.

Daily practices for Margasira

• Wake early and bathe before sunrise, especially from 16 December when Dhanurmasam begins.
• Light a lamp morning and evening and draw a muggu at the door.
• Read a few verses of the Bhagavad Gita each day. Starting at Gita Jayanti and reading through the month is a good plan.
• Chant the Vishnu Sahasranama or the Sri Lakshmi Ashtottaram, especially on Thursdays.
• From 16 December, recite one Tiruppavai pasuram a day with its meaning.
• Give food or warm clothing to those in need during the cold weeks of the month.

For a family routine you can follow with children, see Dhanurmasam daily rituals for families.

Tips for Telugu families abroad

• The Thursday vratam is tied to the weekday, so keep it on Thursday in your own time zone.
• Ekadashi, Pournami and Shashti depend on the tithi. They can fall a day earlier or later abroad, so check Drik Panchang for your city. Do not convert Indian times.
• If weekday mornings are busy, a short puja with a lamp, kumkum and one stotram is fine. Many families do a fuller puja in the evening.
• Many temples abroad hold special services for Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Check your temple's website for its programme.
• Fasting is optional. Pregnant women, elders, children and anyone with a health condition should consult a doctor and can keep a lighter vrat.

See our guides for Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2026 in the USA, Canada and the UK and Ireland.

Frequently asked questions

When does Margasira Masam 2026 start and end?

In the Telugu and Kannada amanta calendar, Margasira Masam 2026 begins on Wednesday 9 December 2026 and ends on Thursday 7 January 2027 (calculated). Pushya (Pausha) Masam begins on Friday 8 January 2027.

What are the Margasira Lakshmivara vratam dates in 2026?

The Thursdays of Margasira Masam 2026 are 10 December, 17 December, 24 December and 31 December 2026, and 7 January 2027 (calculated). Many families perform Lakshmi puja on each of them, or on the Thursday their family tradition prefers.

When is Mukkoti Ekadashi in Margasira 2026?

Mukkoti (Vaikuntha) Ekadashi falls on Sunday 20 December 2026 (calculated). It is Margasira Shukla Ekadashi, the same day as Gita Jayanti, and it falls inside Dhanurmasam.

Why is Margasira called Krishna's favourite month?

In the Bhagavad Gita (10.35), Krishna says "masanam margashirsho'ham", meaning "among months, I am Margashirsha". For this reason the month is considered especially sacred for Vishnu worship, prayer and reading the Gita.

Is Margasira the same as the North Indian Margashirsha?

The name is the same, but the dates differ. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar, Margashirsha ends on the full moon of 23 December 2026 and Paush begins on 24 December. The festivals themselves fall on the same days.

Can I do the Lakshmivara vratam outside India?

Yes. Perform the puja on Thursday in your own time zone. A Thursday is a Thursday everywhere, but tithi-based days like Ekadashi can differ by a day, so check Drik Panchang for your city.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original hindutone.com address after the earlier version was lost. The Amavasya date is from Drik Panchang (New Delhi); other dates are calculated by HinduTone's ephemeris calculator, checked against Drik Panchang, and labelled "calculated". Vratam customs vary by family and region; we describe them in general terms. Please follow your family tradition and confirm dates in your panchangam.

Related guides

• December 2026 Hindu festivals
• December 2026 vrat calendar
• December 2026 festivals state-wise
• Karthika Masam 2026
• Margashirsha Guruvar Vrat: complete guide to Thursday Lakshmi puja
• Bhadrachalam temple guide