Adhik Maas Purnima 2026
🌕 What is Adhik Maas Purnima?
Adhik Maas Purnima (also written Adhika Maas Purnima or Mal Maas Purnima) is the full-moon (Purnima) that falls inside an Adhik (extra) lunar month. In 2026, the Adhik (extra) month — commonly called Adhik Jyeshtha or Mal Maas — is observed in May–June, and the extra month’s full moon (Adhika Purnima) falls on May 31, 2026. (City timings vary — see tithi below).
📅 Adhik Maas Purnima 2026 — Date & Tithi (Quick Reference)
| Event | Date & Time (India — IST) |
|---|---|
| Day | Sunday |
| Adhika (Adhik) Purnima — Adhik Jyeshtha | May 31, 2026. (Full moon in Adhik Jyeshtha / Mal Maas). |
| Purnima Tithi Begins | 04:27 PM on May 30, 2026 (IST) — New Delhi reference. |
| Purnima Tithi Ends | 06:44 PM on May 31, 2026 (IST) — New Delhi reference. |
Timing note: tithi/muhurat depends on location (city). Always confirm city-specific panchang timings before planning puja or holy dips. Recommended reference: DrikPanchang
🔭 What is Adhik (Mal) Maas — Why is an extra month added?
The Hindu lunar calendar follows the Moon’s phases (lunar months), while the civil year follows the Sun (solar year). A lunar year (12 synodic months) is about 354 days, roughly 11 days shorter than the solar year (~365 days). To keep lunar months and festivals aligned with the seasons and solar calendar, traditional Indian astronomy inserts an extra lunar month — called Adhik Maas (also Mal Maas, Purushottam Maas) — roughly every 2–3 years (around every 32.5 months). This intercalary month prevents the gradual drift of festivals away from their seasonal window and keeps the calendar in sync with agricultural and ritual cycles.
In practice an Adhik Maas is created when a lunar month does not contain a Sankranti (the Sun’s transit into a new zodiac sign) — that month is called Adhika and gets repeated (for example, Jyeshtha in 2026 occurs twice: once as the Adhik Jyeshtha and later as the regular Jyeshtha). The following month is called the regular month. Astronomical treatises and panchang rules (like the Vashishta Siddhanta) define how and when the extra month is appended.
🌞 Significance of Adhik Maas Purnima
Adhik Maas is considered especially powerful for spiritual practice. While many traditional rites (like weddings) are often avoided during Adhik Maas, it is also viewed as a time for intensified devotion — extra japa, vrata, charity (daan), homa, reading scriptures, and pilgrimage. The extra month is a chance to accrue spiritual merit without the ordinary distractions of everyday life. Devotees often perform additional vrata (fasts), Satyanarayan pujas, and charitable works during Adhik Maas and especially on the Purnima that falls within it. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
🪔 Rituals, Observances & How to Observe at Home
1. Holy Bath (Snan)
Take a ritual bath early in the morning in a sacred river or with home-sourced holy water; offer flowers and arghya to the sun and moon.
2. Charity & Donations
Distribute food, clothes or basic necessities to the needy and elderly — donations during Adhik Maas are believed to yield multiplied merit.
3. Puja & Homa
Perform Satyanarayan Puja, Ganesh puja, or homa (yajna) with a focus on purification and gratitude. If you are unsure about large Vedic ceremonies during Adhik Maas, consult your family priest — many simpler devotional rites are encouraged.
4. Japa, Study & Meditation
Devote time to chanting (japa), reciting scripture (Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu Sahasranama), and meditation. The extra month is considered favourable for discipline and spiritual study.
🕉️ Mantras & Short Chants
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॐ दानाय विदमहे शूराय धीमहि तन्नो धर्मः प्रचोदयात्
🧘♀️ Spiritual Meaning & Practical Advice
Adhik Maas is a reminder that calendars are not only astronomical tools but also guides for communal life. This “bonus month” offers time to step back, prioritize spiritual practices and help others. If you plan ceremonies (weddings, major samskaras) check traditional guidance — many families postpone certain rites until the regular month after Adhik Maas; but devotional activities and charity are often encouraged.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When is Adhik Maas Purnima 2026?
Adhik (Adhika) Purnima in 2026 — Adhika Jyeshtha Purnima — falls on May 31, 2026. (Purnima tithi begins 04:27 PM on May 30 and ends 06:44 PM on May 31 — New Delhi reference).
2. What is Adhik Maas / Mal Maas?
Adhik Maas is an extra lunar month inserted into the Hindu calendar approximately every 32–33 months to align the lunar months with the solar year. It is sometimes called Mal Maas or Purushottam Maas.
3. Is Adhik Maas auspicious or inauspicious?
Adhik Maas is considered spiritually potent — ideal for extra devotional practice and charity. Traditionally, some large samskaras (like marriages) may be avoided during the extra month; families often follow local customs and priestly guidance.
4. What special activities are recommended?
Charity (daan), Satyanarayan puja, homa, japa, scripture reading, meditation, and visiting temples or pilgrim sites. Preparing and donating vegetarian meals is especially meritorious.
5. How often does Adhik Maas occur?
Roughly once every 2–3 years — astronomically about every 32–33 synodic months — depending on calculations used by different panchang traditions.
