Akshaya (Amla) Navami 2026: 18 November — Why Eat Under the Amla Tree, Vidhi and Kushmanda Daan

2026-09-23

Akshaya (Amla) Navami 2026 falls on Wednesday, 18 November. The Navami tithi runs from 06:04 on 18 Nov to 07:05 on 19 Nov, so a few calendars print 19 Nov. Why families eat under the amla tree, the vidhi and Kushmanda daan.

Akshaya Navami, also called Amla Navami, falls on Wednesday, 18 November 2026. The Kartik Shukla Navami tithi begins at 06:04 on 18 November and ends at 07:05 on 19 November. Navami covers the whole of 18 November and the puja is done in the morning, so that is the main day. A few calendars print 19 November; the reason is explained below. In some regions the same day is called Kushmanda Navami.

Why is Akshaya Navami on 18 November and not 19 November?

This year Navami is present at two consecutive sunrises. Panchang makers call this tithi vriddhi, literally "growth of the tithi".

A tithi is a lunar day. It is measured by the Moon's movement, not the clock, so it does not start or end at midnight. By convention, the tithi running at sunrise counts as the tithi of that day.

On 18 November, Delhi sunrise is at 06:47 and Navami has already begun at 06:04. It then runs through the whole day and night. On 19 November, sunrise is again at 06:47, but Navami ends at 07:05, only 18 minutes later.

Amla Navami puja belongs to the purvahna, the forenoon, meaning the stretch from sunrise to just before midday. On 18 November the entire forenoon is inside Navami. On 19 November, Dashami (the tenth tithi) begins before most families would even reach the tree. That is why our panchang engine marks 18 November as the main day.

Both days at a glance (Delhi)

These are Delhi timings. Sunrise and sunset in your city will differ by a few minutes, but the start and end of the tithi are the same across India.

Why the amla tree, and what does "akshaya" mean?

Akshaya means "that which does not decay". The belief is that puja, charity and service done on this day earn merit that does not diminish. Hence Akshaya Navami.

In tradition the amla tree (Indian gooseberry) is regarded as dear to Vishnu. The whole month of Kartik is held to be a month of Vishnu worship, and this Navami falls in its bright half. The rest of the month's observances are in our Kartik maas 2026 guide.

There is a seasonal logic too. The amla harvest begins around November and the fresh fruit starts reaching markets. Ayurveda has long held amla in high regard; we will leave it at that, but in the traditional view the festival and the fruit arriving together is not a coincidence.

Why do families eat under the amla tree?

This is what sets Amla Navami apart from every other Kartik observance. After the puja, the family cooks a meal under or near the tree and eats it right there, together.

Tradition ties this to the katha (story) told on the day, in which Lakshmi herself worshipped the amla tree, cooked beneath it, offered the food to Vishnu and then ate. The meal under the tree re-enacts that. The belief is that food eaten in the tree's shade on this day is like prasad, taken in the presence of the deity.

In practice, this is also what makes the day stick. Children remember the picnic under the tree, not the mantra. That may well be the point.

What is the puja vidhi for Amla Navami?

1. Bathe in the morning and go to an amla tree. Offer water at the roots.
2. Light a lamp (diya) near the roots.
3. Wind raw cotton thread around the trunk. Many families do this while walking around the tree.
4. Do parikrama, that is, walk around the tree. The number of rounds varies by family and region; do as many as feel natural.
5. Meditate on Vishnu and Lakshmi and listen to or read the Amla Navami katha.
6. Cook the meal under or near the tree, offer it first, then sit and eat together.
7. Give daan (charity) before or after the meal; the Kushmanda daan custom is described below.

Timing: the forenoon of 18 November. Delhi sunrise is at 06:47; the whole morning after that is within Navami, so there is no need to hunt for a separate muhurta (auspicious window).

The vrat: by parampara (tradition), many women keep a fast on this day for the family's well-being and complete it with the meal under the tree. It is a family custom, not a requirement.

What is Kushmanda daan, and why is it done?

Kushmanda is the Sanskrit word for pumpkin. Because of the custom of donating a pumpkin after the puja, several regions call this day Kushmanda Navami.

The method is simple. After the puja, a pumpkin is given to someone in need, to a temple or to a Brahmin. Some families add food or other items to it. The custom is regional, not universal; where it exists, it is treated as an essential part of the day.

The daan is not a transaction for a result. The idea behind "akshaya" is simply that what is given is not wasted. Give what is comfortable; the intent matters, not the quantity.

What is the katha of Akshaya Navami?

According to the katha, Lakshmi worshipped the amla tree, regarding it as a dwelling of Vishnu. After the puja she cooked a meal right under the tree, offered it to Vishnu and then ate it herself.

Tradition draws all three practices of the day from this story: the tree puja, the parikrama, and the meal beneath the branches. Different regions tell the katha in different forms, but the core is the same: the grace of Vishnu and Lakshmi, and reverence for the amla tree.

How is the day observed in Vrindavan and Mathura?

Kartik is the month of parikrama (circumambulation) in Vrindavan and Mathura, an old tradition. Akshaya Navami is considered a special day for it, and many people arrive for the parikrama.

If you plan to be there, start early. On 18 November sunrise is at 06:47 and sunset at 17:25, so daylight lasts roughly ten and a half hours.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some calendars list Amla Navami on 19 November?

Because Navami is also present at sunrise on 19 November (06:47); it ends at 07:05. Panchangs that apply only the "tithi at sunrise" rule may print 19. But the puja is a forenoon ritual, and on 19 November Navami is gone 18 minutes after sunrise. That makes 18 November the better choice. If your family or local temple follows 19, that is not wrong either; Navami is at sunrise on both days.

Is fasting compulsory?

No. Women traditionally keep the vrat for the family, but the tree puja and the shared meal are the heart of the day. Do what is comfortable for you.

Are Amla Navami, Akshaya Navami and Kushmanda Navami different festivals?

No, they are three names for the same day. "Amla" comes from the tree, "Akshaya" from the belief that the merit does not decay, and "Kushmanda" from the pumpkin daan custom.

What is the next big observance in Kartik after Amla Navami?

Three days later, on 21 November, comes Tulsi Vivah. This week of Kartik's bright half is dense with observances.

The morning of 18 November 2026, after the 06:47 sunrise in Delhi: a lamp, a thread, a few rounds of the tree, and a meal eaten together in its shade. That is all Amla Navami asks. For the sunrise and tithi timings in your own city, our daily panchang has them.