Narasimha Jayanti
Appearance of Bhagavan Narasimha at dusk on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi.
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This festival's date rule is applied exactly as documented, but it has not yet passed the platform's Jyotish review (an automated review against the classical texts and published Panchangs). Regional Panchangs may differ; confirm with your family priest or local temple.
- CategoryJayanti
- DeityBhagavan Narasimha
- Defining tithi / momentShukla Paksha Chaturdashi: to
- Lunar monthVaishakha Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta)
Timings on Tuesday, 18 May 2027
- Pradosh Kaal to 2 h 11 min · 18/05/2027 (Tue)
Rule applied: Smarta — The tithi covers the required time on this day only.
About Narasimha Jayanti
Significance
Narasimha Jayanti marks the appearance of Vishnu as Narasimha, the man-lion, to protect his young devotee Prahlada and end the tyranny of Prahlada’s father, the daitya king Hiranyakashipu. Narasimha is the fourth of the ten principal avataras in the common lists, and the day is kept with particular devotion in Vaishnava traditions.
The Bhagavata Purana (Canto 7, chapters 3 to 10) tells how Hiranyakashipu won from Brahma a boon that he could be killed by neither man nor beast, neither by day nor by night, neither inside nor outside, neither on the ground nor in the sky, and by no weapon; how he persecuted Prahlada for his devotion to Vishnu; and how Narasimha burst from a pillar of the assembly hall and slew him at dusk, in the doorway, upon his lap, with his claws. The Narasimha Purana and the Vishnu Purana also tell Prahlada’s story, and Prahlada’s hymns of praise are recited on this day.
How and where it is observed
The day is kept across India, with the largest celebrations at Narasimha temples such as Ahobilam and Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh, Simhachalam near Visakhapatnam, Yadagirigutta in Telangana and Melkote in Karnataka, where Sri Vaishnava and Madhva communities observe it closely. Gaudiya Vaishnava communities, among them ISKCON, keep it as Narasimha Chaturdashi.
Rituals
Devotees commonly fast until dusk, the hour of the appearance, and the main worship, abhisheka and offerings follow in the evening. In South Indian temples and homes panakam, a cooling drink of jaggery, water, pepper and cardamom, is a favoured offering in the hot season, and the Narasimha Kavacha and the Bhagavata chapters on Prahlada are recited; some temples enact the story. The fast is broken after the evening worship or, in some traditions, the next morning.
How the date is fixed
Narasimha Jayanti is Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi, the same month in Amanta and Purnimanta reckoning. As the appearance was at dusk, the Chaturdashi must prevail at Pradosh, the evening period from sunset lasting a fifth of the night. If it covers Pradosh on one evening only, that day is kept. If it covers Pradosh on two evenings, the later, Purnima-joined day is taken, by the tithi-yugma rule of Nirnaya Sindhu that pairs Chaturdashi with Purnima; if on neither, the day on which Chaturdashi prevails longest.
Sources
- Bhagavata Purana, Canto 7, chapter 8: Narasimha slays Hiranyakashipu
- Narasimha Purana (Prahlada and Narasimha)
- Nirnaya Sindhu, tithi-yugma rule (quoting Garuda Purana 1.128.16-17)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Narasimha
Customs differ between regions, communities and families; this description is background, not a prescription. The date above is calculated by the rule shown on this page.
How the date is determined
- The date is Vaishakha Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi; the month name is the same in the Amanta and Purnimanta systems.
- It falls on the day when this tithi prevails during Pradosh Kaal — the first fifth of the night after sunset.
- If the tithi prevails at that time on two consecutive days, the day on which it covers more of that period is taken.
- When the tithi touches that period on two days, the later day, joined with the following tithi, is taken (the tithi-pair (yugma) rule of Nirnaya Sindhu).
- If the tithi does not touch that period on any day (a kshaya tithi), the Hindu day on which the tithi prevails longest is used.
- In a year with an Adhik month of the same name, it is observed in the regular (Nija) month.
Traditional variation
This is the date given by the rule shown above for the selected place. It is not the only valid date: regional Panchangs, family customs and sampradayas may observe it on a different day.
Rule source: Pradosh (sayankala) Chaturdashi; on two evenings the Purnima-viddha (later) day by the tithi-yugma rule (Nirnaya Sindhu; Garuda Purana 1.128.16-17). Rashtriya Panchang (India Meteorological Department) daily pages: 22 May 2024, 11 May 2025, 30 Apr 2026.
Traditions may vary by region and Panchang convention. Times are shown for the selected place, time zone and calculation profile.
Calculated with engine 1.4.2 · rules rules-2026-10-21-2ab12b5d · profile north-lahiri-calibrated v1 · ayanamsa lahiri_drik_compat · astronomy-engine@2.1.19 · Asia/Kolkata
Dates in 2026
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30/04/2026 (Thu)
Vaishakha Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi: to |
|
|
Dates in 2027
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/05/2027 (Tue)
Next
Vaishakha Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi: to |
|
Standard rule applied |