Dattatreya Jayanti
Also called Datta Jayanti
When
Wednesday, 23 December 2026 in 104 days
New Delhi ยท change location
at sunrise. This observance is governed by pradosh, not by the sunrise tithi โ which is why the tithi named here is often not the one the festival is named for.
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Governed by pradosh
Why this date?
Margashirsha Purnima. The governed rule for this site takes the tithi prevailing in the evening โ pradosh โ rather than at sunrise. The research that established it could not separate pradosh from moonrise as the deciding kala, and that ambiguity is recorded rather than resolved: the two agree on every year tested, so the site follows pradosh while noting it is not the only candidate consistent with the evidence.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- The governing period is stated, and the rule is applied to it
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
- Wednesday, 23 December 2026 in 104 days
- Monday, 13 December 2027 in 459 days
- Friday, 1 December 2028 in 813 days
- Thursday, 20 December 2029 in 1197 days
- Monday, 9 December 2030 in 1551 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The appearance day of Dattatreya, the three-headed form combining Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Kept at Gangapur, Ganagapur and the Datta sampradaya centres, with the Guru Charitra recited through the preceding week.
- Deity: Dattatreya
Why The reason behind it
Dattatreya is approached as the guru rather than as a deity to be petitioned, and the sampradaya's texts are guru-parampara accounts. The seven-day Guru Charitra parayana that concludes on this day is the observance for most followers, more than the day's puja itself.
Traditional basis
Markandeya Purana and the Datta tradition โ The Dattatreya narrative and the trimurti form.
Guru Charitra โ The Marathi text recited in the saptaha concluding on this day.
How At home, step by step
- Complete the Guru Charitra saptaha, timed to end on the day.
- Attend the evening puja; the observance belongs to the evening.
- Visit a Datta sthana where possible โ Gangapur and Narsobawadi are the principal ones.
Fasting and breaking the fast
Kept by many as a single meal.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- Maharashtra (Marathi)
The strongest observance; the Datta sampradaya is largely Maharashtrian and Karnatakan. - Karnataka (Kannada)
Ganagapur is the principal centre. - Andhra & Telangana (Telugu)
Kept in the Datta tradition's centres.
For children
The birthday of Dattatreya, who has three heads because he is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva all at once, and is followed by four dogs.
Common questions
- Why does the site say the governing kala is not fully settled?
- Because the research behind it proved the sunrise tithi is not what selects the day, but could not separate the evening pradosh from moonrise โ both fit every year examined. Recording that is more honest than picking one and presenting it as established.
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.