Short answer: Maha Shivratri 2027 falls on Saturday 6 March. Chaturdashi runs from about 12:04 pm IST on 6 March to 1:46 pm on 7 March, so the night of 6 to 7 March is Shivratri. Nishita kaal, the midnight puja, is about 12:07 am to 12:56 am in Delhi. The fast is broken on 7 March after sunrise and before 1:46 pm.
Updated 8 November 2026
When is Maha Shivratri 2027?
Maha Shivratri 2027 is on Saturday 6 March. It is the Chaturdashi, the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, in the month of Phalguna by the North Indian calendar and Magha by the amanta calendar used in the south and west. Both calendars agree on the night; only the month name changes.
Shivratri is a night festival. The rule is simple: the night on which Chaturdashi is present at midnight is the night you keep. In 2027 Chaturdashi begins shortly after noon on Saturday and lasts until the early afternoon of Sunday, so it covers Saturday night completely. There is no split between panchangs this year in India.
If you are abroad, check your own city. On the west coast of the US and Canada, the same tithi falls on the night of Friday 5 March local time.
Maha Shivratri 2027 Nishita kaal by city
Nishita kaal is the eighth of the fifteen parts of the night, roughly the 48 to 50 minutes around true midnight. It is the most important single window of Shivratri, when the main abhishek is done. The times below are IST, on the night of 6 to 7 March 2027.
| City | Nishita kaal |
|---|---|
| New Delhi | about 12:07 am to 12:56 am |
| Mumbai | about 12:25 am to 1:13 am |
| Bengaluru | about 12:06 am to 12:54 am |
| Chennai | about 11:55 pm to 12:44 am |
| Kolkata | about 11:23 pm to 12:11 am |
Four prahar puja times for Maha Shivratri 2027
Those who keep the full night divide it into four prahars, from sunset to the next sunrise, and offer a separate abhishek in each. In the traditional order: milk in the first, curd in the second, ghee in the third and honey in the fourth, with water and bilva leaves throughout. These are New Delhi times; other cities shift with their own sunset and sunrise.
| Prahar | Time in Delhi (IST) | Traditional offering |
|---|---|---|
| First prahar | about 6:24 pm to 9:28 pm, 6 March | Milk |
| Second prahar | about 9:28 pm to 12:32 am | Curd |
| Third prahar | about 12:32 am to 3:36 am, 7 March | Ghee |
| Fourth prahar | about 3:36 am to 6:40 am, 7 March | Honey |
Most homes do not stay up all four prahars, and that is fine. A family that does the first prahar puja together after sunset, then lets one or two members sit through Nishita kaal, has kept the night well.
How do you keep the Maha Shivratri fast?
There are three common ways, and you should pick the one your body and your day can carry.
- Nirjala: no food or water from sunrise on 6 March until parana. This is the hardest and suits only people in good health.
- Phalahar: fruit, milk, curd, sabudana, singhara or kuttu flour, makhana and rock salt. This is what most families do.
- Ek-bhukt: one simple sattvik meal in the day, then nothing more until the next morning.
Grains, ordinary salt, onion and garlic are left out in all three. Children, elders, pregnant women and anyone on regular medicine, especially for diabetes or blood pressure, should not go without water and should check with their doctor before fasting at all. Shiva is not asking anybody to land in hospital.
When to break the Maha Shivratri 2027 fast (parana)
Parana is done on Sunday 7 March, after sunrise and before Chaturdashi ends at about 1:46 pm. In Delhi that gives a window from about 6:40 am to 1:46 pm. The usual practice is to bathe, offer water to the Shivling one last time, and then eat something light: fruit or a little of the prasad first, then a simple meal.
Some families break the fast after the fourth prahar puja, at dawn. That falls inside the same window, so both customs agree this year.
Doing the Shivratri puja at home
You do not need a temple. A small Shivling, or a picture of Shiva, a clean vessel of water, some milk, bilva leaves, white flowers, a lamp and a quiet corner are enough.
- Set up in the north-east of the home if you can, or wherever your puja shelf normally sits. The north-east is the water corner in Vastu, which suits a deity worshipped with water. My page on the 16 Vastu zones explains why.
- Pour water slowly over the Shivling while saying “Om Namah Shivaya”. Then milk, then water again.
- Offer bilva leaves with the smooth side up. Avoid tulsi and kumkum on the Shivling; by custom they are not offered to Shiva.
- Keep a lamp burning through the night if someone can watch it. If not, a lamp at dusk and another at Nishita kaal is enough.
Many people choose Shivratri to start wearing a rudraksha. If that is your plan, my page on rudraksha benefits and how to start wearing one has the steps.
Why a Saturday Shivratri matters to some charts
Shivratri on a Saturday is a little special in tradition, because Saturday belongs to Shani and Shiva is the one Shani is said to respect most. In 2027 Saturn is still in Pisces until 3 June, so Aquarius, Pisces and Aries Moon signs are inside sade sati on this night. For them I suggest keeping this Shivratri with some care: a quiet night, a mustard-oil lamp after sunset, and a promise kept rather than a promise made.
If you are not sure where you stand, my sade sati guide lists the phases for each Moon sign.
The other Shiva days of 2027
Maha Shivratri is the largest of thirteen monthly Shivratris in 2027. The day before, Friday 5 March, is a Pradosh, and the Monday that follows, 8 March, is a Somvati Amavasya. If you keep Shiva’s monthly fast, all thirteen Masik Shivratri nights and every Pradosh of the year are in my vrat calendar 2027. The full festival year is on the Hindu festivals 2027 page.
Want this night read for your own chart?
Shivratri is the same for everyone, but whether it is a good night for you to start a rudraksha, a mantra or a long sadhana depends on your dasha and your Moon. If you want me to look, a reading is ₹1,499 for a 45-minute session, by video or phone, in English, Hindi or Bengali. You can book your reading here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maha Shivratri 2027 on 5 March or 6 March?
In India it is on Saturday 6 March. Chaturdashi starts around 12:04 pm that day and lasts until 1:46 pm on 7 March. In the western US and Canada the same night is Friday 5 March by local time.
What is the Nishita kaal on Maha Shivratri 2027 in Bengaluru?
About 12:06 am to 12:54 am on the night of 6 to 7 March 2027. In Delhi it is about 12:07 am to 12:56 am.
When should I break the Maha Shivratri 2027 vrat?
On Sunday 7 March, after sunrise and before about 1:46 pm IST, when Chaturdashi ends. In Delhi that is roughly 6:40 am to 1:46 pm.
Can diabetics keep the Maha Shivratri 2027 fast?
Please check with your doctor first. Many diabetics keep a fruit-and-milk fast or a single meal instead of a waterless one, and that is a full and proper way to keep the day.
Is there a Pradosh vrat near Maha Shivratri 2027?
Yes, on Friday 5 March 2027, the evening before. Some devotees keep both, with the Pradosh puja at dusk on Friday and the Shivratri puja through Saturday night.
