Raksha Bandhan 2026: When Is Rakhi This Year? Date, Muhurat And Everything You Need To Know
New Delhi: Raksha Bandhan 2026 is just around the corner, and this year the festival falls on Friday, August 28. As families begin shopping for rakhis, sweets and gifts, many people are also checking the exact date and the right time to tie the sacred thread.
Raksha Bandhan is celebrated every year on the full moon day, or Purnima, of the Hindu month of Shravan. This year, the Purnima tithi begins at around 9:08 am on August 27 and ends at 9:48 am on August 28. Since the full moon continues into the morning of August 28, Rakhi will be celebrated that day.
For people in Delhi, the traditional Rakhi tying muhurat on August 28 is from 5:57 am to 9:48 am. The exact timing can vary depending on the city, so those following a specific family tradition or local panchang may want to check the timings for their location.
But Raksha Bandhan is about much more than finding the right time on the clock.
The festival brings brothers and sisters together to celebrate a relationship built on years of memories, arguments, laughter and, of course, plenty of teasing. On Rakhi, sisters traditionally tie a rakhi around their brothers wrists, apply tilak and offer sweets. Brothers then give gifts and promise to stand by their sisters through life.
The meaning of the festival has also changed with the times. Today, Raksha Bandhan is increasingly seen as a celebration of mutual love, support and responsibility between siblings, rather than simply a brother promising to protect his sister.
There is also an interesting astronomical event on the same date. A partial lunar eclipse is expected on August 28, but it will not be visible from India because the Moon will be below the horizon during the relevant phase. As a result, the eclipse related Sutak period is not generally considered applicable in India.
From colourful rakhis in local markets to online gift deliveries and video calls between siblings living in different cities or countries, celebrations are taking many forms in 2026.
Yet, at its heart, Raksha Bandhan remains wonderfully simple. It is about sitting together, tying a thread, sharing a sweet and reminding someone that no matter how much life changes, the bond between siblings still matters.