What is a Sankranti in Vedic Astrology?

Sankranti marks the exact second the Sun crosses a 30-degree sidereal zodiac sign boundary. There are 12 Sankrantis each year, marking the solar months.

Punya Kaal is the auspicious window surrounding a solar ingress dedicated to sacred bathing (Snana), solar prayers (Surya Arghya), and charitable donations (Daan).

Solar Ingress & Punya Kaal Almanac

Sankranti Calendar 2026

All 12 Solar Ingresses • New Delhi (28.6139° N, 77.2090° E)

← 2025 2026 (Current) 2027 →

Next Upcoming Solar Ingress

Tula Sankranti

Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 07:51:38 PM

Re-establishes cosmic equilibrium; sacred bath in Holy Kaveri river carries immense spiritual purification.

Classification: Vishuva (Equinox) • Dakshinayana

Punya Kaal & Sacred Observance Window

Transition

Kanya (Virgo) → Tula (Libra)

Observance Civil Date

2026-10-18

Punya Kaal Window

06:23 AM to 10:23 AM

Maha Punya Kaal

06:23 AM to 07:35 AM

Regional Celebrations: Tula Sankramanam, Kaveri Sankramana (Coorg)

Annual Solar Transition Ledger

All 12 Solar Ingresses in 2026

Sankranti	Ingress Instant	Zodiac Transition	Classification	Punya Kaal Window	Maha Punya Kaal	Regional Festivities
Makara Sankranti	2026-01-14 03:07:13 PM	Dhanu (Sagittarius) → Makara (Capricorn)	Ayana (Solstice) Uttarayana Begins	03:07 PM to 07:07 AM	03:07 PM to 05:07 PM	Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Uttarayan (Gujarat), Magh Bihu (Assam), Lohri/Maghi (Punjab), Khichdi (UP/Bihar)
Kumbha Sankranti	2026-02-13 04:08:51 AM	Makara (Capricorn) → Kumbha (Aquarius)	Vishnupadi Uttarayana	09:44 PM to 04:08 AM	03:44 AM to 04:08 AM	Kumbha Sankramanam, Magha Snana Confluence
Meena Sankranti	2026-03-15 01:02:57 AM	Kumbha (Aquarius) → Meena (Pisces)	Shadshitimukhi Uttarayana	06:38 PM to 01:02 AM	12:38 AM to 01:02 AM	Meena Kharmas Begins
Mesha Sankranti	2026-04-14 09:32:31 AM	Meena (Pisces) → Mesha (Aries)	Vishuva (Equinox) Uttarayana	06:20 AM to 12:44 PM	08:56 AM to 10:08 AM	Maha Vishuva / Pana Sankranti (Odisha), Baisakhi (Punjab), Pohela Boishakh (Bengal), Puthandu (Tamil Nadu), Vishu (Kerala)
Vrishabha Sankranti	2026-05-15 06:21:55 AM	Mesha (Aries) → Vrishabha (Taurus)	Vishnupadi Uttarayana	11:57 PM to 06:21 AM	05:57 AM to 06:21 AM	Vrishabha Sankramanam
Mithuna Sankranti	2026-06-15 12:52:52 PM	Vrishabha (Taurus) → Mithuna (Gemini)	Shadshitimukhi Uttarayana	06:28 AM to 12:52 PM	12:28 PM to 12:52 PM	Raja Parba (Odisha), Mithuna Sankramanam
Karka Sankranti	2026-07-16 11:39:16 PM	Mithuna (Gemini) → Karka (Cancer)	Ayana (Solstice) Dakshinayana Begins	05:34 AM to 09:34 AM (Next Morning)	05:34 AM to 07:34 AM	Dakshinayana Sankranti
Simha Sankranti	2026-08-17 07:58:42 AM	Karka (Cancer) → Simha (Leo)	Vishnupadi Dakshinayana	01:34 AM to 07:58 AM	07:34 AM to 07:58 AM	Simha Sankramanam, Ghee Sankranti (Uttarakhand)
Kanya Sankranti	2026-09-17 07:52:52 AM	Simha (Leo) → Kanya (Virgo)	Shadshitimukhi Dakshinayana	01:28 AM to 07:52 AM	07:28 AM to 07:52 AM	Vishwakarma Puja, Kanya Sankramanam
Tula Sankranti	2026-10-17 07:51:38 PM	Kanya (Virgo) → Tula (Libra)	Vishuva (Equinox) Dakshinayana	06:23 AM to 10:23 AM (Next Morning)	06:23 AM to 07:35 AM	Tula Sankramanam, Kaveri Sankramana (Coorg)
Vrischika Sankranti	2026-11-16 07:43:11 PM	Tula (Libra) → Vrischika (Scorpio)	Vishnupadi Dakshinayana	06:45 AM to 10:45 AM (Next Morning)	06:45 AM to 07:09 AM	Vrischika Sankramanam
Dhanu Sankranti	2026-12-16 10:24:59 AM	Vrischika (Scorpio) → Dhanu (Sagittarius)	Shadshitimukhi Dakshinayana	04:00 AM to 10:24 AM	10:00 AM to 10:24 AM	Dhanu Kharmas Begins, Dhanu Muan (Odisha)

+ Technical Sankranti Principles & Punya Kaal Classical Mechanics

Astronomical Determination: A solar ingress is the precise instant when the Nirayana (sidereal) solar longitude equals an exact multiple of 30° ($0^\circ, 30^\circ, 60^\circ, \dots, 330^\circ$) under the Chitrapaksha Lahiri Ayanamsha.

Fourfold Treatise Classification (Dharmasindhu / Nirnayasindhu):

Ayana Sankranti: Makara (Uttarayana, 40 Ghatis after) and Karka (Dakshinayana, 30 Ghatis before).
Vishuva Sankranti: Mesha and Tula (16 Ghatis before & after).
Vishnupadi Sankranti: Vrishabha, Simha, Vrischika, Kumbha (Fixed signs, 16 Ghatis before).
Shadshitimukhi Sankranti: Mithuna, Kanya, Dhanu, Meena (Dual signs, 16 Ghatis before).

Nocturnal Ingress Principle: If an ingress occurs after local sunset, classical Jyotish mandates that sacred bathing, tarpana, and charitable offerings are performed during the Punya Kaal of the subsequent morning.

Statutory Vedic Guidance: Sankranti calculations indicate sidereal solar movements and classical auspicious charity windows. For temple rituals and regional festivities, local sunrise-to-sunset traditions and temple schedules govern the civil celebration day.