Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated on Friday, 4th September 2026. Devotees will also be searching for the Moonrise time on Janmashtami in their city. The festival is Krishna Paksha Ashtami, and the Moon is in Taurus and Rohini Nakshatra till late evening.Ashtami Tithi starts at 2:25 AM on September 4 and ends at midnight. Rohini ends around 11:04 PM. This makes the late-evening sky astrologically interesting, especially near Chandroday.
Janmashtami 2026 Moonrise Time City-Wise
The moonrise varies across different parts of India. Differences due to longitude, latitude and local horizon conditions are significant.Chandroday timings for September 4, 2026 are as under:Delhi: around 11:27 PMNoida: around 11:24 PMJaipur: around 11:40 PMKolkata: around 10:59 PMHyderabad: around 11:54 PMChennai: around 11:52 PMBengaluru: around 12:03 AM on 5 SeptemberMumbai: around 12:08–12:10 AM on 5 SeptemberDifferent Panchang and astronomical services may vary by a few minutes because they use slightly different calculation methods.
Why Is the Moon Important on Janmashtami?
It is believed that Lord Krishna was born on Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra. Rohini itself is a lunar nakshatra closely associated with nourishment, beauty, attraction, creativity, and growth in Vedic astrology.That is why the Moon holds a special symbolic place in Krishna Jayanti.On 4 September, the Moon is still in Taurus, a sign that traditional astrology considers particularly powerful for lunar energy. Emotionally, this placement is about stability, affection, nourishment, and the desire for inner peace.
Is Moonrise the Main Janmashtami Puja Time?
No. Moonrise and Nishita Puja are two different times.Worship of Krishna Janma is performed during Nishita Kaal, the midnight period associated with Lord Krishna’s birth.Nishita Puja will be between 11:57 PM and 12:43 AM for New Delhi. Mumbai has a later window, roughly from 12:14 AM to 1:01 AM; Kolkata has an earlier window, roughly from 11:13 PM.Chandroday can take place before, during, or near the Nishita period, depending on the city.
An Interesting Rohini Timing in Kolkata
Kolkata has one of the earliest moonrise times among major Indian cities, at around 10:59 PM. Rohini Nakshatra ends around 11:04 PM.This leads to a brief, rare overlap between visible Moonrise and Rohini Nakshatra in the Kolkata region.In Delhi, Noida, Mumbai and many western cities, the moon rises after Rohini has passed. Ashtami, however, goes beyond midnight, so the lunar Tithi is still in force during the main worship time of Janmashtami.
