Raksha Bandhan 2027: date, rakhi muhurat and Bhadra time

Raksha Bandhan 2027 date and timing at a glance

Here are the key moments for Raksha Bandhan 2027 in Indian Standard Time, calculated from the real positions of the Sun and Moon. The window column follows the common rule of tying rakhi after Bhadra while Purnima is still running.

What is Bhadra and why calendars skip it

Bhadra, also called Vishti karana, is one of the eleven karanas, the half tithi units of the panchang. On a Purnima, Bhadra usually covers the first half of the tithi. Tradition treats Bhadra as a time to leave aside new or celebratory acts, and the story most often told is that Ravan's sister tied his rakhi during Bhadra.

In 2027 Bhadra falls almost entirely on 16 August, during the afternoon and evening, and is over before sunrise on 17 August. That is why most calendars place the whole festival on the morning of 17 August. Some families also look at the aparahna, the afternoon, as the ideal part of the day; in 2027 Purnima ends around 12:59 PM, so the morning is the practical window.

• Bhadra on Purnima: roughly the first half of the tithi.
• In 2027 it ends near midnight between 16 and 17 August, IST.
• After Bhadra and before Purnima ends is the window calendars read for rakhi.
• Your local mandir or family pandit may follow a slightly different rule; their date is what the community follows.

Rakhi thali: what most families keep ready

The usual order is tilak, akshat, tying the rakhi on the right wrist, a small aarti with the diya, and sharing sweets. Families add their own touches: some tie a rakhi to Krishna or to the family deity first, some sisters also tie a lumba on their sister in law's bangle, a custom from Marwari and Rajasthani homes.

1. A clean plate, often brass or steel, with a small diya.
2. Roli or kumkum for tilak and a few grains of akshat (unbroken rice).
3. The rakhi itself, simple mauli thread or a decorated one.
4. Sweets such as laddoo, barfi or ghewar, popular in Rajasthan and Delhi.
5. A little water in a kalash or lota.
6. Flowers or petals for the aarti.

The stories behind Raksha Bandhan

Shravan Purnima in other traditions

Raksha Bandhan 2027 for brothers and sisters abroad

Purnima starts and ends at the same instant all over the world, but the clock on your wall reads it differently. In the USA and Canada, Purnima begins on the night of 15 August or early on 16 August local time and ends early on 17 August, so many families abroad tie rakhi on 16 August or on the nearest weekend. In the UAE, UK and Australia the India date of 17 August usually works, with the morning window shifted to local time.

The world table further down converts the Purnima window to 30 cities. A rakhi sent by post or courier is also a common custom when siblings live in different countries; tradition does not fix a minimum or maximum time for posting it.

Rakhi and your rashi, for fun

Some families like to match the rakhi colour to the brother's Moon sign. This is a light, playful custom, not a rule, and any colour made with love is the right one.

Raksha Bandhan 2027 time in Indian cities

Rakhi is tied while Purnima runs and Bhadra is over, which in 2027 means the morning of 17 August until about 12:59 PM IST. Below are sunrise, sunset and moonrise on Tuesday, 17 August 2027 for major Indian cities, calculated from each city's latitude and longitude. All times are IST. East Indian cities see the sun and moon earlier, west Indian cities later, by up to about an hour.

Raksha Bandhan 2027 time in the USA, Canada, UK, UAE and Australia

For families abroad, the tithi starts and ends at the same instant everywhere, but your clock shows it at a different hour and sometimes on a different date. Here is Shukla Purnima converted to each city's local time, with daylight saving applied, plus sunrise, sunset and moonrise on Tuesday, 17 August 2027 in that city.

How to read this table

1. Find your city, or the nearest one in the same time zone.
2. If the tithi covers your morning on Tuesday, 17 August 2027, you observe on the same date as India.
3. If it does not, follow your local mandir, which will decide using the same rule.

Open your city's full daily panchang, choghadiya and Rahu kaal from the panchang page.

How we calculate these dates and times

• The festival date is the India observance date published in standard Delhi calendars for 2027.
• The tithi window (Mon 16 Aug, 10:29 AM to Tue 17 Aug, 12:59 PM IST) is calculated from the real positions of the Sun and Moon.
• Sunrise, sunset and moonrise are calculated for each city's coordinates, on a flat horizon.
• Local times use each city's official time zone, including daylight saving.

Frequently asked questions about Raksha Bandhan 2027