Satyanarayan Puja: Vidhi, Samagri and 2026-27 Purnima Dates

Satyanarayan puja is the classic Hindu home ceremony: a worship of Lord Vishnu as Satyanarayan, the embodiment of truth, performed with a five-chapter katha (sacred story) and concluded with panchamrit and sheera prasad. It is traditionally performed on Purnima, the full moon day of each lunar month, and after happy milestones such as moving into a new home, a birth in the family or a new job. Below you will find the simplified vidhi, the full samagri checklist, and verified Purnima dates from September 2026 through August 2027.

What Is Satyanarayan Puja?

The puja comes from the Skanda Purana (Reva Khanda), where Lord Vishnu himself describes the vrat to the sage Narada as a worship any householder can perform to find peace and prosperity. Two things make it beloved across India:

• It is open to everyone. The katha itself makes the point repeatedly: rich or poor, merchant or woodcutter, anyone may perform this puja with devotion.
• It fits inside a home and an evening. No temple, no elaborate homam required in the common form; a clean corner, a kalash, the katha and sincere sankalpa (stated intention) are the heart of it.

The katha's five chapters, briefly

The Satyanarayan katha is read aloud in five adhyayas (chapters), and listening to all five is considered part of the vrat itself:

1. Narada's question: Sage Narada, pained by human suffering, asks Vishnu for a remedy; the Lord describes the Satyanarayan vrat.
2. The poor Brahmin and the woodcutter: A destitute Brahmin performs the vrat and prospers; a woodcutter who sees it does the same and flourishes, showing the vrat is open to all.
3. The merchant's vow: A merchant, Sadhu Vani, promises the puja in exchange for a daughter, then keeps postponing it, and his fortunes fall with imprisonment and loss.
4. The lesson of neglect: The merchant's family suffers for dismissing the prasad; when the vrat is honoured again, everything lost is restored.
5. King Tungadhwaja: A king who scorns the prasad of humble cowherds loses his sons and wealth, and regains them when he accepts the prasad with humility.

The thread through all five chapters is the same: truth kept is prosperity kept, and no one is too small or too great for this worship.

When to Perform Satyanarayan Puja

• Purnima (full moon): The classic day, especially the evening. Many families keep it as a monthly or annual vow. Kartik Purnima is considered the single most auspicious day of the year for it; see our full Kartik Purnima 2026 guide.
• After milestones: A griha pravesh is very commonly concluded with a Satyanarayan puja in the new home. Likewise after a newborn's arrival, a wedding, a promotion or new business, or the fulfilment of any vow.
• Ekadashi, Sankranti and Thursdays are also considered suitable in various regional traditions.

Evening (pradosha kala) is the traditional time on Purnima, though morning pujas are common and perfectly acceptable. Sunrise, moonrise and tithi timings shift by city, so check your city's timings on our daily panchang before fixing the hour.

Purnima Dates: September 2026 to August 2027

These dates and tithi timings are for New Delhi (IST) as published by Drik Panchang. The Purnima tithi often spans two calendar days; the puja is generally done on the day the tithi prevails in the evening, which is the date listed. On a few dates the tithi ends by late afternoon (for example 22 March and 20 May 2027) - on those days prefer a morning or early-afternoon puja so it falls within the tithi, or ask your purohit. Timings vary slightly by city.

Purnima	Puja day	Purnima tithi (IST, Delhi)
Bhadrapada Purnima	Saturday, 26 September 2026	25 Sep 11:06 PM to 26 Sep 10:18 PM
Ashwina Purnima (Sharad Purnima)	Sunday, 25 October 2026	25 Oct 11:55 AM to 26 Oct 9:41 AM
Kartika Purnima	Tuesday, 24 November 2026	23 Nov 11:42 PM to 24 Nov 8:23 PM
Margashirsha Purnima	Wednesday, 23 December 2026	23 Dec 10:47 AM to 24 Dec 6:57 AM
Pausha Purnima	Friday, 22 January 2027	21 Jan 9:29 PM to 22 Jan 5:46 PM
Magha Purnima	Saturday, 20 February 2027	20 Feb 7:59 AM to 21 Feb 4:52 AM
Phalguna Purnima (Holika Dahan is on 21 March)	Monday, 22 March 2027	21 Mar 6:21 PM to 22 Mar 4:13 PM
Chaitra Purnima	Tuesday, 20 April 2027	20 Apr 4:51 AM to 21 Apr 3:56 AM
Vaishakha Purnima (Buddha Purnima)	Thursday, 20 May 2027	19 May 4:02 PM to 20 May 4:28 PM
Jyeshtha Purnima	Friday, 18 June 2027	18 Jun 4:34 AM to 19 Jun 6:13 AM
Ashadha Purnima (Guru Purnima)	Sunday, 18 July 2027	17 Jul 6:48 PM to 18 Jul 9:14 PM
Shravana Purnima (Raksha Bandhan is on 17 August)	Monday, 16 August 2027	16 Aug 10:28 AM to 17 Aug 12:58 PM

Kartika Purnima, 24 November 2026, is the biggest Satyanarayan day of the year. Purohits get booked out well in advance for it, so if you plan a Kartik Purnima puja, arrange your purohit at least a week or two early.

Simplified Vidhi: The Order of the Puja

The full vidhi (ritual procedure) has regional variations, but the common structure your purohit will follow is:

1. Preparation: The family bathes and observes a fast (full or fruit-only) until the puja. The puja area is cleaned, a low chowki (wooden platform) is covered with a fresh cloth, and the image of Lord Satyanarayan is placed on it.
2. Kalash sthapana: A kalash (water pot) topped with mango leaves and a coconut is established beside the deity, representing the divine presence.
3. Ganesh puja: Lord Ganesha is worshipped first to remove obstacles, along with the Navagraha (nine planetary deities) in fuller versions.
4. Sankalpa: The purohit has the family state the formal intention: who is performing the puja, where, on what tithi, and for what prayer.
5. Satyanarayan puja: The main worship with the shodashopachara (sixteen traditional offerings): invocation, bathing the deity, sandal paste, flowers, incense, lamp, naivedya (food offering) and so on, with tulsi leaves offered as especially dear to Vishnu.
6. Katha: The five chapters are read aloud while the family listens with attention. This is the heart of the vrat.
7. Havan (optional): Many families, especially in North India, include a short havan after the katha.
8. Aarti: The Satyanarayan aarti ("Om Jai Lakshmi Ramana" in most of India) with the lit lamp, followed by pradakshina (circumambulation) where space allows.
9. Prasad and conclusion: Panchamrit and sheera are distributed to everyone present, the fast is broken, and the purohit is offered dakshina. The next day, the kalash water is sprinkled around the home and the items are respectfully concluded.

Done with a purohit, the whole ceremony takes about 1.5 to 3 hours: roughly two hours for the common form, closer to three with Navagraha puja and havan.

Samagri Checklist

Your purohit will share his exact list, and many purohits bring the dry samagri themselves. The typical requirements:

• For the altar: Image or murti of Lord Satyanarayan, chowki, two fresh cloths (yellow or white preferred), kalash, coconut, mango leaves, banana leaves or small banana plants for a canopy if available
• Worship items: Haldi, kumkum, chandan (sandal paste), akshata (unbroken rice), janeu (sacred thread), betel leaves and nuts, flowers and a garland, tulsi leaves, camphor, incense sticks, cotton wicks, ghee, a diya (lamp), matchbox
• For panchamrit: Milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar
• For sheera prasad: Rava (semolina), sugar, ghee, milk, banana; some families use wheat flour (atte ka sheera) by regional custom
• Offerings: Five fruits, sweets, dry fruits, a little cash for the sankalpa
• If havan is included: Havan kund, samidha (prescribed wood), havan samagri mix

Panchamrit and sheera: the two signature prasads

Panchamrit, literally "five nectars", is the mixture of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar used to bathe the deity and then distributed as prasad. Sheera (sapata or prasadam in some regions) is the roasted semolina sweet cooked in ghee with milk, sugar and banana. The katha itself warns, through the stories of Sadhu Vani and King Tungadhwaja, that the prasad must never be refused or treated casually: accepting it with humility is part of the vrat.

Why Families Book a Purohit for This Puja

Satyanarayan puja can be done by the family alone, and the tradition explicitly permits it. Families still overwhelmingly prefer a purohit, for good reasons: the sankalpa and shodashopachara are worded and sequenced correctly, the katha is narrated properly in one sitting with its meaning explained, and the family gets to sit as yajman (host of the ritual) and actually participate instead of juggling a book, a phone and a ghee lamp. For milestone pujas, a new home, a newborn, a first Purnima after a wedding, most families want it done right.

If you are planning one, you can request a verified purohit on Purohit free of charge. Tell us your city, language and preferred date, and a verified purohit calls you back directly to confirm the vidhi, samagri and dakshina. We connect families with purohits for Satyanarayan puja in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should Satyanarayan puja be performed?

The classic day is Purnima, the full moon of each lunar month, traditionally in the evening. It is also performed after happy milestones such as a griha pravesh, a newborn's arrival, a wedding or a new job, and on Ekadashi, Sankranti or Thursdays in some traditions. Kartik Purnima is considered the most auspicious day of the year for it.

When is the next big day for Satyanarayan puja?

The most significant upcoming date is Kartika Purnima on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, the biggest Satyanarayan day of the year. Before that, Bhadrapada Purnima falls on Saturday, 26 September 2026 and Sharad Purnima on Sunday, 25 October 2026. Purohits are in high demand around Kartik Purnima, so book early.

How long does a Satyanarayan puja take?

About 1.5 to 3 hours with a purohit. The common form with kalash sthapana, the main puja, the five-chapter katha and aarti takes around two hours; adding Navagraha puja and a havan brings it closer to three.

Can we do Satyanarayan puja at home without a pandit?

Yes, the tradition explicitly allows a householder to perform it with devotion, reading the katha from a book. Families book a purohit because the sankalpa, mantras and sixteen offerings are done correctly and explained, and the family can participate freely as hosts rather than managing the procedure themselves.

What fast is observed on the day of the puja?

The performing family traditionally fasts from morning until the puja concludes, either a full fast or one with fruits and milk by capacity. The fast is broken by accepting the panchamrit and sheera prasad after the aarti.

What is panchamrit made of?

Panchamrit is a mixture of five ingredients: milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar. It is used to bathe the deity during the puja and is then distributed as the first prasad, followed by the sheera.

Why is the sheera prasad made of rava, and can we use wheat flour?

Rava sheera cooked in ghee with milk, sugar and banana is the customary Satyanarayan prasad across most of India, and the katha stresses that this prasad must be accepted respectfully by all. Several regional traditions prepare it with wheat flour instead, and both are considered correct; follow your family's custom or your purohit's guidance.

Does the whole family need to be present for the katha?

The performing couple or householder must be present throughout, and tradition encourages everyone in the house, along with neighbours and friends, to sit and listen to all five chapters. Listening to the katha and accepting prasad are themselves considered part of the vrat's merit.

Which direction should the deity face during the puja?

The common practice is to set the altar so the deity faces west and the family faces east toward the deity, though east-facing deity placement is also followed in some regions. Your purohit will arrange the altar correctly for your home's layout, so do not worry if your puja corner is fixed.