When is Rakhi 2026 - Raksha Bandhan Date 2026
Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on Friday, 28th August 2026. The festival is observed on Shravan Purnima — the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan — which falls in July or August each year depending on the Hindu lunar calendar.
Sisters across India and worldwide are already planning their Rakhi orders, choosing the right thread for their brothers, and preparing for the ceremony. If your brother lives abroad, now is the time to plan your delivery — international Rakhi orders need to be placed well in advance to arrive before the festival.
Why Raksha Bandhan Falls on a Different Date Each Year
The date of Raksha Bandhan changes every year because the Hindu calendar follows a lunar system rather than the solar calendar used in most of the world. A Hindu lunar year contains approximately 354 days — around 11 days shorter than a solar year of 365 days. This difference accumulates over time, which is why festival dates shift each year when viewed against the Gregorian calendar.
To keep the lunar and solar calendars aligned over longer periods, an extra month called Adhik Masa — sometimes called the leap month — is added to the Hindu calendar approximately every three years. This is why Raksha Bandhan sometimes falls in July and sometimes in August, and why the gap between one year's date and the next can vary considerably.
- Rakhi celebration in 2026 will be celebrated on Friday - 28th of August, 2026
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2025Saturday, the 9th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2024Monday, the 19th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2023Wednesday, the 30th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2022Thursday, the 11th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2021Sunday, the 22nd of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2020Monday, the 3rd of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2019Thursday, the 15th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2018Sunday, the 26th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2017Monday, the 7th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2016Thursday, the 18th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2015Saturday, the 29th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2014Sunday, the 10th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2013Tuesday, the 20th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2012Thursday, the 2nd of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2011Saturday, the 13th of August
- Rakhi was celebrated in 2010Tuesday, the 24th of August
Raksha Bandhan 2026 Muhurat Timings (IST)
Raksha Bandhan is observed during specific auspicious hours — the Muhurat — considered most suitable for tying the Rakhi. The timings below are in Indian Standard Time (IST). If your brother lives outside India, please visit his country page for timings converted to his local time zone.
- Purnima Tithi Begins4:00 AM IST on 27 August 2026
- Purnima Tithi Ends6:16 AM IST on 29 August 2026
- Auspicious Muhurat for Tying Rakhi5:57 AM to 9:48 AM IST on 28 August 2026
- Pradosh Time7:04 PM to 9:16 PM IST on 28 August 2026
The Aparahna period — 5:57 AM to 9:48 AM IST — is considered the most auspicious time for the Rakhi tying ceremony. Sisters and brothers who are celebrating across different time zones should plan their video call ceremony accordingly, keeping this window in mind and converting to their local time.
Now That You Know the Date — What Next?
Knowing the date is the first step. Planning around it is what makes the difference — especially when your brother lives far from home.
If your brother is in India: Metro city orders can be placed up to 25 August 2026 at 4:00 PM IST for guaranteed delivery. For rural and remote areas, the cut-off is 22 August 2026 at 1:00 PM IST.
If your brother lives abroad: International Rakhi orders must be placed by 22 August 2026 at 4:00 PM IST for confirmed delivery before Raksha Bandhan. We always recommend ordering 10 to 14 days before the festival to allow time for customs clearance and any unforeseen delays.
For the full country-wise delivery guide and cut-off dates, visit our Rakhi Delivery Deadlines 2026 page. To browse our full Rakhi collection and place your order, visit our Send Rakhi Worldwide page.