Dhanu Sankranti धनु संक्रांती
The Sun opens Dhanurmasa - a month of worship before dawn.
- Sun enters
- Dhanu (Sagittarius)
- Around
- mid-December
- Ayana
- Dakshinayana (southward)
- Worship
- Surya (the Sun)
Significance
Dhanu Sankranti brings the Sun into Dhanu (Sagittarius) and opens Dhanurmasa, a sacred month given to worship of Vishnu before sunrise. In Tamil Nadu the same month is Margazhi, held the holiest of the year.
How it is observed
Through Dhanurmasa temples hold Vishnu worship before dawn; in the South the Tiruppavai and Thiruvempavai hymns are sung at daybreak and Chennai keeps its famous Margazhi music-and-dance season. In Odisha the day opens the days-long Dhanu Yatra. Bathing and charity mark the Sankranti itself.
The Sun’s course
Dhanu Sankranti falls in the Sun’s Dakshinayana - its southward, inward half of the year. The year’s two turning points are Makar Sankranti (the turn to Uttarayana, mid-January) and Karka Sankranti (the turn to Dakshinayana, mid-July). See the full Sankranti guide for all twelve solar ingresses of the year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dhanu Sankranti?
Dhanu Sankranti brings the Sun into Dhanu (Sagittarius) and opens Dhanurmasa, a sacred month given to worship of Vishnu before sunrise. In Tamil Nadu the same month is Margazhi, held the holiest of the year.
When is Dhanu Sankranti in Mumbai, MH?
Dhanu Sankranti falls in mid-December; the next one for Mumbai, MH is on 16 December 2026. Being set by the solar calendar, its date barely shifts from year to year.
Which sign does the Sun enter on Dhanu Sankranti?
On Dhanu Sankranti the Sun leaves the previous sign and enters Dhanu (Sagittarius), the ninth sign of the zodiac. This falls in the Sun's Dakshinayana (southward) course.
How is Dhanu Sankranti observed?
Through Dhanurmasa temples hold Vishnu worship before dawn; in the South the Tiruppavai and Thiruvempavai hymns are sung at daybreak and Chennai keeps its famous Margazhi music-and-dance season. In Odisha the day opens the days-long Dhanu Yatra. Bathing and charity mark the Sankranti itself.
Last updated 26 July 2026