There are two lunar eclipses in 2026. One already occurred, one is still ahead. Here’s what you need to know about both, including who needs to observe sutak and who doesn’t.
March 3, 2026: Total Lunar Eclipse (visible in India)
This eclipse was visible in India roughly between 3:21 PM and 7:52 PM IST, coinciding with Falgun Purnima and Holika Dahan. Northeast India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland) saw totality, while Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Lucknow saw a partial eclipse. Since it was visible in India, sutak period rules applied.
The Holika Dahan timing was affected in areas where the eclipse was still underway at sunset. Holika Dahan is traditionally performed after sunset during Pratipada tithi, and in cities like Kolkata and Guwahati where totality hadn’t ended by sunset, many families delayed the Holika Dahan fire until the eclipse concluded. This was a relatively unusual overlap, since a total lunar eclipse coinciding with Holika Dahan (which by definition falls on Purnima) happens, but the timing doesn’t always push into the evening ritual window like it did in 2026.
August 28, 2026: Partial Lunar Eclipse (not visible in India)
This eclipse will be visible mainly across Europe, Africa, North and South America, and the Pacific and Atlantic regions. It will not be visible from India, so sutak period or religious restrictions will not apply there for this eclipse.
For Indians abroad, this is where things get interesting. If you’re in London, New York, or Toronto, this eclipse is visible from your location. Does sutak apply to you? Traditionally, yes. Sutak is observed wherever the eclipse is visible. So an Indian family in the UK should observe sutak for the August eclipse even though their relatives in India don’t need to. This catches people off guard when they call home and hear “no sutak today” while their local panchang says otherwise.
Understanding the sutak period
Sutak for a lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) traditionally begins 9 hours before the eclipse starts. During sutak, cooking and eating are avoided, temples close their doors, pregnant women are advised to stay indoors and not use sharp objects, and tulsi and other sacred plants shouldn’t be touched. Once the eclipse ends, a bath is taken, fresh food is prepared, and normal activity resumes.
How strictly you observe sutak is a personal and family decision. Some families follow every restriction to the letter. Others focus on the core practices: not eating during the eclipse, taking a bath after, and donating food. There’s no single “correct” level of strictness. The tradition provides the framework; you apply it based on your family’s practice.
When sutak rules apply
Tradition holds sutak period only where the eclipse is actually visible from that location. For an eclipse not visible from India, restrictions like closing temples or avoiding cooking are traditionally not considered applicable. The reverse also applies: if an eclipse is visible only from India and not from Europe, Indian families in Germany or France wouldn’t observe sutak for that eclipse.
For NRI families: check visibility for your city
If you’re in the US, UK, Canada, or Europe, don’t rely on India-based eclipse announcements to tell you whether sutak applies at your location. Check whether the eclipse is visible from your specific city using an astronomical source or the panchang page.
Full list of upcoming eclipses
See the eclipse calendar for upcoming solar and lunar eclipse dates, times (IST), and Moon rashi together. Confirm the exact visibility of any eclipse for your city on the panchang page or with a reliable astronomical source as the date approaches.