Hariyali Amavasya 2026: Date, Puja Vidhi, Tarpan & Tree Planting

The day after Sawan Shivratri comes one of the quietest and most beautiful observances of the Hindu year. Hariyali Amavasya (हरियाली अमावस्या) — the new moon of Shravan — is the day devotees honour their ancestors and, uniquely among Hindu festivals, plant trees as an act of worship.

It is the only major festival where the ritual offering is a living thing placed in the ground. In a month when the earth is at its greenest, the tradition asks you to add to that green yourself.

Hariyali Amavasya 2026 Date | तिथि

Regionally the day carries other names — Shravan Amavasya in most of North India, Chukkala Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Gatari Amavasya in Maharashtra, and Aadi Amavasai in Tamil Nadu.

The Significance | महत्व

Amavasya — the moonless night — is traditionally the time when the veil between the living and their ancestors is thinnest. On every Amavasya, tarpan and shraddh are offered to the pitrs (forefathers), and it is believed their blessings flow most freely on this day.

Hariyali Amavasya adds a second dimension. Falling at the peak of the monsoon, when the earth is soft and every seed takes root easily, it became the day for planting. The logic is deeply Sanatani: honouring those who came before you by creating shade for those who come after. A tree planted on this day is regarded as a living shraddh offering that keeps giving long after you are gone.

Puja & Tarpan Vidhi | विधि

1. Bathe early, ideally in a river or by adding Gangajal to your bathing water.
2. Take the sankalp facing south — the direction associated with the pitrs.
3. Perform tarpan: Offer water mixed with black sesame, barley and akshat using kusha grass, remembering your ancestors by name.
4. Offer pind daan if your family tradition includes it, or a simple food offering placed for crows and cows.
5. Worship Lord Shiva: Since this falls in Sawan, perform jalabhishek on the Shivling with bel patra.
6. Feed the needy and donate food, clothing or an umbrella — charity on Amavasya is considered especially meritorious.
7. Plant a tree and water it, offering the act to your ancestors.
8. Light a diya in the evening for the pitrs, ideally under a peepal tree.

Which Trees to Plant | कौन सा पेड़ लगाएं

What to Avoid on Hariyali Amavasya

• Avoid starting new ventures, buying property or major auspicious beginnings on Amavasya.
• Avoid non-vegetarian food, alcohol and tamasic habits.
• Do not cut or damage trees on this day — the opposite of the day's purpose.
• Avoid speaking ill of elders or ancestors.
• Do not turn away anyone who comes asking for food.

For Peace of the Departed and Protection of the Living

Amavasya in Shravan is considered one of the most effective times of the year for prayers concerning family wellbeing, ancestral peace and protection from illness. If you cannot perform the rituals yourself, they may be performed in your name:

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Hariyali Amavasya 2026?
Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The Amavasya tithi begins at 1:55 AM that day.

Why is it called Hariyali Amavasya?
“Hariyali” means greenery. Falling at the height of the monsoon when the earth is green and soft, the day became associated with planting and celebrating nature.

What is tarpan?
An offering of water mixed with black sesame, barley and rice made to one's ancestors, accompanied by remembrance of their names.

Can women perform tarpan?
Practices vary by family and region. In many traditions the eldest son performs it, but women increasingly do so where no male heir is present, and many acharyas support this.

Which tree is best to plant on this day?
Peepal and banyan are most traditional for ancestral merit; bel is ideal in Sawan since it supplies bel patra for Shiva puja all year.

Is it inauspicious to do anything on Amavasya?
New ventures are traditionally postponed, but tarpan, charity, tree planting and Shiva worship are all highly auspicious on this day.

Plant Something That Outlives You

Hariyali Amavasya carries a lesson few festivals state so plainly: the best way to honour those who came before is to leave something living behind for those who follow. This 12 August, offer your tarpan, and then put a sapling in the soft monsoon earth.