Pushya Masam, the tenth month of the traditional Telugu calendar observed in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, falls in the heart of winter. For the 2025–2026 cycle, Pushya Masam begins on December 21, 2025 and concludes on January 18, 2026, aligning with the lunar phases that guide the regional Panchang.
This reckoning follows the amānta lunisolar system, a method also prevalent in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, where month-ends align with Amavasya. While this shared framework ensures broad consistency across western and southern India, local almanacs may present minor variations in start or end times based on geographical longitude, latitude, and sunrise boundaries, making consultation of the regional Panchang advisable.
Across Telugu-speaking households, Pushya Masam is experienced as a contemplative period marked by cool mornings, simple meals, and steady temple routines. Many families report a quieter rhythm of life, with an emphasis on study, prayer, and acts of service that strengthen social bonds during the season. The month’s serene character resonates strongly with values of restraint, gratitude, and community care.
In traditional praxis, Pushya Masam is regarded as less favorable for select life-cycle ritualsmost notably weddings and large celebratory initiationsin parts of South India. At the same time, it is widely considered conducive to sāttvic worship, vrata, dāna (charity), scriptural learning, and routine pujas. Daily muhurta determinations still apply, and household and professional activities continue with due observance of auspicious timings where relevant.
Pushya Masam typically encompasses Makara Sankranti, a mid-January festival that celebrates the Sun’s ingress into Makara. In 2026, Makara Sankranti occurs within this Pushya period and is joyously observed across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, reflecting agricultural gratitude and communal harmony. The seasonal mood invites reflection and generosity, qualities that reinforce social cohesion across regions.
While rooted in Hindu calendrical practice, the values foregrounded in Pushyasimplicity, self-discipline, learning, and compassionresonate across dharmic traditions, including Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. This shared ethical emphasis underscores a wider cultural unity: diverse paths affirming inner growth, social responsibility, and reverence for life.
In summary, Pushya Masam 2025–2026 spans December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026 in the Telugu calendar of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, aligns broadly with the amānta system used in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, and is observed as a reflective month favoring worship, study, and service. For precise observances and local muhurta, consulting the regional Panchang remains the best practice.
Inspired by this post on Hindu Pad.
