For millions of Indians living abroad, sacred days like Soma Amavasya bring a quiet tug toward home — the Ganga, the temple bells, the elders performing tarpan. The good news: you can honour this day fully from wherever you are. This NRI guide answers the questions that actually matter overseas — what date to observe in your country, how to do Pitru tarpan abroad, and how to arrange puja and daan remotely — for Soma (Somavati) Amavasya, which falls on Monday, 15 June 2026 in India.
Soma Amavasya 2026 — At a Glance
- India date: Monday, 15 June 2026
- Amavasya Tithi (IST): begins 12:19 PM on 14 Jun, ends 08:23 AM on 15 Jun
- NRI note: In the USA & Canada the tithi falls on 14 June local time; in the UK, Gulf, Asia & Australia it runs overnight into the morning of 15 June.
- Deity: Lord Shiva (Monday) + ancestors (Pitru)
- Next Soma Amavasya: Monday, 9 November 2026
Soma Amavasya 2026 — Dates & Timings Across the World
The Amavasya tithi is a fixed moment in time, so it lands at different clock times depending on where you live. Below is the tithi window converted to major NRI hubs (times local, converted from IST with June 2026 daylight saving applied):
🌎 Americas — tithi falls on 14 June (local)
- 🇺🇸 New York · 🇨🇦 Toronto (EDT): Sun 14 Jun, 02:49 AM → 22:53 (10:53 PM)
- 🇺🇸 Chicago · Houston (CDT): Sun 14 Jun, 01:49 AM → 21:53
- 🇺🇸 Denver (MDT): Sun 14 Jun, 00:49 AM → 20:53
- 🇺🇸 Los Angeles · SF · 🇨🇦 Vancouver (PDT): Sat 13 Jun 23:49 → Sun 14 Jun 19:53
🇬🇧 UK & Europe — overnight 14–15 June
- 🇬🇧 London · 🇮🇪 Dublin (BST): Sun 14 Jun 07:49 → Mon 15 Jun 03:53
- 🇩🇪 Frankfurt · 🇫🇷 Paris (CEST): Sun 14 Jun 08:49 → Mon 15 Jun 04:53
🕌 Middle East — into the morning of 15 June
- 🇸🇦 Riyadh · 🇶🇦 Doha · 🇰🇼 Kuwait (AST): Sun 14 Jun 09:49 → Mon 15 Jun 05:53
- 🇦🇪 Dubai · Abu Dhabi · 🇴🇲 Muscat (GST): Sun 14 Jun 10:49 → Mon 15 Jun 06:53
🌏 Asia-Pacific — into 15 June
- 🇸🇬 Singapore · 🇲🇾 KL · 🇭🇰 Hong Kong · Perth: Sun 14 Jun 14:49 → Mon 15 Jun 10:53
- 🇦🇺 Sydney · Melbourne (AEST): Sun 14 Jun 16:49 → Mon 15 Jun 12:53
- 🇳🇿 Auckland (NZST): Sun 14 Jun 18:49 → Mon 15 Jun 14:53
June 14 or June 15? The NRI Date Question
This is the single most common confusion for diaspora devotees, so here is the clear logic:
- In India, the day is observed on Monday, 15 June by the Udaya Tithi rule (the Amavasya is present at sunrise on the 15th). Because it lands on a Monday, it earns the special Somavati status.
- In the Americas, the tithi window has already opened and closed on 14 June (a Sunday) in local time. A location-specific panchang will therefore typically mark the Amavasya on the 14th — though locally it would be a regular Amavasya, since the "Monday" quality is tied to Indian time.
- In the UK, Gulf, Asia and Australia, the tithi runs overnight and ends on the morning of the 15th, so observance generally aligns with 15 June.
What most NRIs do
There is no single "wrong" choice — both traditions are honoured in the diaspora. In practice:
- Option A — Follow India (15 June): Stay in step with family back home, temples, and the Somavati significance. Most popular and emotionally resonant.
- Option B — Follow local panchang: Observe on the date your city's computed panchang shows (14 June across the Americas), ideal if you want to time tarpan to the actual local tithi.
If you're unsure, follow your local temple's announcement, or check a location-specific panchang such as mypanchang.com for your city.
What Is Soma Amavasya & Why It Matters
Amavasya is the no-moon day that closes each lunar fortnight. When it falls on a Monday — Somvar, the weekday of the Moon (Soma) and of Lord Shiva — it becomes Soma or Somavati Amavasya, a rare pairing that occurs only once or twice a year. It blends two powerful streams of worship:
- Shiva sadhana — abhishek and Maha Mrityunjaya japa for health, protection and peace.
- Pitru karya — tarpan and remembrance for departed ancestors; the moonless day is the traditional window for honouring the Pitrus.
By tradition, married women also fast and circumambulate the Peepal tree, praying for their husband's long life. For families far from home, the day is a meaningful anchor to roots and lineage.
How to Observe Soma Amavasya Abroad — Step-by-Step
You don't need a river, a temple or a priest to observe the day with devotion. Here is a simple, complete vidhi you can do from any home:
- Confirm your date. Pick 14 or 15 June using the guidance above (or your local temple's date).
- Take a holy bath. Bathe before sunrise; add a few drops of Gangajal to your water, or simply offer a prayer over clean water to invoke the sacred rivers.
- Set up a small altar. Place a Shivling or image of Lord Shiva, light a ghee/oil lamp and incense, and do a gentle abhishek with water and raw milk.
- Offer & chant. Offer Belpatra and white flowers if you have them; chant Om Namah Shivaya and the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, then do a short aarti.
- Perform Pitru tarpan. Facing south, offer water mixed with black sesame from a tray while chanting the Pitru mantra, remembering your ancestors with gratitude.
- Give daan. Donate locally (food bank, temple, charity) or sponsor anna-daan / seva at your family temple in India online.
A holy bath without the Ganga
Bottled Gangajal is widely available at Indian grocery stores and online retailers across the USA, UK, Canada, Gulf and Australia. Keep a small bottle at home for occasions like this. No Gangajal? Adding a little previously kept Gangajal to clean water, or offering clean water with a sincere prayer, is fully acceptable — bhava (devotion) is what counts.
Essential Mantras (Devanagari · Telugu · IAST · Meaning)
Core Shiva Mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ఓం నమః శివాయ
Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya
"I bow to Lord Shiva." Repeat 108 times — a perfect, simple practice for any home.
Maha Mrityunjaya — Health & Protection
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
ఓం త్ర్యంబకం యజామహే సుగంధిం పుష్టివర్ధనమ్ ।
ఉర్వారుకమివ బంధనాన్ మృత్యోర్ముక్షీయ మామృతాత్ ॥
Oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam, urvārukam-iva bandhanān mṛtyor-mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt.
A prayer to the three-eyed Lord for release from fear, disease and death.
Pitru Mantra — For Ancestors (Tarpan)
ॐ पितृ गणाय विद्महे जगत्धारिणे धीमहि ।
तन्नो पितरो प्रचोदयात् ॥
ఓం పితృ గణాయ విద్మహే జగత్ధారిణే ధీమహి ।
తన్నో పితరో ప్రచోదయాత్ ॥
Oṃ pitṛ-gaṇāya vidmahe jagat-dhāriṇe dhīmahi, tanno pitaro pracodayāt.
Recited while offering water, seeking the blessings of the ancestors.
Online Puja, Remote Tarpan & Daan From Abroad
Distance is no barrier to participation. Practical options for NRIs:
- Online Soma Amavasya puja: Many temples, priests and trusts in India perform sponsored puja that you can join over video call, with prasad couriered to your address. Book a day or two ahead for Amavasya.
- Remote tarpan & shraddha: For formal ancestral rites, you can sponsor tarpan or pind-daan at tirthas like Gaya, Kashi or Trimbakeshwar and have a priest perform it in your family's name.
- Daan from anywhere: Contribute to anna-daan (feeding the needy), go-seva (cow care) or temple funds online, dedicating it to your ancestors. Locally, a donation to a food bank in their memory carries the same spirit.
Tip: dedicate any seva or charity explicitly in the name of your departed elders — this is the heart of Amavasya observance.
Observing With Your Family Abroad
Sacred days are also a chance to pass living traditions to children raised overseas. Keep it warm and simple: light the lamp together, let kids help with the bath water and flowers, tell them the story of why we remember our ancestors, and share a short prayer in your mother tongue. A 15-minute family ritual does more to carry the culture forward than a perfect but solo ceremony.
Visiting a Temple Near You
If you'd like to observe at a temple, look for your nearest Shiva temple or community Hindu mandir — most major NRI hubs (New York/New Jersey, the Bay Area, Houston, Toronto, London, Dubai, Singapore and Sydney) have temples that hold special Amavasya and Monday Shiva aartis. Call ahead to confirm their Soma Amavasya timings and whether they perform tarpan.
Dos & Don'ts for NRI Devotees
✅ Do
- Confirm your local date
- Bathe early with Gangajal (if available)
- Keep the mind calm and sattvic
- Chant Shiva & Pitru mantras
- Offer tarpan facing south
- Dedicate daan to ancestors
- Involve your children
🚫 Avoid
- Meat, alcohol & tamasic food
- Anger and arguments
- Skipping confirmation of the date
- Disrespecting elders or the departed
- Treating it as a mere formality
Frequently Asked Questions (NRI)
When is Soma Amavasya 2026, and is it the same date for NRIs?
By the Indian Hindu calendar, Soma (Somavati) Amavasya 2026 is Monday, 15 June. For NRIs the calendar date back home stays the 15th, but the actual Amavasya tithi window shifts with your time zone — in the USA and Canada it falls on 14 June local time, while in the UK, Gulf, Asia and Australia it spans overnight into the morning of 15 June.
Should NRIs observe on June 14 or June 15?
Both are followed. Many diaspora families observe on 15 June to align with India and partake of the special "Somavati" (Monday) significance, which is an India-time phenomenon. Others follow a location-specific panchang, which in the Americas places the Amavasya on 14 June. When in doubt, follow your local temple's announcement.
How can I perform Pitru tarpan abroad without going to India?
Bathe, sit facing south, and offer water mixed with black sesame from a tray or vessel while chanting the Pitru mantra. You can do this at home. For a formal shraddha or pind-daan, book a priest online or sponsor the ritual at a tirtha such as Gaya or Kashi remotely.
Where can I get Gangajal abroad?
Most Indian grocery stores and online retailers in the USA, UK, Canada, Gulf and Australia stock bottled Gangajal. If unavailable, you may add a small amount of previously kept Gangajal to clean water, or simply offer clean water with a prayer — devotion matters most.
Can I book an online puja or remote tarpan in India?
Yes. Many temples, priests and trusts in India offer online Soma Amavasya puja, tarpan and shraddha that you can sponsor from abroad and join over video call, with prasad shipped to you. Book a day or two in advance for Amavasya.
How do I do daan or donation from abroad?
You can donate locally to a food bank, temple or charity, or contribute online to anna-daan, cow seva or temple funds in India. Sponsoring food for the needy in your ancestors' name is considered especially meritorious on Amavasya.
Disclaimer: Base tithi timings follow the Hindu Panchang in IST and may vary slightly by location and tradition. The local times shown are converted from IST for guidance only — please confirm with a location-specific panchang or your local temple before fixing your observance. This article is for devotional and informational purposes and reflects traditional beliefs across the Hindu diaspora.
🕉 Om Namah Shivaya. May the moonless Monday bring you and your ancestors peace, wherever in the world you observe. 🕉