Chitra Pournami 2028: Date, Rituals & Significance

Purnima runs 8 Apr, 19:11 → 9 Apr, 15:56.

Chitragupta is worshipped with a written account symbolically placed before him, lemon, betel and dakshina; the day is used to settle disputes and clear ill-will, on the idea that a clean record now eases the reckoning later. In some homes a Chitragupta puja is done with a mixture of twelve items and a copper plate.

In Madurai the Chithirai festival — the Thirukalyanam of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and the river-crossing of Kallazhagar — peaks around this full moon, drawing over a million pilgrims.

Chitra Pournami's link to Chitragupta rests on a legend that Indra, freed of a sin by worshipping at Madurai on this day, honoured Chitragupta for keeping fair accounts; the day thus becomes an audit of conscience. Chitragupta is also the kuladevata of the Kayastha community, kept mainly on Bhai Dooj.

Source: Regional festival tradition and the Puranic / Sangam sources named

Chitra Pournami is a South Indian and Tamil observance recorded in temple and regional festival calendars; the Madurai Chithirai Thiruvizha around it is one of the largest temple festivals of Tamil Nadu, of long standing.

• Wikipedia

1. On the full moon of Chithirai, Tamil households worship Chitragupta, the keeper of every soul's account of deeds, at home and at his temple in Kanchipuram.
2. At Tiruvannamalai lakhs walk the girivalam around the hill under the full moon.
3. In Madurai the Chithirai festival reaches its high point as Kallazhagar enters the Vaigai river; families picnic on riverbanks with packed variety rices.

• Tamil Nadu. Chitragupta worship, a fast, and charity to lighten the karmic account; the Madurai Chithirai festival at its height.
• Kerala, Karnataka. Kept as Chitra / Vishu-adjacent Purnima with temple worship; some do a Chitragupta or Dharmaraja puja.

• Chitrannam — Lemon, coconut and tamarind rices packed for the riverside meal.
• Panakam and neer mor — Jaggery water and spiced buttermilk for the summer heat.

Chitra Pournami is kept on the day when Purnima of Chaitra Shukla paksha prevails at sunrise. That day is Sunday, 9 April 2028. Purnima holds at sunrise only on this day.

at sunrise

Chitra Pournami is the full moon of the Tamil month Chithirai — Chaitra Shukla Purnima — in April or May, about a month after the Tamil New Year (Puthandu). The puja and fast run through the day; the full moon is worshipped in the evening.

A lunar date: Purnima of the bright half of Chaitra drifts about 11 days earlier each solar year, then jumps back ~19 days when a leap (Adhika) month is inserted.