Janai Purnima 2026: Date, Meaning & Where to See It
The full moon of Shrawan, when the sacred thread is renewed and thousands of pilgrims walk to the lake of Gosaikunda.
- Next
- Usually in August
- Also called
- Raksha Bandhan, Rishi Tarpani
- Usual month
- August
- Earlier years
- 28 August 2026 · 9 August 2025 · 19 August 2024 · 30 August 2023 · 12 August 2022
Hindu men change their janai thread, and everyone ties a yellow protective thread (raksha bandhan) around the wrist. Jhankris (shamans) dance at Kumbheshwar in Patan and at Gosaikunda, 4,380 m up in Langtang, where pilgrims bathe in the icy lake.
The trek to Gosaikunda is busy and wet at this time; go prepared for monsoon rain.
Where to see it
Gosaikunda
Rasuwa, Bagmati ProvinceA sacred alpine lake at 4,380 m, believed created by Shiva's trident, where thousands bathe at Janai Purnima.
Read more →
Patan Durbar Square
Lalitpur, Bagmati ProvinceThe finest collection of Newar architecture in the valley: palace courtyards, stone temples and the superb Patan Museum.
Read more →Quick answers
- When is Janai Purnima in 2026?
- Usually in August. The exact date for the next one is not published yet.
- What is Janai Purnima?
- The full moon of Shrawan, when the sacred thread is renewed and thousands of pilgrims walk to the lake of Gosaikunda.
- Where is the best place to see Janai Purnima?
- Gosaikunda, Patan Durbar Square.
Other festivals
Dates from the public Holidays in Nepal calendar (Google Calendar), checked daily. Local festivals not in that calendar show their usual month; lunar dates can shift by a day locally.