Can We Do Marriage on Amavasya or Pournami?

Most Hindu families do not hold a wedding on amavasya, the new moon day. It is the day for rites to the ancestors, and priests who follow the panchang do not fix a marriage muhurat on it. When we went through Drik Panchang's full 2028 marriage list for New Delhi, not one of the 77 dates fell on amavasya.

Pournami (purnima, the full moon day) is different. Purnima does appear on the marriage lists. On 1 December 2028, for example, Drik Panchang lists a muhurat in Rohini nakshatra on Purnima tithi.

Why Is Amavasya Avoided for Marriage?

Three reasons come up in almost every family.

First, amavasya is the pitru day. Tarpanam and shraddha for the ancestors are done on it, and the biggest of these, Mahalaya Amavasya, closes Pitru Paksha. A day kept for the dead is not used to begin a marriage.

Second, the moon is not visible. In muhurat books the moon's strength matters for a good beginning, and on amavasya it is at its weakest. The fortnight that follows, shukla paksha, when the moon grows, is preferred by many families for weddings.

Third, plain habit. A grandmother who will not buy a new vessel on amavasya will not agree to a wedding on it either, and most families would rather not argue.

What Does Drik Panchang's Method Say About Tithis?

Drik Panchang's article on choosing a marriage date says Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, Saptami, Ekadashi and Trayodashi are the best tithis. It calls the Rikta tithis, Chaturthi, Navami and Chaturdashi, bad.

The same article then says tithis and weekdays are given less importance in choosing marriage dates, and that its own calculations do not filter by them. The dates are chosen by checking the nakshatra, yoga and karana of each day, the solar and lunar month, and whether Venus or Jupiter is set.

So why does amavasya never show up? Drik Panchang does not say. One likely reason is the karana. The two halves of amavasya carry the karanas called Chatushpada and Naga, which muhurat books generally avoid for auspicious work, and Drik Panchang does check karana. Ask your priest if you want the full reasoning for a particular day.

The plain answer for families is the same either way. If your priest or your panchang does not list a muhurat on a date, do not fix a wedding on it.

Can We Do Marriage on Pournami?

Yes, if the panchang lists a muhurat on that day. Purnima is not one of the Rikta tithis, and full moon days appear on marriage lists.

In many South Indian families, pournami is seen as a good day in general, and temple festivals are often held on it. Some still prefer a date a few days before the full moon, in the growing phase. Both views are common. Follow your own family priest.

There is one purnima to be careful about. The Phalguna purnima is Holika Dahan, and the eight days before it, Holashtak, are avoided for weddings in many North Indian families. Our page on inauspicious time for marriage lists these periods.

Can We Do Engagement on Amavasya?

Most families use the same rule for the engagement, the roka, the nichayathartham or the sagai. If they would not hold the wedding on a day, they would not fix the match on it either.

A first meeting or a phone call to discuss a proposal is a different matter. Families do not usually check the tithi for a pen paarkkum visit or a ladki dekhna. Some do. If the other family asks for a different day, agree. It costs nothing.

Are There Any Exceptions?

Yes, a few.

If you belong to one of these groups and the elders still worry, there is no harm in picking another day.

What If the Only Free Date Is Amavasya?

This happens with halls, especially in peak season. Three ways families handle it:

1. Shift the date by a day or two. The day after amavasya, the first day of shukla paksha, sometimes has a muhurat. Check the panchang for your own city.
2. Hold the reception on the free date and the wedding ceremony on a muhurat day before or after it. Receptions are not usually timed to the tithi.
3. Pick a different month. If the season is crowded, our vivah muhurat 2028 page lists every date of that year.

Do not let a hall manager talk you into a date the priest has not approved.

Is Amavasya Bad for Everything?

No. Diwali's Lakshmi puja falls on Kartik amavasya, and many business families start new account books that night. Somvati amavasya and Mauni amavasya are days for holy baths and fasting. Amavasya is a religious day. It is only marked out for marriage and similar beginnings in a family's life.

If you are still at the stage of fixing a match, the other family will usually ask for the biodata with the date, time and place of birth on it. You can make a marriage biodata with rasi and nakshatra filled in from those details.