The sandstone gateway of the Kashi Vishwanath temple complex

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Maha Shivratri 2027 Varanasi: 6 March, Kashi Vishwanath, Shiv Baraatमहाशिवरात्रि 2027 कब है: 6 मार्च, काशी विश्वनाथ दर्शन, शिव बारात

Upcoming: 6 March 2027

By Kashidwar · Updated 7 November 2026

DateSaturday 6 March 2027 (Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi)
Nishita kaal11:44 pm–12:33 am, night of 6–7 March (Drik Panchang, Varanasi)
TempleOpen through the night; 45 hours non-stop in 2026
Bookings2026: online bookings, VIP and sparsh darshan suspended
Shiv BaraatEvening, Mahamrityunjay temple (Daranagar) towards Dashashwamedh
Not allowedPhones, smartwatches, big bags, pens, lighters

Maha Shivratri, the great night of Shiva, is celebrated in Kashi as the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. In 2027 it falls on Saturday, 6 March. Kashi Vishwanath, one of the twelve jyotirlingas, stays open through the night for darshan, and in the evening the Shiv Baraat, Shiva's wedding procession, makes its way through the old city. The temple has not yet announced its 2027 arrangements, so this guide gives the confirmed date and puja times and, clearly marked, what the temple, the police and the procession organisers did in 2026.

Maha Shivratri 2027 date and puja timings in Varanasi

Maha Shivratri falls on Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi, the fourteenth night of the waning moon in Phalguna. For Varanasi, Drik Panchang lists it on Saturday, 6 March 2027. The Chaturdashi tithi begins at 12:03 PM on 6 March and ends at 1:46 PM on 7 March. The nishita kaal puja, the midnight worship for which many devotees stay awake, is from 11:44 PM on 6 March to 12:33 AM on 7 March. Those who keep the fast break it (parana) on 7 March between 6:16 AM and 1:46 PM.

First prahar: 6:02 PM to 9:06 PM (6 March)
Second prahar: 9:06 PM to 12:09 AM (night of 6–7 March)
Third prahar: 12:09 AM to 3:12 AM (7 March)
Fourth prahar: 3:12 AM to 6:16 AM (7 March)

The central government's 2027 holiday list, issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on 16 July 2026, also gives Maha Shivratri as Saturday, 6 March. Uttar Pradesh had not published its own 2027 holiday list when we checked on 7 November 2026. In 2026 the festival fell on 15 February; this year it comes nearly three weeks later, in March. It is also not the Shivratri of Sawan, a separate observance that falls on 31 July 2027. The four prahar (watches of the night) puja times for Varanasi, per Drik Panchang:

Sources: [1] · [2] · [4] · [3]

Kashi Vishwanath darshan timing on Shivratri (2026 schedule)

On ordinary days the temple opens between 2:30 and 3 AM, closes at 11 PM and holds five aartis. On Maha Shivratri this routine gives way to four prahar aartis through the night, and darshan does not stop. The trust has not yet published its 2027 schedule; in 2026 it announced the times on 4 February, eleven days before the festival. For 15 February 2026 the schedule was:

Mangala aarti: 2:15–3:15 AM; doors opened to devotees at 3:30 AM
Midday Bhog aarti: 11:40 AM–12:20 PM
First prahar aarti: 10 PM–12:30 AM (conch blown at 9:30 PM)
Second prahar aarti: 1:30–2:30 AM
Third prahar aarti: 3:30–4:30 AM
Fourth prahar aarti: 5–6:15 AM

Darshan continued during all four prahar aartis. The temple stayed open for about 45 hours, from the Mangala aarti on 15 February until 11 PM on 16 February, and the trust's chief executive put the number of darshans at more than 9.5 lakh. In 2025, according to the trust's notice as reported by PTI, the Saptarishi, Shringar-Bhog and Shayan aartis were not to be held on Shivratri and the doors would not close that night. A similar pattern is likely on 6–7 March 2027, but check the trust's website in February 2027 for the actual times.

Sources: [18] · [4] · [5] · [6] · [7]

Can you book Sugam Darshan on Shivratri? Bookings and what to carry

Probably not. In January 2026 the trust suspended all online darshan and puja bookings for 15 and 16 February, Shivratri and the day after, and treated tickets already issued for those dates as cancelled. All aarti tickets for Shivratri were cancelled, special darshan was closed, and VIP, protocol and sparsh darshan (touching the linga) were stopped. In 2025, VIP darshan was suspended for three days around the festival. Nothing has been announced for 2027 yet. If the 2026 pattern is repeated, bookings for 6 and 7 March 2027 will be suspended, so do not pay anyone for a 'special', 'VIP' or sparsh darshan, and book only on the trust's own website.

In 2026 these were not allowed into the Dham: mobile phones, smart or digital watches, large bags, pens and pencils, plastic items, water bottles, tobacco, pan masala and other intoxicants, matches, lighters and cigarettes. Leave them at your hotel. Inside, drinking water, glucose, ORS and a medical help desk were provided, along with a lost-and-found centre, and LED screens showed the rituals in the sanctum. Varanasi residents had a separate entry line on showing a local identity card.

Sources: [8] · [5] · [9] · [7] · [10] · [17]

Shiv Baraat in Varanasi: route and start time

Not officially confirmed — check before you travel

On Shivratri evening Kashi takes out Shiva's wedding procession. The largest Shiv Baraat, run by the Shiv Baraat Samiti, sets out from the Mahamrityunjay Mahadev temple in Daranagar with drums, conches and tableaux of Shiva as the groom, his gana, ascetics, gods and demons, while crowds pack both sides of the road, the rooftops and the balconies. According to the organisers it began in 1983, when gold stolen from the temple's argha was recovered; 2026 was its 44th year.

No official start time is published. In 2026 the procession set out in the evening: at about 5:30 PM a symbolic image of Vishwanath, with staff and parasol, left the former mahant's residence at Tedhi Neem for the Mahamrityunjay temple, where the baraat was sent on its way. The traditional route runs through Maidagin, Bulanala and Godowlia to Chitranjan Park, where the 'bride's side' welcomes the baraat with thandai and garlands; in 2026 it went to Dedhsi Pul at Dashashwamedh. In 2025 the Samiti held it on the day after Shivratri because of Maha Kumbh crowds, the first time in 42 years. The 2027 date, time and route have not been announced.

Other baraats leave from the Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev temple near Bhelupur, which in 2026 went by way of Sonarpura to Harishchandra and Kedar Ghats, and from the Lalkuti vyayamshala at Laksa. To watch, take a place at the roadside or on a rooftop early, keep to the edges and away from the moving tableaux, and agree a meeting point in case your group is separated.

Sources: [11] · [12] · [9] · [13] · [4]

Crowds, queues and no-vehicle zones on Shivratri

Shivratri is one of the busiest days of the year at Kashi Vishwanath. In 2026 more than 8 lakh devotees had darshan by late on Shivratri night, and until 8 PM some 10 to 12 people a second. Many walked about 3 km along the roads and zigzag barricades to reach the temple, and devotees were let in through six gates. In 2025, a Maha Kumbh year, about 12 lakh had darshan in 45 hours. In 2027 Shivratri falls on a Saturday, so weekend visitors may add to the crowd.

Stay in or near the old city if you can, and plan to walk the last stretch to the temple.
Eat before you join the queue, and carry a light warm layer for the hours before dawn.
If your dates are flexible, consider Sunday 7 March: in 2026 the temple stayed open through the day after Shivratri, and most of the darshans happened on Shivratri itself.
Keep children close and agree a meeting point; in 2026 a lost-and-found centre was set up inside the Dham.

Roads near the temple are closed to vehicles. In 2025 the police declared the stretch from Godowlia to the Maidagin crossing a no-vehicle zone, strengthened barricading up to Dashashwamedh Ghat and barricaded 55 points in the city. In 2026 the traffic ACP said all main routes to the temple would be no-vehicle zones, with diversions and barricades, and a police control room, medical teams and ambulances were on standby. In both years the plan was announced in the fortnight before the festival; the 2027 plan has not been announced. Some practical points:

Sources: [10] · [7] · [9] · [14] · [6] · [5]

Dhrupad Mela, live darshan and Rangbhari Ekadashi

Not officially confirmed — check before you travel

In the days before Shivratri, Tulsi Ghat hosts the Dhrupad Mela, a five-day festival of dhrupad music offered to Shiva that closes on Maha Shivratri. It was first held in 1975. The 52nd edition opened on 11 February 2026 with more than 50 artists, including performers from the United States, Denmark, Russia and England, and 10 to 12 performances each day. The 2027 dates had not been announced by 7 November 2026; if it again closes on Shivratri, it would run in the first week of March.

If you cannot reach the temple, the trust streams live darshan of the sanctum on its website, free for everyone. The wedding celebrations of Kashi also continue after Shivratri: on Rangbhari Ekadashi (Amalaki Ekadashi), Thursday 18 March 2027, Baba Vishwanath is said to bring Parvati home to Kashi after the wedding, and from that day the city counts the start of Holi, with gulal on the deity and in the lanes.

Sources: [15] · [16] · [17] · [19] · [20]

Frequently asked questions

Maha Shivratri 2027 kab hai?

On Saturday, 6 March 2027. For Varanasi, Drik Panchang gives the nishita kaal puja from 11:44 PM on 6 March to 12:33 AM on 7 March, and the central government's 2027 holiday list also shows 6 March.

Is Maha Shivratri 2027 on 6 or 7 March?

On 6 March. The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 12:03 PM on 6 March to 1:46 PM on 7 March, and the night of worship, including nishita kaal, is the night of 6 March. The fast is broken on 7 March between 6:16 AM and 1:46 PM.

Is Maha Shivratri 2027 in February, or in Sawan?

Neither. It falls on 6 March 2027; in 2026 it was on 15 February. The Shivratri of Sawan is a separate observance, which falls on 31 July in 2027 according to Drik Panchang for Varanasi.

Is Kashi Vishwanath open all night on Shivratri?

Yes. In 2026 the temple opened after the 2:15 AM Mangala aarti and stayed open for about 45 hours, until 11 PM the next day, with four prahar aartis through the night and darshan continuing. The 2027 schedule has not been announced yet.

Can I book Sugam Darshan on Shivratri?

Not in 2026: the trust suspended all online darshan and puja bookings for Shivratri and the day after, cancelled aarti tickets and stopped VIP, protocol and sparsh darshan. Nothing is announced for 2027 yet. Book only on the trust's website, and do not pay anyone offering special darshan.

What time does the Shiv Baraat start in Varanasi?

On Shivratri evening. No official time is published; in 2026 it set out from the Mahamrityunjay temple in Daranagar after about 5:30 PM and went to Dedhsi Pul at Dashashwamedh. The 2027 time and route have not been announced.

Can I take my phone into Kashi Vishwanath on Shivratri?

No. In 2026 phones, smart and digital watches, large bags, pens, plastic items, water bottles, tobacco, matches and lighters were not allowed into the Dham. Leave them at your hotel.

Can I watch Kashi Vishwanath Shivratri darshan live?

Yes. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust streams live darshan of the sanctum on its website, shrikashivishwanath.org, free for everyone.