Radha Ashtami 2026: Puja muhurat, rituals, and mantras for today's festival

Radha Ashtami is being celebrated today, September 18, 2026, with devotees observing a fast and performing special worship of Radha Rani, with an auspicious window of 2 hours and 27 minutes for the rituals. The puja muhurat is from 11:01 AM to 1:28 PM, and the Ashtami tithi ends on September 19 at 3:26 PM. This year, several auspicious yogas, including Saubhagya, Ayushman, and Ravi, are coinciding with the festival, which is believed to enhance its significance. The festival marks the appearance day of Radha Rani and is celebrated with particular fervor in Braj regions like Barsana and Vrindavan. Devotees perform abhishek, offer bhog, chant mantras, and recite the Radha Rani aarti, as the 16-day Mahalakshmi fast also begins today.