Hal Shashti (Balarama Jayanti / Lalahi Chhath)

Balarama (Krishna's elder brother)

Hindu

Get a reminder before the next Hal Shashti (Balarama Jayanti / Lalahi Chhath)

At 7pm the evening before, each time it comes around. Turn it off anytime.

Dates shown for India (default). Enable JavaScript to set a reminder for your location.

Hal Shashti / Lalahi Chhath / Balarama Jayanti — Bhadrapada Krishna Shashti — the appearance day of Balarama, Krishna's elder brother (whose weapon is the plough — Hal-ayudha). Mothers fast for the long life of their sons (especially elder sons) and avoid all grains/foods grown by ploughed agriculture, eating only pasahar (wild/rain-fed grains) and buffalo dairy.

Dates 2026–2027

September 2, 2026

Mantra

ॐ हलायुधाय नमः

Om Halayudhaya Namah

Salutations to Balarama, He whose weapon is the Plough

✦ Special Note

Strictly observed in UP, Bihar, MP, and Chhattisgarh. The vrat is broken with pasahar rice and buffalo curd after the evening Balarama puja under a plough decorated with kusha grass and flowers.

Foods Allowed

Mahua flowers, kheer of buffalo milkPasahar rice (rain-fed/wild rice — never tilled by plough)Curd from buffalo milkFruits not grown on tilled land

Foods to Avoid

Anything grown by ploughed cultivation (rice, wheat from farms)Cow's milk products (use only buffalo)Onion and garlicMeat

Meal Idea

Pasahar (wild) rice with buffalo-milk curd and mahua sweet — the day's strict 'untilled-grain' fast for sons' wellbeing

Related vrats

Prioritising the same tradition and category, with related tradition or family entries when fewer than six exist.

Skanda Sashti — November 10, 2026Same tradition and category
Ahoi Ashtami — November 1, 2026Same tradition
Akshaya Navami (Amla Navami) — November 18, 2026Same tradition
Akshaya Tritiya — April 19, 2026Same tradition
Amavasya — April 17, 2026Same tradition
Amavasya — August 12, 2026Same tradition

Browse all Hindu observances →

Get a reminder before the next Hal Shashti (Balarama Jayanti / Lalahi Chhath)

At 7pm the evening before, each time it comes around. Turn it off anytime.

Remind me

Dates shown for India (default). Enable JavaScript to set a reminder for your location.

Track this vrat in the app

Personalised timings, reminders, and fasting guides for your tradition.

Open VRAT App →