A practical guide
Does the sun rise in the east? Sunrise direction in India
The sun rises due east only around the equinoxes. In India it rises up to 24° to 29° north of east in June and as far south of east in December. Today’s sunrise direction in Indian cities.
By Alton Jorge de Souza Vieira · Sources checked 31 October 2026
Which way does the sun rise today?
In the east and the west, but exactly due east and due west only around the March and September equinoxes. Today, , the sun rises in Varanasi at 106° ESE and sets at 254° WSW.
| City | Sunrise today | Sunset today | Sunrise in June · December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varanasi | 106° ESE | 254° WSW | 63° ENE · 116° ESE |
| Puri | 105° ESE | 255° WSW | 65° ENE · 115° ESE |
| Kanniyakumari | 104° ESE | 255° WSW | 66° ENE · 114° ESE |
| Guwahati | 106° ESE | 254° WSW | 63° ENE · 116° ESE |
| Rishikesh | 106° ESE | 254° WSW | 62° ENE · 117° ESE |
| Amritsar | 106° ESE | 253° WSW | 62° ENE · 117° ESE |
| Shillong | 106° ESE | 254° WSW | 63° ENE · 116° ESE |
| Bhuj | 105° ESE | 255° WSW | 64° ENE · 115° ESE |
| Port Blair | 104° ESE | 255° WSW | 66° ENE · 114° ESE |
Level-horizon calculation for each city’s coordinates, on the solstice dates of 2026. 90° is due east and 270° due west.
East, but rarely due east
On every morning of the year the sun comes up on the eastern side of the horizon. It rises exactly due east, at 90° from true north, only around the March and September equinoxes. From March to September it rises north of east, and from September to March south of east.
In India the swing either side of east is about 24° at Kanniyakumari and 29° in Srinagar: the farther north, the wider. On the June solstice in Amritsar the sun rises at about 62°, east-northeast; on the December solstice at about 117°, east-southeast.
Why it moves
Earth’s axis is tilted by about 23.4°. Through the year the sun’s path shifts north and south of the celestial equator, and the point where it crosses the eastern horizon shifts with it. The farther a place is from the equator, the wider the swing.
Using the direction
Bearings here are measured clockwise from true north. A phone compass may show magnetic north, which in India is within a degree or two of true north. The angles assume a level horizon; a hill, a building or the sea horizon at a ghat changes where you first see the sun. Each city page shows today’s sunrise bearing on a compass and its range over the year.
Sources and method
Calculations and explanatory text are prepared for this site. Read the method and limitations or report a correction.