Dates of Hindu festivals
The following is a list of important Hindu/Indian festivals, according to their traditional dates as per the panchanga.
Festivals according to Lunisolar calendar
The names of months are according to Amānta (new moon to new moon) system followed in south and west India (incl. Maharashtra and Gujarat). In other states, purnimanta (full moon to full moon) system is followed. They are offset by 15 days. So the names of ṡukla pakṣa overlap but not kṛṣṇa pakṣa. Hence, for north Indians, the kṛṣṇa pakṣa below refers to one month later than mentioned. For example, Mahā Ṡivarātri occurs on Phālguna-kṛṣṇa-pakṣa for northies but Māgha-kṛṣṇa-pakṣa for southies.
In the following, “S” represents the waxing phase ṡukla-pakṣa (also called ṡuddha, ṡuddhi or ṡudi) and “K” represents the waning phase kṛṣṇa pakṣa (also called bahuḻa, vadya or vadi). S15 denotes pūrṇimā and K30 is amāvāsya.
| Festival | Date |
|---|---|
| Lunar New Year, Yugādi (Ugadi), Guḍi pāḍvā, Cheti Chand (Sindhi) | Caitra S1 |
| Caitra navarātri, Vasanta navarātri | Caitra S1 to S9 |
| Matsya jayantī (TTD) | Caitra S3 (instantaneous) |
| Lakṣmī Pan̄camī, Kūrma kalpādi | Caitra S5 |
| Rāma navami (TTD) | Caitra S9 |
| Hanumat jayantī (S.India except Telugu) | Caitra S15 |
| Akṣaya tṛtīyā | Vaiṡākha S3 |
| Paraṡurāma jayantī | Pradōṡa-kāla on Akṣaya tṛtīyā |
| Gaṅgā saptamī / Jahnu saptamī | Vaiṡākha S7 |
| Sītā navamī (jayantī) | Vaiṡākha S9 |
| Vāsavī jayantī, Padmāvatī-Ṡrīnivāsa Kalyāṇa | Vaiṡākha S10 |
| Rukmiṇī dvādaṡi (jayantī) | Vaiṡākha S12 |
| Narasiṃha jayantī (TTD) | Vaiṡākha S14 |
| Kūrma jayantī (TTD), Buddha pūrṇimā, Iṣṭhi / Anvādhāna | Vaiṡākha S15 |
| Nārada jayantī | Vaiṡākha K1 |
| Hanumat jayantī (TTD, Telugu only), 41-day Hanumat vrata ends | Vaiṡākha K10 |
| Gaṅgāvataraṇa / Gaṅgā dasarā (dussehra) | Jyaiṣṭha S10 |
| Vaṭa pūrṇimā | Jyaiṣṭha S15 |
| Ratha-yātrā of Puri Jagannātha | Āṣāḍha S2 |
| Sudarṡana (cakra) jayantī | Āṣāḍha S10 |
| (karkāṭaka-māsa citrā nak) | |
| Guru pūrṇimā / Vyāsa pūjā | Āṣāḍha S15 |
| Sindhāra tṛtīyā (Hariyali Teej) | Ṡrāvaṇa S3 |
| Nāga pan̄camī (Garuḍa pan̄camī) | Ṡrāvaṇa S5 |
| Kalki jayantī (TTD) | Ṡrāvaṇa S6 |
| Varamahālakṣmī vrata | Friday before Ṡrāvaṇa S15 |
| Ṛg upākarma | Ṡravaṇā nak. of Ṡrāvaṇa |
| Jhulana yātra | Ṡrāvaṇa S11 to S15 (pūrvahna) |
| Yajur upākarma, Hayagrīva jayantī (TTD), Gāyatrī jayantī, Avani Avittam | Ṡrāvaṇa S15 |
| Rakṣā bandhana / Rākhi | Ṡrāvaṇa S15 (pradōṣa) |
| Kajarī tṛtīyā (Kajari Teej) | Ṡrāvaṇa K3 |
| Balarāma jayantī (some North Indian) | Ṡrāvaṇa K6 |
| Ṡrī Kṛṣṇạ janmāṣṭami (Smārta) | Ṡrāvaṇa K8 (niṡita) |
| Ṡrī Kṛṣṇa janmāṣṭami (TTD, Vaiṣṇava; see below for Ramanuja) | Ṡrāvaṇa K8 |
| Balarāma jayantī (TTD, Mādhva, Ṡrīvaiṣṇava) | Bhādrapada S2 |
| Sāma upākarma, Varāha jayantī (TTD), Svarṇa gaurī (Hartlikā teej, Haritālikā vrata) | Bhādrapada S3 |
| Vināyaka-Gaṇeṣa caturthī, Vighnavināṡaka Viṡvaksēna pūja | Bhādrapada S4 |
| Ṛṣi pan̄camī | Bhādrapada S5 |
| Rādhāṣṭamī | Bhādrapada S8 |
| Vāmana jayantī (TTD) | Bhādrapada S12 |
| Ananta caturdaṡī, Padmanābha vrata | Bhādrapada S14 |
| Mahālaya amāvāsya, Sarva-pitṛ tarpaṇa | Bhādrapada K30 |
| Ṡarad navarātrī ārambha, Agrasena jayantī | Āṡvina S1 |
| Durgāṣṭamī | Āṡvina S8 |
| Āyudha pūja, Sarasvatī pūja, Mahānavamī | Āṡvina S9 |
| Vijaya daṡamī, Dasarā / Dussehra / Dussehara / Dasahara | Āṡvina S10 (aparāhna) |
| Vijaya daṡamī (Bengal and Kerala) | Āṡvina S10 (pūrvāhna) |
| Venkaṭesvara svāmi jayantī | Āṡvina S11 |
| (kanyā-māsa ṡravaṇā nakṣatra) | |
| Vālmīki jayantī, Ṡarad pūrṇimā | Āṡvina S15 (udayavyāpini) |
| Aṭla-taddi | Āṡvina K3 |
| Karvā-cauth | Āṡvina K4 |
| Dhanvantari trayodaṡī (dhan teras) | Āṡvina K13 |
| Naraka caturdaṡī | Āṡvina K14 (pūrvāruṇōdaya) |
| Hanumat jayantī (N.India) / Hanumaj janma | Āṡvina K14 (udayavyāpini) |
| Dīpāvalī, Lakṣmī pūja | Āṡvina K30 |
| Bali pāḍyamī, Govardhana pūja | Kārttika S1 |
| Bhrātṛ dvitīyā (Bhai dooj), Yama dvitīya | Kārttika S2 |
| Padmāvatī jayantī | Kārttika S5 (uttarāṣāḍha nak) |
| Sūrya ṣaṣṭhī (Chhaṭh pūja) | Kārttika S6 |
| Tulasī vivāha, Utthāna/Kaiṡika/Kṣīrābdi dvādaṡī | Kārttika S12 |
| Vaikuṇṭha caturdaṡī | Kārttika S14 |
| Kārttika pūrṇimā, Deva dīpāvalī, Rāsayātra (Vaiṣṇava) | Kārttika S15 (udayavyāpini) |
| Rāsayātra (smārta) | Kārttika S15 (niṡitavyāpini) |
| Sītā kalyāṇa | Mārgaṡira S5 |
| Subrahmaṇya ṣaṣṭhi | Mārgaṡira S6 |
| Gītā jayantī, Ṡrīmad-Bhāgavata jayantī | Mārgaṡira S11 |
| Hanumad vrata (Mādhva/Kannaḍa) | Mārgaṡira S13 |
| Dattātreya jayantī, Annapūrṇa jayantī | Mārgaṡira S15 |
| Vaikuṇṭha ekādaṡī | Mārgaṡira (or puṣya) S11 |
| Vasanta pan̄camī | Māgha S5 |
| Ratha saptamī | Māgha S7 |
| Bhīṣmāṣṭamī (disappearance of Bhīṣma pitāmaha) | Māgha S8 |
| Viṣṇu-sahasranāma jayantī, Bhīṣma ekādaṡī | Māgha S11 |
| Yaṡodā jayantī | Māgha K6 |
| Ṡabarī jayantī | Māgha K7 |
| Jānakī jayantī | Māgha K8 |
| Mahā ṡivarātrī | Māgha K14 |
| Holikā dahana, Ḍhol yatra, Vasanta pūrṇimā, Kāma dahana, Lakṣmī jayantī | Phālguna S15 |
| Holi / Dhuleti (day after Holikā dahana), Vasantōtsava | Phālguna K1 |
| Raṅga pan̄camī | Phālguna K5 |
| Ṡītalāṣṭamī | Phālguna K8 |
Festivals according to Solar calendar
The primary solar festivals are Mēṣa Saṅkrānti, Makara Saṅkrānti and Thiru Onam, just regional variations.
| Festival | Date |
|---|---|
| Saura Vaiṡākhādi, Baisakhi (Punjab-Haryana, Odisha) | Mēṣa 1 (sunrise rule) |
| Visu (Kerala) | Mēṣa 1 (aparahna rule) |
| Caitra saṅkrānti, Saura Meshādi, Tamil New Year (Puthandu) | Mēṣa 1 (sunset rule) |
| Chadak Puja (Bengal), Cheiraoba (Manipur) | Mēṣa 1 (midnight rule) |
| Poila Baisakh (Bengal), Shilhenba (Manipur), Bahag Bihu (Assam) | Mēṣa 2 (midnight rule) |
| Saura Āṡāḍhādi, Rajas Saṅkrānti (Odisha) | Mithuna 1 (sunrise rule) |
| Saura Ṡrāvaṇa Amavāsya, Karkāṭaka Vavu (Kerala) | Karkāṭaka K30 |
| Ṡrī Kṛṣṇa jayantī (Rāmānuja), Kaṇṇan Thirunak.,Saura Bhādra | Rōhiṇī Nak. of Siṃha |
| Vināyaka Caturthī (Tamil Nadu), Saura Bhādrapada S4 | Siṃha S4 |
| First of 4-day Onam celebrations (Kerala) | Day before Thiruvonam |
| Second (main) day of Onam, Thiru Onam (Kerala), Saura Bhādra | Ṡravaṇā Nak. of Siṃha |
| Viṡvakarma pūja | Kanyā 1 |
| Huthi / Huttari (Kodagu, Karnataka) – 3 days, Saura Mārgaṡirā | Vṛṡcika S15 to K2 |
| Vaikuṇṭha ekādaṡī (S.India), Saura Puṣya | Dhanus S11 |
| Bhōgi (S.India), Lohri (N.India) | Day before Pongal/Māghi |
| Saura Māghādi, Makara Saṅkrānti, Māghi (Punjab-Haryana) | Makara 1 (sunrise rule) |
| Saura Māghādi, Māgh Bihu (Assam), Makar-Saṅkrānti (Beng) | Makara 1 (midnight rule) |
| Makara Saṅkrānti (S.India), Pongal (Tamil Nadu) | Makara 1 (sunset rule) |
| Tai Pongal (Kerala) | Makara 1 (18-ghatika rule) |
| Maṭṭu Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Kanumu (Telugu) | Day after Pongal |
| Thaipusam/Thaipooyam (Tamil Nadu) | Makara S15 |
Anniversaries of ācāryas, gurus and sādhus
| Name | Tithi |
|---|---|
| Vallabhācārya jayantī | Caitra K11 |
| Ādi Ṡaṅkarācārya jayantī | Vaiṡākha S5 |
| Rāmānujācārya jayantī | Ārdrā nakṣatra in mēṣa-māsa |
| (Vaiṡākha ṡukla pan̄camī) | |
| Peddajeeyar jayantī [1909–09–01 20:00?] | Ṡrāvaṇa K2 |
| (karkāṭaka-māsa uttarābhādra) | |
| Peddajeeyar paramapadam | Puṣya S12 |
| (makara-māsa mṛgaṡirā) | |
| Chinnajeeyar jayantī [1956–11–03] | Kārttika S1 |
| (svātī nakṣatra in tulā-māsa) | |
| Jayatīrtha puṇya-tithi | Āṣāḍha K5 |
| Rāghavendra ārādhana | Ṡrāvaṇa K2 |
| Madhvācārya jayantī | Āṡvina S10 |
| Vedānta Desika jayantī | Āṡvina S11 |
| (kanyā-māsa ṡravaṇā nakṣatra) | |
| Madhva navami | |
| Vādirāja puṇya-tithi | |
| Vyāsatīrtha puṇya-tithi | Phālguna K4 |
| Gurunānaka jayantī | |
| Dayānanda sarasvatī jayantī | |
| Ramakṛṣna paramahaṃsa jayantī | |
| Vivekānanda jayantī | |
| Caitanya mahāprabhu jayantī | |
| Ṡivājī jayantī | |
| Guru govinda singh jayantī | |
| Mahāvīra jayantī | |
| Guru Ravidas jayantī | |
| Svāminārāyaṇa jayantī | |
| Basava jayantī | Vaiṡākha S3 |
| Purandaradāsa jayantī | |
| Kanakadāsa jayantī | |
| Annamācārya jayantī | Vaiṡākha S15 |
| Tailāṅga svāmī jayantī | |
| Āṇdāḷ (Gōdā-dēvī) jayantī | Karkāṭaka-māsa pūrva-phalguṇi |
| Mīrābāi jayantī | |
| Akka mahādevī jayantī | Caitra S15 |
Names of Ekādaṡīs
| Māsa | Ṡukla pakṣa | Kṛṣṇa pakṣa |
|---|---|---|
| Caitra | Kāmada | Varūthinī |
| Vaiṡākha | Mohinī | Aparā/Acalā |
| Jyaiṣṭha | Nirjalā | Yoginī |
| Āṣāḍha | (Hari-)Ṡayanī | Kāmadā/Kāmikā |
| Ṡrāvaṇa | Ṡr. Putradā | Ānanda/Aja/Jayā |
| Bhādrapada | Padmā/Pārṡva | Indirā |
| Āṡvina | Pāṡāṅkuṡa | Ramā/Rambhā |
| Kārttika | Utthānā/Prabodhinī | Utpannā |
| Mārgaṡira | Mokṣadā | Saphalā |
| Puṣya | Pu. Putradā | Ṣaṭtilā |
| Māgha | Bhaimī/Jayā | Vijayā |
| Phālguna | Āmalakī | Pāpamocanī |
| Adhika-māsa | Padminī viṣuddha | Paramā ṡuddha |
Vaikuṇṭha ekādaṡī (also called Mukkoṭi Ekādaṡī) can be either Mokṣada Ekādaṡī or Puṣya-putrada Ekādaṡī – whichever occurs in the Dhanur-māsa of the solar calendar.
Recurring festivals
- Ekāsaṡī fasting occurs twice a month (see above).
- On tradōyaṡī of every month occurs Pradoṣa.
- On ṡukla caturthī of every month occurs māsika-vināyaka-caturthī.
On kṛṣṇa caturthī of every month occurs māsika-saṃkaṣṭi (saṅkaṣṭa caturthī). - On ṡukla ṣaṣṭhi of every month occurs māsika-skanda-ṣaṣṭhi.
- On ṡukla aṣṭamī of every month occurs māsika-durgāṣṭamī.
- On kṛṣṇa caturdaṡī of every month occurs māsika-ṡivarātri.
Range of dates
- Cāturmāsa is a four month period of Ṡayanī Ekādaṡī (=Toli Ekādaṡī) to Utthāna Ekādaṡī. In each of the four months, one should fast from green leafy vegetables (ṡāka vrata), curds, milk and urad dal respectively.
- Pitṛ pakṣa is during bhādrapada kṛṣṇa pratipada to bhādrapada kṛṣṇa amāvāsya.
- Navarātrī is the nine day period āṡvīna ṡukla pratipada to āṡvīna ṡukla navamī. The tenth day is celedrated as Dasarā i.e., Vijaya Daṡamī.
- Start gaurī vrata :guru pūrṇimā: end Gaurī vrata
- Maṅgaḷa gaurī vrata is celebrated every Tuesday in the month of ṡrāvaṇa.
- Mahālakṣmī vrata is celebrated during bhādrapada ṡukla aṣṭamī to bhādrapada kṛṣṇa aṣṭamī.
Bonus: Press Ctrl+U and examine comments in the html page source.
References
TTD festival list for 2020
TTD festival list for 2022
Chinnajeeyar ṡārvari calendar 2020
JET UK calendar
Swami Raghavacharya Maharaj, Ayodhya
“Principal Festivals and Anniversaries for Holidays”, Indian Astronomical Ephemeris
