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School of Vedic Sciences, FORE

Panchang · Festivals and vrats

Festivals and vrats in 2021

Each date is worked out from the lunar day, the Moon’s nakshatra or the Sun’s entry into a sign, by the sunrise of the chosen city. Open a festival to read how its date was fixed.

Dates for Nabadwip · change city

Month names: the rules use the amanta month, which ends at the new moon (as in South and West India). In the dark half of the month North India’s purnimanta calendar has already moved to the next month, so dark-half entries show both names, for example Kamika Ekadashi: Shravana Krishna (purnimanta) = Ashadha Krishna (amanta). Shravan Somvar follows the purnimanta month, as Delhi almanacs print it.

January 2021

February 2021

  • 8 FebMon

    Shattila Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Magha Krishna (purnimanta) = Pausha Krishna (amanta)

  • 9 FebTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 10 FebWed

    Masik Shivaratri

    Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Magha (purnimanta) = Pausha (amanta)

  • 17 FebWed

    Skanda Shashthi

    Shukla Shashthi, on the day it joins the tithi before · Magha

  • 23 FebTue

    Jaya Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Magha Shukla

  • 24 FebWed

    Budha Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

March 2021

April 2021

May 2021

June 2021

  • 5 JunSat

    Apara Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Jyeshtha Krishna (purnimanta) = Vaishakha Krishna (amanta)

  • 7 JunMon

    Soma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 8 JunTue

    Masik Shivaratri

    Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Jyeshtha (purnimanta) = Vaishakha (amanta)

  • 10 JunThu

    Vat Savitri

    Women's vow at the banyan, on the Amavasya before Jyeshtha in the north.

  • 16 JunWed

    Skanda Shashthi

    Shukla Shashthi, on the day it joins the tithi before · Jyeshtha

  • 21 JunMon

    Nirjala Ekadashi

    The waterless Ekadashi of Jyeshtha Shukla, held equal to all twenty-four.

  • 22 JunTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 27 JunSun

    Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi

    Fourth day of the dark half; a Ganesha fast broken at moonrise

July 2021

August 2021

  • 2 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

    The Mondays of Shravana as North India counts it (purnimanta), kept for Shiva.

  • 4 AugWed

    Kamika Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Krishna (purnimanta) = Ashadha Krishna (amanta)

  • 5 AugThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 6 AugFri

    Masik Shivaratri

    Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Shravana (purnimanta) = Ashadha (amanta)

  • 9 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

    The Mondays of Shravana as North India counts it (purnimanta), kept for Shiva.

  • 13 AugFri

    Skanda Shashthi

    Shukla Shashthi, on the day it joins the tithi before · Shravana

  • 16 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

    The Mondays of Shravana as North India counts it (purnimanta), kept for Shiva.

  • 18 AugWed

    Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

  • 20 AugFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 25 AugWed

    Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi

    Fourth day of the dark half; a Ganesha fast broken at moonrise

September 2021

October 2021

  • 2 OctSat

    Indira Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Ashwina Krishna (purnimanta) = Bhadrapada Krishna (amanta)

  • 4 OctMon

    Soma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 4 OctMon

    Masik Shivaratri

    Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Ashwina (purnimanta) = Bhadrapada (amanta)

  • 11 OctMon

    Skanda Shashthi

    Shukla Shashthi, on the day it joins the tithi before · Ashwina

  • 16 OctSat

    Papankusha Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Ashwina Shukla

  • 18 OctMon

    Soma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 24 OctSun

    Karwa Chauth

    Wives' fast from dawn to moonrise on the Chaturthi after Sharad Purnima.

  • 24 OctSun

    Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi

    Fourth day of the dark half; a Ganesha fast broken at moonrise

  • 28 OctThu

    Ahoi Ashtami

    Mothers' fast for their children on Kartika Krishna Ashtami (purnimanta), ended at star-rise.

November 2021

  • 1 NovMon

    Rama Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Kartika Krishna (purnimanta) = Ashwina Krishna (amanta)

  • 2 NovTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 3 NovWed

    Masik Shivaratri

    Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Kartika (purnimanta) = Ashwina (amanta)

  • 9 NovTue

    Skanda Shashthi

    Shukla Shashthi, on the day it joins the tithi before · Kartika

  • 14 NovSun

    Devutthana Ekadashi

    Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi

    Kartika Shukla Ekadashi, the end of chaturmasa and the reopening of the wedding season.

  • 16 NovTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 23 NovTue

    Angarki Ganadhipa Sankashti Chaturthi

    Fourth day of the dark half; a Ganesha fast broken at moonrise

  • 30 NovTue

    Utpanna Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Margashirsha Krishna (purnimanta) = Kartika Krishna (amanta)

December 2021

Plain-language notes are the School’s summaries of common almanac usage, for study. They are not advice.

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