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Panchang · Festivals and vrats

Festivals and vrats in 2008

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 Wellington · change city

Times in Wellington (Pacific/Auckland, NZDT/NZST).

‹2008›

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 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

  • 2 MayFri

    Varuthini Ekadashi

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

  • 3 MaySat

    Shani Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 4 MaySun

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 10 MaySat

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 15 MayThu

    Mohini Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Vaishakha Shukla

  • 17 MaySat

    Shani Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 24 MaySat

    Ekadanta Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 31 MaySat

    Apara Ekadashi

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

June 2008

  • 1 JunSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 2 JunMon

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 3 JunTue

    Vat Savitri

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

  • 8 JunSun

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 14 JunSat

    Nirjala Ekadashi

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

  • 16 JunMon

    Soma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 22 JunSun

    Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 29 JunSun

    Yogini Ekadashi

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

July 2008

August 2008

  • 4 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 6 AugWed

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 11 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 12 AugTue

    Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

  • 14 AugThu

    Guru Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 20 AugWed

    Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 27 AugWed

    Aja Ekadashi

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

  • 28 AugThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 29 AugFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

September 2008

October 2008

  • 5 OctSun

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 11 OctSat

    Papankusha Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Ashwina Shukla

  • 12 OctSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 18 OctSat

    Karwa Chauth

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

  • 18 OctSat

    Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 21 OctTue

    Ahoi Ashtami

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

  • 25 OctSat

    Rama Ekadashi

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

  • 26 OctSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 27 OctMon

    Masik Shivaratri

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

November 2008

  • 4 NovTue

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 9 NovSun

    Devutthana Ekadashi

    Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi, 10 Nov

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

  • 11 NovTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 16 NovSun

    Ganadhipa Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 23 NovSun

    Utpanna Ekadashi

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

  • 25 NovTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 26 NovWed

    Masik Shivaratri

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

December 2008

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

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