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Panchang · Festivals and vrats

Festivals and vrats in 2020

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 Houston · change city

Times in Houston (America/Chicago, CST/CDT).

‹2020›

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 2020

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

  • 3 MaySun

    Mohini Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Vaishakha Shukla

  • 4 MayMon

    Soma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 9 MaySat

    Ekadanta Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 17 MaySun

    Apara Ekadashi

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

  • 19 MayTue

    Bhauma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 20 MayWed

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 22 MayFri

    Vat Savitri

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

  • 27 MayWed

    Skanda Shashthi

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

June 2020

July 2020

  • 1 JulWed

    Devshayani Ekadashi

    Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi, when Vishnu is said to begin his four-month rest.

  • 2 JulThu

    Guru Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 6 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 8 JulWed

    Gajanana Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 13 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 16 JulThu

    Kamika Ekadashi

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

  • 17 JulFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 18 JulSat

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 20 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 25 JulSat

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 27 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 30 JulThu

    Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

  • 31 JulFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

August 2020

  • 3 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 6 AugThu

    Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 14 AugFri

    Aja Ekadashi

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

  • 16 AugSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 17 AugMon

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 21 AugFri

    Hartalika Teej

    Women's fast for Parvati on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya.

  • 23 AugSun

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 28 AugFri

    Parsva (Parivartini) Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Bhadrapada Shukla

  • 30 AugSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

September 2020

October 2020

November 2020

  • 3 NovTue

    Karwa Chauth

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

  • 3 NovTue

    Angarki Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 8 NovSun

    Ahoi Ashtami

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

  • 11 NovWed

    Rama Ekadashi

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

  • 12 NovThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 13 NovFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 19 NovThu

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 25 NovWed

    Devutthana Ekadashi

    Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi

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

  • 27 NovFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

December 2020

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

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