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Panchang · Festivals and vrats

Festivals and vrats in 2009

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 San Jose · change city

Times in San Jose (America/Los Angeles, PST/PDT).

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 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

  • 4 MayMon

    Mohini Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Vaishakha Shukla

  • 6 MayWed

    Budha Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 12 MayTue

    Angarki Ekadanta Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 20 MayWed

    Apara Ekadashi

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

  • 21 MayThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 22 MayFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 23 MaySat

    Vat Savitri

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

  • 28 MayThu

    Skanda Shashthi

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

June 2009

July 2009

  • 2 JulThu

    Devshayani Ekadashi

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

  • 3 JulFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 10 JulFri

    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.

  • 18 JulSat

    Kamika Ekadashi

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

  • 19 JulSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 20 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 20 JulMon

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 26 JulSun

    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.

  • 31 JulFri

    Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

  • 1 OctThu

    Guru Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 6 OctTue

    Karwa Chauth

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

  • 6 OctTue

    Angarki Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 10 OctSat

    Ahoi Ashtami

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

  • 14 OctWed

    Rama Ekadashi

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

  • 15 OctThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 16 OctFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 23 OctFri

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 29 OctThu

    Devutthana Ekadashi

    Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi

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

  • 30 OctFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

November 2009

December 2009

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

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