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Panchang · Festivals and vrats

Festivals and vrats in 2016

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 New Delhi · change city

‹2016›

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 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

  • 1 JunWed

    Apara Ekadashi

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

  • 2 JunThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 3 JunFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 5 JunSun

    Vat Savitri

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

  • 10 JunFri

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 16 JunThu

    Nirjala Ekadashi

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

  • 17 JunFri

    Shukra Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 23 JunThu

    Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi

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

July 2016

  • 1 JulFri

    Yogini Ekadashi

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

  • 2 JulSat

    Shani Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 2 JulSat

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 9 JulSat

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 15 JulFri

    Devshayani Ekadashi

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

  • 17 JulSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 23 JulSat

    Gajanana Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 25 JulMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 30 JulSat

    Kamika Ekadashi

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

  • 31 JulSun

    Ravi Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

August 2016

  • 1 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 1 AugMon

    Masik Shivaratri

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

  • 8 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 8 AugMon

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 14 AugSun

    Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

  • 15 AugMon

    Shravan Somvar

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

  • 15 AugMon

    Soma Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 21 AugSun

    Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 28 AugSun

    Aja Ekadashi

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

  • 29 AugMon

    Soma Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 30 AugTue

    Masik Shivaratri

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

September 2016

October 2016

  • 6 OctThu

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 12 OctWed

    Papankusha Ekadashi

    Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Ashwina Shukla

  • 13 OctThu

    Guru Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 18 OctTue

    Karwa Chauth

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

  • 18 OctTue

    Angarki Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 22 OctSat

    Ahoi Ashtami

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

  • 26 OctWed

    Rama Ekadashi

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

  • 27 OctThu

    Guru Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 28 OctFri

    Masik Shivaratri

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

November 2016

  • 5 NovSat

    Skanda Shashthi

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

  • 11 NovFri

    Devutthana Ekadashi

    Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi

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

  • 12 NovSat

    Shani Pradosh (Shukla)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 17 NovThu

    Ganadhipa Sankashti Chaturthi

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

  • 24 NovThu

    Utpanna Ekadashi

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

  • 26 NovSat

    Shani Pradosh (Krishna)

    Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

  • 27 NovSun

    Masik Shivaratri

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

December 2016

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

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