Festivals and vrats in 1996

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Pausha Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Full-moon day · Pausha

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

Bonfire festival of Punjab on the evening before Makar Sankranti.

The Sun's entry into sidereal Makara (Capricorn), around 14 January.

The first day of the Tamil solar month Thai, after the Sun enters sidereal Makara.

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Magha Amavasya (purnimanta) = Pausha Amavasya (amanta)

Magha Shukla Panchami; the day of Saraswati and the first sign of spring.

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

Magha Shukla Saptami, kept for the Sun with a bath before dawn.

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Magha Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Full-moon day · Magha

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Masik Shivaratri

The great night of Shiva, on the Chaturdashi before Phalguna's new moon.

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Phalguna Amavasya (purnimanta) = Magha Amavasya (amanta)

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Phalguna Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Phalguna Purnima (vrat and snana-dana), 5 Mar

The Holi bonfire, lit after dusk on Phalguna Purnima outside Bhadra.

The festival of colours, on the day after Holika Dahan.

Full-moon day · Phalguna

Purnima is running at sunrise: the day for the Purnima vrat and for bathing and gifts (snana-dana). Holika Dahan (4 Mar) is the same full moon, kept at dusk.

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Chaitra Amavasya (purnimanta) = Phalguna Amavasya (amanta)

Lunar new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada in the Deccan and Maharashtra.

Nine nights of the goddess from Chaitra Shukla Pratipada to Ram Navami.

Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, the close of the Gauri worship of Rajasthan.

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

Birth of Rama, observed at midday on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Chaitra Shukla

Birth of Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, on Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi.

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Chaitra Purnima

Birth observance of Hanuman on Chaitra Purnima in the north.

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Vaishakha Amavasya (purnimanta) = Chaitra Amavasya (amanta)

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, one of the three and a half 'unbroken' muhurta days.

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Vaishakha Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Vaishakha Purnima

Vaishakha Purnima, remembered as the birth, awakening and passing of the Buddha.

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

Also: Vaishakha Amavasya

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

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

Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami, the descent of the Ganga.

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Full-moon day · Jyeshtha

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Ashadha Amavasya (purnimanta) = Jyeshtha Amavasya (amanta)

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Adhika Ashadha Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Full-moon day · Ashadha

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Adhika Ashadha Krishna

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Krishna Chaturdashi, kept at midnight · Adhika Ashadha

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Adhika Ashadha Amavasya

The chariot procession of Jagannath at Puri on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya.

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Ashadha Purnima, dedicated to the teacher and to Vyasa.

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

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Shravana Amavasya (purnimanta) = Ashadha Amavasya (amanta)

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

Shravana Shukla Panchami, the day of the serpent deities.

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Shravana Shukla

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Kerala's harvest festival on Thiruvonam (Shravana) nakshatra in the month of Chingam.

Also: Shravana Purnima

Shravana Purnima; the rakhi is tied in the afternoon, outside Bhadra.

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

Birth of Krishna at midnight on the Ashtami after Shravana Purnima.

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Bhadrapada Amavasya (purnimanta) = Shravana Amavasya (amanta)

Women's fast for Parvati on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya.

Installation of Ganesha at midday on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

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

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Bhadrapada Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi; the Ananta vow and Ganesha immersion.

The fortnight of the ancestors, from the day after Bhadrapada Purnima to the new moon.

Full-moon day · Bhadrapada

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Ashwina Amavasya (purnimanta) = Bhadrapada Amavasya (amanta)

Nine nights of Durga from Ashwina Shukla Pratipada to Navami.

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

Eighth day of Sharad Navratri, the principal day of Durga worship.

Ninth and last night of Sharad Navratri; Ayudha Puja in the south.

Ashwina Shukla Dashami, kept in the afternoon; Ravana's effigy and the Shami tree.

Eleventh lunar day; a fast for Vishnu · Ashwina Shukla

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Ashwina Purnima

The night of the Ashwina full moon (Kojagari), kept from moonrise.

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

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

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

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

First day of the Diwali season, on the Trayodashi before Ashwina's new moon.

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

The night of Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi (purnimanta), kept for Kali in Gujarat.

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

Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi (purnimanta): the oil bath before dawn, while the waning Moon is up.

Also: Ashwina Amavasya (vrat and snana-dana), 11 Nov

The festival of lamps and Lakshmi Puja on the new moon that ends Ashwina.

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Kartika Amavasya (purnimanta) = Ashwina Amavasya (amanta)

Amavasya is running at sunrise: the day for the Amavasya rites (shraddha, bathing and gifts). Diwali (10 Nov) is the same new moon, kept at dusk.

Kartika Shukla Pratipada, usually the day after Diwali; the mound of food.

Kartika Shukla Dwitiya, the brother–sister day that closes Diwali.

Four-day Sun observance of Bihar, centred on Kartika Shukla Shashthi.

Kartika Shukla Shashthi in the Tamil reckoning, the day of Soorasamharam.

Also: Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi

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

The ceremonial wedding of the tulsi plant to Vishnu, on Kartika Shukla Dwadashi.

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

The full moon of Kartika; lamps at Varanasi and the birthday of Guru Nanak.

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

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

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

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

New-moon day; for remembering the ancestors · Margashirsha Amavasya (purnimanta) = Kartika Amavasya (amanta)

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

Also: Mokshada Ekadashi

Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, remembered as the day the Gita was spoken.

Thirteenth lunar day; Shiva is worshipped at dusk

Also: Margashirsha Purnima

Birth of Dattatreya at dusk on Margashirsha Purnima.

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