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The Hindu calendar is lunar — each month runs from one Amavasya (New Moon) to the next, spanning ~29.5 days. Twelve lunar months total ~354 days — about 11 days short of a solar year (365.25 days). To reconcile this, an "Adhika Masa" (intercalary month) is inserted every ~33 months.
Month ends on Amavasya (New Moon). Used in South & West India (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu). Official standard of the Indian Government (1956 Calendar Reform).
Month ends on Purnima (Full Moon). Used in North India (UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP). The same lunar month can have different names in Amant vs Purnimant — the Purnimant month is named one month ahead.
12 lunar months = ~354 days, but a solar year = ~365.25 days. Difference = ~11 days per year. Over 3 years, this accumulates to ~33 days — roughly one full month. So an extra month is inserted every ~33 months.
How it's determined: When a lunar month (New Moon to New Moon) passes without the Sun making a Sankranti (sign change), that month becomes Adhika. Normally the Sun changes sign every ~30.44 days, but a lunar month is ~29.5 days — sometimes no Sankranti falls between two New Moons.
Name: The Adhika Masa takes the name of the NEXT regular (Shuddha) month with "Adhika" prefix. Example: "Adhika Shravana" = the extra month before regular Shravana.
Marriage, Griha Pravesh, Mundan, Namakarana, Upanayana and other auspicious samskaras are avoided. It's also called "Malamasa" (impure month).
Also called Purushottam Masa (Vishnu's month) — charity, japa, vrat, pilgrimage carry special merit. Any meritorious act during this month yields many times the normal result. Bhagavat Purana reading is especially auspicious.
Each Hindu month is named after the Nakshatra near which the Full Moon (Purnima) falls. Chaitra's Full Moon is near Chitra nakshatra, Vaishakha's near Vishakha, and so on. This nakshatra-based naming directly links the Moon's position to the month identity.
| Month | Purnima Nakshatra | Presiding Deity (Vishnu Form) |
|---|---|---|
| Chaitra | Chitra | Vishnu (as Vasudeva) |
| Vaishakha | Vishakha | Vishnu (as Madhava) |
| Jyeshtha | Jyeshtha | Vishnu (as Trivikrama) |
| Ashadha | Purva/Uttara Ashadha | Vishnu (as Vamana) |
| Shravana | Shravana | Vishnu (as Hrishikesha) |
| Bhadrapada | Purva/Uttara Bhadrapada | Vishnu (as Padmanabha) |
| Ashvina | Ashvini | Vishnu (as Damodara) |
| Kartika | Krittika | Vishnu (as Keshava) |
| Margashirsha | Mrigashira | Vishnu (as Narayana) |
| Pausha | Pushya | Vishnu (as Govinda) |
| Magha | Magha | Vishnu (as Madhusudana) |
| Phalguna | Purva/Uttara Phalguni | Vishnu (as Narasimha) |
Computed from actual New Moon (Amavasya) positions
| # | Month | Start | End | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Margashirsha | 11 Dec | 10 Jan | 30 |
| 2 | Pausha | 10 Jan | 9 Feb | 30 |
| 3 | Magha | 9 Feb | 11 Mar | 30 |
| 4 | PhalgunaNOW | 11 Mar | 10 Apr | 30 |
| 5 | Chaitra | 10 Apr | 9 May | 29 |
| 6 | Vaishakha | 9 May | 8 Jun | 30 |
| 7 | Jyeshtha | 8 Jun | 7 Jul | 29 |
| 8 | Ashadha | 7 Jul | 6 Aug | 30 |
| 9 | Shravana | 6 Aug | 4 Sep | 29 |
| 10 | Bhadrapada | 4 Sep | 3 Oct | 29 |
| 11 | Ashvina | 3 Oct | 1 Nov | 29 |
| 12 | Kartika | 1 Nov | 1 Dec | 30 |
| 13 | Margashirsha | 1 Dec | 30 Dec | 29 |
| 14 | Pausha | 30 Dec | 29 Jan | 30 |
First month of the Hindu year. Chaitra Shukla Pratipada marks the New Year (Vikram Samvat). Named after Chitra nakshatra — the Full Moon falls near Chitra (Spica). Spring harvest season. Considered the most sacred month for new beginnings.
Named after Vishakha nakshatra. Akshaya Tritiya — the day when anything started never diminishes (akshaya = inexhaustible). Sacred bathing in Ganga. Peak summer heat begins.
Named after Jyeshtha nakshatra (the "eldest"). Hottest month. Nirjala Ekadashi — fasting without even water, considered equivalent to observing all 24 Ekadashis. Ganga descended to Earth on Ganga Dussehra.
Monsoon arrives. Guru Purnima — honoring the teacher tradition (Vyasa composed the Vedas). Devshayani Ekadashi — Vishnu goes to sleep; no auspicious ceremonies (marriages, griha pravesh) for the next 4 months (Chaturmas). The pause period for spiritual introspection.
The holiest month for Shiva worship. Every Monday of Shravan is observed with fasting and Shiva puja. Peak monsoon — rivers overflow, nature is at its lushest. Shravan Somvar attracts the largest temple crowds of the year. Named after Shravana nakshatra (the ear) — the month of LISTENING and learning.
One of the most festival-dense months. Krishna was born on Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami. Ganesh Chaturthi — the 10-day Ganesha festival. Pitru Paksha — the fortnight dedicated to honoring ancestors through Shraddha rituals. The Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada is considered the most important period for ancestral rites.
The great Navratri — 9 nights of Goddess Durga worship culminating in Vijayadashami (victory of good over evil, Rama over Ravana). Sharad Purnima — the brightest Full Moon of the year; Moon is closest to Earth. Kheer is placed under moonlight to absorb healing rays. Post-monsoon clarity.
THE festival month — Diwali (Kartika Amavasya) celebrates Rama's return to Ayodhya and the victory of light over darkness. Dev Uthani Ekadashi — Vishnu wakes from 4-month sleep; auspicious ceremonies resume. Tulsi Vivah — marriage of Tulsi plant to Vishnu, marks the beginning of wedding season. Kartik snaan (bathing in sacred rivers at dawn) throughout the month.
Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita (10.35): "Among months, I am Margashirsha" — making this the most spiritually elevated month. Gita Jayanti on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi celebrates the day Krishna spoke the Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Pleasant winter weather, ideal for spiritual practice.
Makar Sankranti — the Sun enters Capricorn (Makara), marking the beginning of Uttarayana (northward journey). One of the few Hindu festivals based on the SOLAR calendar (not lunar). Celebrated across India under different names: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Lohri (Punjab), Bihu (Assam). Sesame and jaggery are traditional foods. Kite flying tradition. The shortest days of the year end.
Vasant Panchami — Goddess Saraswati is worshipped; children are initiated into learning (Vidyarambham). Yellow is worn to celebrate spring's arrival. Magha snaan — bathing in Triveni Sangam (Prayagraj) during Magha is considered extremely meritorious. Kumbh Mela holy dips occur in Magha. The month when spring begins to assert itself.
Maha Shivaratri — the "Great Night of Shiva," all-night vigil and worship. Holi — the festival of colors on Phalguna Purnima, celebrating the burning of Holika and the triumph of devotion (Prahlada). The last month of the Hindu year. Spring is in full bloom. Named after Phalguni nakshatras. Marks the end of winter and the completion of the annual cycle.
The Indian calendar recognizes 6 seasons (unlike the Western 4). Each Ritu spans 2 months.