Hindu Months & Calendar: Importance and Festivals
- There are 12 months in Hindu Calender.
- Hindu Months are started from March
- Hindu Months are based on planetary transitions.
What is Hindu Month? Is there any Hindu Calender? The Gregorian calendar is the calendar that is internationally accepted and followed. The Gregorian calendar starts from 1st Jan and is based on the revolution of the earth around the sun. The use of the Gregorian calendar dates back to in the year 1582 but prior to this, from ancient times the Hindus all around the world were using their own calendars to celebrate festivals.
In India regionally too people follow different calendars like Shalivahana Shaka in South India, Vikram Samvat in North and Central India, Tamil Calendar in Tamilnadu and Bengali Calendar in Bengal. All these calendars follow the lunar cycle and their New Year starts in Spring. In contrast to this in Kerala solar cycle is emphasized and their New Year starts in Autumn and this is called Malyalam calendar. All together Hindu calendars are also called Panchang.
According to Hindu Calendar, there are 12 months in a Lunar Year. These months and the festivals celebrated in these months are:
Chaitra(March-April)
The first of Chaitra is celebrated as New Years Day known as Gudi Parva, Chaitra Vishu and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Another festival like Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti falls in this month.
Vaisakha(April-May)
In this month Baisakhi the harvest festival is celebrated. Vaisakhi Purnima is celebrated as Buddha Purnima.
Jyaistha (May-June)
Vat Poornima is celebrated in this month where women pray for their husband by tying threads around the Banyan tree. Another festival Snan Yatra is observed by the followers of Jagannath cult on Poornima.
Asadh(June-July)
Guru Poornima dedicated to the Guru is celebrated on Poornima and Shayani Ekadashi is observed on 11th lunar day of the bright fortnight.
Sravan(July-Aug)
Krishna Janmashtami celebrated on 8th day after the full moon, Rakshabandhan that falls on Shravan Poornima are the important festivals in this month. In Maharashtra Narali Poornima is celebrated where coconut is offered to the sea for calming it down after monsoon. It’s important for the fishermen who starts fishing after the ceremonies. Nag Panchami is another festival celebrated in this month. The last day of Shravan is celebrated as Pola where Bull is worshipped by the farmers in Maharashtra. Shravani Mela in Deogarh, Jharkhand and Kanwar Yatra in Northern India where Kanwariyas make a pilgrimage to holy places to fetch water from Ganga river marks the salient events of this month.
Bhadrapada(Aug-Sept)
Anant Chaturdashi a Jain Religious observance and Madhu Poornima, a Buddhist festival are celebrated in this month.
Asvin(Sept-Oct)
Festivals like Durga Puja, Dussehra and Diwali are celebrated in this month.
Kartika(Oct-Nov)
The festival of Kartik Poornima celebrated as Dev Deepawali in Varanasi falls in this month. This coincides with the nirvana of Bhagwan Mahavira and the birth of Sikh Guru Nanak Dev ji. It is also known as Lord Ayyappan’s garland festival in Sabarimala.
Agrahayana(Nov-Dec)
Vaikunth Ekadashi also known as Moksada Ekadashi falls in this month. Kalbhairav Ashtami dedicated to Lord Shiva’s manifestation as Shri KalBhairav also falls in this month.
Pausa(Dec-Jan)
The harvest festival of Pongal or Makar Sankranti falls in this month.
Magha(Jan-Feb)
Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Puja falls in this month that marks the start of Spring.
Phalgun(Feb-Mar)
Holi is the important festival that falls on Phalgun Poornima. The festival of Shigmo that is celebrated in Goa and Konkan also start in this month and the festivity stretch over a month.
Details of Hindu Calendar and Local Names
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Writer: Monica Saxena
Email – monicasaxena28@gmail.com
