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Festival Calendar

Festival dates from 2024 to 2035, computed from the ephemeris — each shown with the tithi or transit it is reckoned from.

About

Almost every Hindu festival is a tithi in a named lunar month: Ganesh Chaturthi is the fourth tithi of the waxing fortnight of Bhādrapada, Deepavali the new moon that closes Āśvina. These dates are worked out from the ephemeris rather than copied — the new moons are found first, each lunar month takes the name belonging to the sign the Sun stands in at its new moon, and the festival falls on the day its tithi is current at the moment the observance is kept.

That moment differs by festival, and it is what decides the date: sunrise for most, dusk for Deepavali and Dhanteras, the afternoon for Vijayadashami, midnight for Shivaratri. A month with no solar ingress is an adhika (leap) month and carries no festivals. Onam and Karthika Deepam are not tithis at all but nakshatra days inside a solar month, and Pongal and Vishu are the Sun's own entry into Makara and Mesha.

More: Panchangam Calculator · Muhurtham Finder · Tithi Calculator · All tools

Frequently asked questions

How are these festival dates worked out?

From the ephemeris. The new moons are computed first, each lunar month takes the name belonging to the sign the Sun occupies at its new moon, and a festival falls on the day its tithi is current at the moment the observance is kept — sunrise for most, dusk for Deepavali, the afternoon for Vijayadashami, midnight for Shivaratri.

Why does another calendar show a different day?

Because sunrise decides which day a tithi belongs to, and sunrise differs by place. These dates are computed for Ujjain on the Indian standard meridian; an almanac reckoning from Chennai, Delhi or abroad can land a day either side. Some festivals also have two genuine traditions — Janmashtami is kept a day apart by the smārta and vaiṣṇava reckonings.

What is an adhika (leap) month, and does it move the festivals?

A lunar month in which the Sun enters no new sign is an adhika month. It carries no festivals: those belong to the true month of the same name that follows, which is why the dates jump about eighteen days later in a leap year. 2026, 2029, 2031 and 2034 each have one in this range.

Which festivals are included?

Thirty-four, from Makar Sankranti and Pongal through Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Ugadi, Rama Navami, Vishu, Akshaya Tritiya, Guru Purnima, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Navaratri, Vijayadashami, the five days of Deepavali, Chhath, Karthika Deepam and Vaikunta Ekadashi.

Which years does the calendar cover?

Every year from 2024 to 2035, with the rule shown beside each date so you can see exactly how it was arrived at.

Which ayanamsa do the calculations use?

Calculations use the sidereal (nirayana) zodiac. Lahiri is the default ayanamsa — the one used by the Indian civil calendar — with Raman and KP available as alternatives.