on the calendar—but far fewer people
celebrate any particular festival as a reli-
gious holiday. Finally, some holidays are
so significant that they are celebrated by
almost everyone, although here too
some people will observe them with far
greater energy. For example, although
the Goddessfestival known as the fall
Navaratriis celebrated throughout the
country, it is kept with particular gusto
in Bengal, where the cult of the Mother
Goddess is particularly important.
With these considerations in mind,
the festival calendar for the lunar yearis
given below, with the holidays given in
order during the successive lunar
months. The purpose in this entry is
only to lay out the order of these festi-
vals during the year; further details for
the lunar months and each festival can
be found in the individual entries.
- Chaitra (March–April)
Papamochani Ekadashi, Spring
Navaratri, Ram Navami, Kamada
Ekadashi, Hanuman Jayanti,
Chittirai. - Baisakh(April–May)
Shitalashtami, Baruthani
Ekadashi,Akshaya Trtiya,
Parashuram Jayanti,Narsingh
Jayanti,Baisakhi,Mohini Ekadashi,
Buddha Purnima. - Jyeshth(May–June)
Achala Ekadashi,Savitri Puja,
Ganga Dashahara,Nirjala
Ekadashi. - Ashadh ( June–July)
Yogini Ekadashi,Rath Yatra,
Devshayani Ekadashi,Guru
Purnima,Chaturmas Vrat. - Shravan( July–August)
Nag Panchami,Kamika Ekadashi,
Tulsidas Jayanti,Putrada Ekadashi,
Raksha Bandhan,Shravan Vrat. - Bhadrapada(August–September)
Kajari Teej (Teej),Bahula Chauth,
Janmashtami,Radhashtami,Aja
Ekadashi, Hartalika Teej (Teej),
Ganesh Chaturthi,Rishi Panchami,
Onam,Parivartini Ekadashi,
Anant Chaturdashi.- Ashvin(September–October)
Pitrpaksha,Indira Ekadashi, Fall
Navaratri,Dussehra (Vijaya
Dashami),Papankusha Ekadashi,
Valmiki Jayanti.- Kartik (October–November)
Karva Chauth,Rambha Ekadashi,
Narak Chaturdashi,Diwali,
Govardhan Puja (Annakut),
Devotthayan Ekadashi,Tulsi Vivah,
Kartik Purnima.
- Kartik (October–November)
- Margashirsha(November–December)
Bhairava Jayanti,Utpanna
Ekadashi,Mokshada Ekadashi. - Paush(December–January)
Saphala Ekadashi, Putrada
Ekadashi. - Magh( January–February)
Sakata Chauth,Shattila Ekadashi,
Mauni Amavasya,Vasant
Panchami,Bhishma Ashtami,Jaya
Ekadashi,Ravidas Jayanti,Pongal,
Magh Mela,Float Festival. - Phalgun(February–March)
Janaki Navami,Vijaya Ekadashi,
Shivaratri,Amalaki Ekadashi,Holi.
The festival calendar is further
complicated by the fact that the lunar
year begins on the first dayof the bright
(waxing) half of the lunar month
of Chaitra. This creates an unusual
situation since, at least in northern
India, the lunar months end on the
full moon, making the two weeks of
the waning moon the first half of the
lunar month. The waning fortnight
in Chaitra comes at the end of the lunar
year, and the waxing fortnight that fol-
lows is the first fortnight of the follow-
ing year. Thus, the month of Chaitra is
both the first and the last month of the
lunar year.Festival Calendar