The Hindu Calendar

Commonly termed as panchang or panjika, the Hindu calendar is very important to the lives of the Indians. It is through it that they can calculate the special dates for many rituals, festivals and holidays. At first, the calendar is solely based on lunar movements and was patterned to allusions that are found in Rig Veda. But then after centuries AD, with the introduction of Babylonian and Greek astronomy, the calendar was based on lunar and solar movements. Generally, the festivals and other religious rituals are still based on the lunar movements.


In Hindu calendar, 12 months comprise the whole lunar year. Each month comprises of two fortnights or paksha-s - the bright fortnight or waxing moon and the dark fortnight or the waning moon. During the bright fortnight, days are called shukla. The start of the waxing moon is signaled with the full moon night also called as purnima. While a day during the dark fortnight is called krishna. A week in a Hindu calendar has 7 tithi or days.

Each day usually starts at dawn. This is the most important time of the day for Hindus since they consider this the most favorable time. They chant and do rituals during the early break of morning, at noon and during sunset.

Hindu Festivals 2008