The Hindu calendar, commonly known as the Panchangas is one of several lunisolar calendars that have been in use for centuries throughout Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Additional regional variants are made for social and Hindu religious reasons. They both use the same basic idea for maintaining time, a sidereal year for the solar cycle and a three-year lunar cycle adjustment but they have different priorities for the sun, moon, and month names as well as when the new year officially begins.
Hinduism
Hindus accept and celebrate the organic, multileveled, and occasionally diverse structure of their traditions more than any other major religious community. The widely held Hindu belief that reality or truth cannot be contained in a creedal formulation, a viewpoint reflected in the Hindu prayer "May good thoughts come to us from all sides" makes this expansiveness possible. Anybody's perception of the truth is essentially shaped by the particulars of time, age, gender, consciousness, social and geographical context, and attainment level even that of a guru who is revered as having higher authority.
Hindus today have a strong inclination to assert that tolerance is the most important religious virtue since these diverse viewpoints strengthen rather than decrease a comprehensive understanding of religious truth.
However, even cosmopolitan Hindus who live in a global society acknowledge and cherish the fact that their faith originated in the unique circumstances of the Indian subcontinent. In the Hindu tradition, this tension between particularist and universalist inclinations has long been present. Hindus emphasize that their religious identity, known as sanatana dharma, describes a web of customs, obligations, traditions, and ideals (dharma) that far surpasses the Western tendency to think of religion primarily as a system of beliefs. They also emphasize that religion is continuous and appears to be eternal.
Significance of Hindu Calendar
With several important functions, the Hindu calendar, or Panchang, is intricately intertwined into Indian society. It is mostly important for figuring out when different religious holidays and celebrations, such Diwali, Holi, and Navaratri, occur.
Hindu’s sense of identity and continuity is fostered by these observances, which are essential to communal and familial ties. The calendar is distinct since it is based on both solar and lunar cycles. The lunar months have an impact on farming methods, directing farmers to sow and harvest in accordance with seasonal variations. The connection between human activity and the environment is emphasized by this alignment with nature.
Another essential component of the Hindu calendar is astrology. It creates unique horoscopes and helps people make significant life decisions by using planetary alignments. This belief system is a reflection of a larger worldview that acknowledges the influence of celestial bodies on terrestrial matters. In addition, the calendar functions as a conventional timetable, with distinct names and meanings assigned to the days, weeks, and months. By preserving a sense of rhythm in daily life, this structure helps preserve cultural customs.
Essentially, the Hindu calendar is a crucial cultural compass that influences the spiritual, agricultural, and social lives of Hindu communities, serving as more than just a mechanism for measuring time.
January Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| Jan 1 |
Monday |
New Year |
| Jan 14 |
Sunday |
Lohri |
| Jan 15 |
Monday |
Pongal, Uttaayan, Makar Sankranti |
| Jan 23 |
Tuesday |
Subash Chandra Bose Jayanti |
| Jan 26 |
Friday |
Republic Day |
February Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| Feb 14 |
Wednesday |
Basant Panchami, Saraswari Puja |
March Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| March 8 |
Friday |
Mahashivratri |
| March 24 |
Sunday |
Holika Dehan |
| March 25 |
Monday |
Holi |
April Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| April 9 |
Tuesday |
Chaitra Navrati , Ugadi, Gudipadwa |
| April 10 |
Wednesday |
Cheti Chand |
| April 13 |
Saturday |
Baisakhi |
| April 14 |
Sunday |
Ambedkar Jayanti |
| April 17 |
Wednesday |
Chaitra Navratiprana,Ramnavmi |
| April 23 |
Tuesday |
Hanuman Jayanti |
May Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| May 10 |
Friday |
Akshaya Tritiya |
July Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| July 7 |
Sunday |
Jagannath Rath Yatra |
| July 17 |
Wednesday |
Ashadhi Ekadshi |
| July 21 |
Sunday |
Guru Purnima |
August Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| August 7 |
Wednesday |
Hariyali Teej |
| August 9 |
Friday |
Nagpanchmi |
| August 15 |
Thursday |
Independance Day |
| August 19 |
Monday |
Rakshabandhan |
| August 22 |
Thursday |
Kajari Teej |
| August 26 |
Monday |
Janmashtami |
September Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| September 6 |
Friday |
Hartalika Teej |
| September 7 |
Saturday |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
| September 15 |
Sunday |
Onam/Thiruvonam |
| September 17 |
Tuesday |
Anant Chaturdashi |
October Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| October 2 |
Wednesday |
Gandhi Jayanti |
| October 3 |
Friday |
Durga Maha Navmi Puja, Durga Puja Ashtmi |
| October 11 |
Sunday |
Onam/Thiruvonam |
| October 12 |
Saturday |
Dussehra, Sharad Navrati Parana |
| October 20 |
Sunday |
Karva Chauth |
| October 29 |
Tuesday |
Dhanteras |
| October 31 |
Thursday |
Narak ChaturDashi |
November Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| November 1 |
Friday |
Diwali |
| November 2 |
Saturday |
Govardhan Puja |
| November 3 |
Sunday |
Bhai Dooj |
| November 7 |
Thursday |
Chhat Puja |
| November 14 |
Thursday |
Children’s Day |
December Festival 2024
| Date |
Day |
Festival/Holiday |
| December 25 |
Wednesday |
Merry Christmas |
