The Marathi Calendar Explainedमराठी कालगणना
How Marathi months, tithis and years work, and how to read a date like भाद्रपद शुद्ध चतुर्थी, शके १९४८.
Monthsमराठी महिने
There are twelve lunar months. Each starts the day after Amavasya and ends on the next Amavasya. This amanta system is used in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. North India uses purnimanta months, which end on Pournima, so the dark half of a month has a different name there.
| # | Month | मराठी | Approximately |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaitra | चैत्र | March–April |
| 2 | Vaishakh | वैशाख | April–May |
| 3 | Jyeshtha | ज्येष्ठ | May–June |
| 4 | Ashadh | आषाढ | June–July |
| 5 | Shravan | श्रावण | July–August |
| 6 | Bhadrapad | भाद्रपद | August–September |
| 7 | Ashwin | आश्विन | September–October |
| 8 | Kartik | कार्तिक | October–November |
| 9 | Margashirsha | मार्गशीर्ष | November–December |
| 10 | Paush | पौष | December–January |
| 11 | Magh | माघ | January–February |
| 12 | Phalgun | फाल्गुन | February–March |
Pakshaपक्ष
Each month has two halves of about fifteen days. शुद्ध (shuddha, shukla paksha) is the bright half, from new moon to full moon. वद्य (vadya, krishna paksha) is the dark half, from full moon to new moon. Marathi calendars write dates as "month, paksha, number", such as आषाढ शुद्ध ११ for Ashadhi Ekadashi.
Tithisतिथी
A tithi is the time the Moon takes to gain 12° on the Sun, between about 19 and 26 hours. Because it does not match the civil day, the tithi current at sunrise names the day. Sometimes a tithi never touches a sunrise and is skipped (kshaya); sometimes one covers two sunrises and is repeated (vriddhi).
| # | Tithi | मराठी |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pratipada | प्रतिपदा |
| 2 | Dwitiya | द्वितीया |
| 3 | Tritiya | तृतीया |
| 4 | Chaturthi | चतुर्थी |
| 5 | Panchami | पंचमी |
| 6 | Shashthi | षष्ठी |
| 7 | Saptami | सप्तमी |
| 8 | Ashtami | अष्टमी |
| 9 | Navami | नवमी |
| 10 | Dashami | दशमी |
| 11 | Ekadashi | एकादशी |
| 12 | Dwadashi | द्वादशी |
| 13 | Trayodashi | त्रयोदशी |
| 14 | Chaturdashi | चतुर्दशी |
| 15 | Pournima (shuddha) / Amavasya (vadya) | पौर्णिमा / अमावास्या |
Shaka year and samvatsaraशक व संवत्सर
The Shaka (Shalivahan Shaka) era begins in 78 CE, and a new Shaka year starts on Gudi Padwa. Today is in Shaka 1948. Each year also has a name from a cycle of sixty samvatsaras: Shaka 1948 is Parabhava (पराभव). Printed panchangs often show the Vikram Samvat too, which is 135 years ahead of Shaka.
Adhik maasअधिक मास
Twelve lunar months are about eleven days shorter than a solar year. To keep festivals in their seasons, an extra month (adhik maas, also called purushottam maas) is added about every 32 months: a lunar month in which the Sun does not change sign. In 2026 there is an Adhik Jyeshtha from 17 May to 15 June. Festivals are held in the regular (nija) month.
Ritu and ayanaऋतू व अयन
The year has six seasons of two months each: Vasant (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), Hemant (early winter) and Shishir (late winter). Uttarayan is the half-year from Makar Sankranti when the Sun moves north; Dakshinayan is the other half.
Sade-teen muhurtaसाडेतीन मुहूर्त
Gudi Padwa, Akshaya Tritiya and Dasara are fully auspicious days, and Diwali Padwa counts as half. On these days new work can begin without looking for a muhurat.
Nakshatrasनक्षत्रे
Ashwini (अश्विनी), Bharani (भरणी), Krittika (कृत्तिका), Rohini (रोहिणी), Mrigashira (मृग), Ardra (आर्द्रा), Punarvasu (पुनर्वसू), Pushya (पुष्य), Ashlesha (आश्लेषा), Magha (मघा), Purva Phalguni (पूर्वा फाल्गुनी), Uttara Phalguni (उत्तरा फाल्गुनी), Hasta (हस्त), Chitra (चित्रा), Swati (स्वाती), Vishakha (विशाखा), Anuradha (अनुराधा), Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठा), Mula (मूळ), Purva Ashadha (पूर्वाषाढा), Uttara Ashadha (उत्तराषाढा), Shravana (श्रवण), Dhanishta (धनिष्ठा), Shatataraka (शततारका), Purva Bhadrapada (पूर्वा भाद्रपदा), Uttara Bhadrapada (उत्तरा भाद्रपदा), Revati (रेवती).