Indian Calendar is based on Solar & lunar progression. It’s called samwat divided into 12 months.
Name of months:
Every month (called mas) begins with new moon (called shukla-pratipada). Names of the months are based on constellations in which full moon appears. Samwat begins with Chaitra Mas Shukla-Partipada. Names of Constellations & respective months are as under:
Chitra – Chaitr – March, April
Vishakha – Vaisakh – April, May
Jyeshtha – Jyeshth – May, June
Poorva Ashada – Ashad – June, July
Shravana – Sharavan/ Sawan – July, August
Poorva Bhadrapada – Bhadrapad – August, September
Ashwini – Ashwin – September, October
Kritika – Kartik – October, November
Mrigshira – Margshish – November, December
Pushya – Paush – December, January
Magha – Magh – January, February
Poorva Phalguni – Phalgun – February, March
To fine tune between solar & lunar years 7 months are added during a span of 19 years. Thus there is an extra month after every 3 year, called Adhik (extra) Mas.
Name of dates:
Every mas has two paksha (15 days) in a month – Krishna (dark/black) & Shukla (bright/light) paksha
Shukla Paksha – from New moon till Full moon
Krishna Paksha – from Full Moon to Amavasya (last quarter ends)
Names of 15 days in a paksha are as under:
1 – Pratipada
2 – Dwitiya
3 – Tritiya
4 – Chaturthi
5 – Panchami
6 – Shashthi
7 – Saptami
8 – Ashtami
9 – Navami
10 – Dashami
11 – Ekadashi
12 – Dwadashi
13 – Tryodashi
14 – Chaturdashi
15 – Poornima (Full Moon)
30 – Amavasya (end of last quarter)
Name of seasons:
There are total 6 seasons within 12 months. In Hinduism all festivities are in accordance to the seasons (weather).
Vasant/Basant – Spring – Vasantotsav (holi), Shivratri, Navratri
Grishm – Summer
Varsha – Rain
Sharat – Autumn – Shivratri, Navratri, Vijay-Dashmi, Deepawali
Hemant – Winter –
Shishir – Cool – Lohri,
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