Assamese Calendar

Assamese Calendar 2008

The Assamese festival calendar (Bohag Bihu new year). Assamese festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

June 2008

Bhaskarabda 1415

Jeth – Ahar

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Timings shown for New Delhi (IST) at sunrise - use the city box at the top to change it. Solar months begin by each tradition's own Sankranti rule (same-day, next-day, sunset or aparahna). Era years and lunar month names follow standard Vedic calculations and may differ slightly from regional almanacs around an Adhik Maas.

Assamese Calendar 2008 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Assamese Calendar lists 16 dates in 2008, opening with Uruka (Magh Bihu Eve) on 14 January and closing with Raas Mahotsav on 13 November. October is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Bhaskarabda 1414 – 1415.

January 2008 Puh – Magh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Mon Uruka (Magh Bihu Eve)

The feasting night before Magh Bihu, with community bhojas around the meji bonfire.

Shukla Shashthi
15 Jan Tue Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu)

The harvest Bihu of plenty on Makar Sankranti, marked by feasts and the burning of the meji.

Shukla Saptami

February 2008 Magh – Fagun

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
11 Feb Mon Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami

March 2008 Fagun – Sot

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Mar Thu Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Chaturdashi
21 Mar Fri Doul Utsav (Holi)

The Assamese festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Purnima

April 2008 Sot – Bohag

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Apr Sun Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu)

Assam's spring new-year Bihu of Husori song, dance and feasting, as the Sun enters Mesha.

Shukla Ashtami

June 2008 Jeth – Ahar

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Jun Fri Ganga Dashahara

The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami
15 Jun Sun Mithun Sankranti

The Sun's entry into Mithuna, observed across Assam.

Shukla Dwadashi

August 2008 Xaon – Bhado

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
16 Aug Sat Manasa Puja

The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped at the close of Shravana for protection and fertility.

Shukla Purnima
24 Aug Sun Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami

October 2008 Ahin – Kati

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Oct Tue Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami

The eighth day of Durga Puja, the height of the autumn festival.

Shukla Ashtami
9 Oct Thu Vijayadashami

The immersion of Durga and the victory of good over evil.

Shukla Dashami
14 Oct Tue Lakshmi Puja

Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on the full moon of Ashwina.

Shukla Purnima
17 Oct Fri Kati Bihu (Kongali Bihu)

The austere Bihu of lamps lit in the paddy fields and before the Tulsi for a good harvest, as the Sun enters Tula.

Krishna Tritiya
28 Oct Tue Kali Puja (Diwali)

The worship of Goddess Kali on the new moon of Kartika.

Krishna Amavasya

November 2008 Kati – Aghun

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Nov Thu Raas Mahotsav

The Raas Leela of Krishna, celebrated grandly in the Satras of Majuli on Kartika Purnima.

Shukla Purnima

Months of the Assamese Calendar in 2008

The Assamese Calendar does not begin its year on 1 January, so each of its months straddles two Gregorian ones. These are the months that ran through 2008, covering Bhaskarabda 1414 – 1415. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.

Month Begins Ends Days
Puh part 1 Jan 2008 14 Jan 2008 14
Magh 15 Jan 2008 13 Feb 2008 30
Fagun 14 Feb 2008 14 Mar 2008 30
Sot 15 Mar 2008 13 Apr 2008 30
Bohag 14 Apr 2008 14 May 2008 31
Jeth 15 May 2008 14 Jun 2008 31
Ahar 15 Jun 2008 16 Jul 2008 32
Xaon 17 Jul 2008 16 Aug 2008 31
Bhado 17 Aug 2008 16 Sep 2008 31
Ahin 17 Sep 2008 16 Oct 2008 30
Kati 17 Oct 2008 15 Nov 2008 30
Aghun 16 Nov 2008 15 Dec 2008 30
Puh part 16 Dec 2008 31 Dec 2008 16

What happened in the sky in 2008

Beyond the dates the Assamese Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) fell on 11 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2007 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2008

Date (IST) Eclipse Assamese date Seen from India
7 Feb 9:25 AM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Magh Amavasya Not visible
21 Feb 8:56 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Fagun Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
1 Aug 3:51 PM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Xaon Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
17 Aug 2:40 AM Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Manasa Puja Bhado Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed

Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.

Guru and Shani in 2008

Date Graha Sign change
9 Dec 11:50 PM Guru (Jupiter) Dhanu → Makara

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 30 April 2008, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Assamese Calendar 2008

How many festivals and vrats does the Assamese Calendar list in 2008?

The Assamese Calendar lists 16 dates in 2008. The first is Uruka (Magh Bihu Eve) on Monday, 14 January 2008, and the last is Raas Mahotsav on Thursday, 13 November 2008.

What are the main festival dates in the Assamese Calendar for 2008?

The first major observances of 2008 are:

  • Uruka (Magh Bihu Eve) - Monday, 14 January 2008
  • Magh Bihu (Bhogali Bihu) - Tuesday, 15 January 2008
  • Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) - Monday, 11 February 2008
  • Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 6 March 2008
  • Doul Utsav (Holi) - Friday, 21 March 2008
  • Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) - Sunday, 13 April 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Assamese Calendar?

October 2008 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Vijayadashami, Lakshmi Puja, Kati Bihu (Kongali Bihu), Kali Puja (Diwali).

Which traditional year does 2008 correspond to in the Assamese Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2008 spans Bhaskarabda 1414 – 1415. The traditional year does not begin on 1 January, so one Gregorian year usually covers the end of one era year and the start of the next.

Did 2008 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2008 had twelve lunar months with no Adhik Maas, so its festival dates fall in their usual Gregorian window rather than being pushed later by an intercalary month.

Were there any eclipses in 2008?

2008 had 4 eclipses:

  • 7 February 2008 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 21 February 2008 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 1 August 2008 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 17 August 2008 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed

Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 3 of these were kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2008?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2008:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 9 December 2008

Jupiter takes about a year to cross one sign and Saturn about two and a half, so these transits colour the whole year rather than a single week.

How do I see the tithi and nakshatra for a specific date in 2008?

Use the month grid above: pick a month from the selector, then tap any day to open its full panchang - tithi with start and end times, nakshatra, yoga, karana, sunrise and sunset, and the inauspicious periods (Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulika Kalam). Set your city in the box at the top first, because these timings are sunrise-based and shift with location. The Assamese Calendar opens on the current month.

About the Assamese Calendar

The Assamese festival calendar (Bohag Bihu new year). Assamese festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

Each day lists its tithi and paksha, the nakshatra, the weekday (vaar) and any festivals or vrats. Tap any day to see the full panchang for that date - tithi start and end times, nakshatra, yoga, karana, sunrise and sunset, and the inauspicious periods (Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulika Kalam). Use the month and year selectors to browse any year in the archive or plan ahead into the coming years.

This calendar names the tithi and festivals for each day. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and muhurat windows on a chosen date, open the Panchang. Other regional calendars are on the Calendars index. Fast stories live under Vrat Katha.

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