Bengali Calendar

Bengali Calendar - Panjika 2013

The Bengali festival calendar (Panjika). Bengali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

January 2013

Bangabda 1419

Poush – Magh

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.

Bengali Calendar 2013 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Bengali Calendar lists 36 dates in 2013, opening with Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on 14 January and closing with Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) on 16 December. Of these, 2 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Bangabda 1419 – 1420.

January 2013 Poush – Magh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Mon Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti)

The Bengali harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with pithe-puli.

Shukla Tritiya

February 2013 Magh – Falgun

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Feb Thu Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Chaturthi

March 2013 Falgun – Choitro

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Mar Sun Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Chaturdashi
26 Mar Tue Dol Yatra (Holi)

The swing festival of Krishna on Phalguna Purnima, Bengal's Holi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

April 2013 Choitro – Boishakh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Apr Sun Charak Puja & Gajan

On the last day of the Bengali year, devotees of Shiva perform the Gajan austerities and the spinning Charak rite.

Shukla Chaturthi
15 Apr Mon Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year)

The Bengali solar new year, welcomed with Halkhata, sweets and visits to family and temples.

Shukla Panchami
18 Apr Thu Ashokashtami

On Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshipped and ashoka flower buds are taken to ward off grief.

Shukla Ashtami
19 Apr Fri Basanti Puja

The springtime Durga Puja of Chaitra — the original worship of Durga — culminating on Maha Navami.

Shukla Ashtami

May 2013 Boishakh – Joishtho

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
12 May Sun Akshay Tritiya

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, an auspicious day for new ventures and Jagannath's Chandan Yatra.

Shukla Dwitiya

June 2013 Joishtho – Asharh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
15 Jun Sat Jamai Sasthi

Mothers-in-law worship Goddess Sasthi and honour their sons-in-law (jamai) with a grand feast, on Jyeshtha Shukla Shashthi.

Shukla Shashthi
23 Jun Sun Snana Yatra

On Deva Snana Purnima, Lord Jagannath is given a grand ceremonial bath before retiring into seclusion ahead of Rath Yatra.

Shukla Purnima

July 2013 Asharh – Shrabon

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Jul Wed Ratha Yatra

The chariot festival of Lord Jagannath.

Shukla Dwitiya
13 Jul Sat Bipodtarini Vrata Vrat Shukla Panchami
18 Jul Thu Ulto Rath Yatra

The return chariot festival (Bahuda Yatra), when Lord Jagannath journeys back to his temple.

Shukla Dashami

August 2013 Shrabon – Bhadro

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
17 Aug Sat Jhulan Yatra (Hindola) Begins

The swing festival of Radha and Krishna — beautifully decorated swings are rocked through to Jhulan Purnima; in Gujarat temples the same hindola (swing) darshan is held.

Shukla Ekadashi
17 Aug Sat Manasa Puja

The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped on the last day of Shravan for protection from snakes and for fertility.

Shukla Ekadashi
21 Aug Wed Rakhi Bandhan

Sisters tie the rakhi on Shravana Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
28 Aug Wed Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
29 Aug Thu Nandotsav

The day after Janmashtami, celebrating Nanda Maharaj's joy at the birth of baby Krishna with sweets and revelry.

Krishna Navami

September 2013 Bhadro – Ashshin

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Sep Fri Radhashtami

The birth of Radha, Krishna's beloved, celebrated with worship and fasting fifteen days after Janmashtami.

Shukla Ashtami
17 Sep Tue Vishwakarma Puja

The divine architect is worshipped as the Sun enters Kanya.

Shukla Trayodashi

October 2013 Ashshin – Kartik

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Oct Fri Mahalaya

The new moon closing Pitru Paksha, when Devi is invoked at dawn.

Krishna Chaturdashi
10 Oct Thu Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi

Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.

Shukla Shashthi
11 Oct Fri Durga Puja — Maha Saptami

Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.

Shukla Saptami
12 Oct Sat Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami

The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.

Shukla Ashtami
13 Oct Sun Bijoya Dashami (Sindur Khela)

The tenth and final day of Durga Puja — married women smear one another with vermilion in Sindur Khela before the idols are carried out for immersion (Bisarjan).

Shukla Navami
13 Oct Sun Durga Puja — Maha Navami

The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.

Shukla Navami
18 Oct Fri Kojagari Lakshmi Puja

On the Sharad Purnima night, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped through a vigil for prosperity; in Rajasthan, Jodhpur keeps the night with the Marwar Festival of folk music and dance.

Shukla Purnima

November 2013 Kartik – Ogrohayon

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Nov Fri Bhoot Chaturdashi

On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.

Krishna Trayodashi
3 Nov Sun Kali Puja

On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.

Krishna Amavasya
5 Nov Tue Bhai Phota

The Bengali brother–sister festival on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya — sisters place a sandalwood phota (tilak) on their brothers' foreheads and pray for their long life.

Shukla Dwitiya
10 Nov Sun Goshthashtami

On Kartik Shukla Ashtami, cows and Lord Krishna as Gopala are honoured for their nurture and protection.

Shukla Ashtami
11 Nov Mon Jagaddhatri Puja

Goddess Jagaddhatri, a serene form of Durga, is worshipped on Kartik Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami
16 Nov Sat Kartik Puja

On the last day of the Bengali month of Kartik, Lord Kartikeya is worshipped, especially by families praying for sons.

Shukla Chaturdashi

December 2013 Ogrohayon – Poush

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
11 Dec Wed Nabanna

The Bengali harvest festival of the new rice in Agrahayan.

Shukla Navami
16 Dec Mon Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) Vrat Shukla Chaturdashi

Months of the Bengali Calendar in 2013

The Bengali 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 2013, covering Bangabda 1419 – 1420. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.

Month Begins Ends Days
Poush part 1 Jan 2013 13 Jan 2013 13
Magh 14 Jan 2013 12 Feb 2013 30
Falgun 13 Feb 2013 14 Mar 2013 30
Choitro 15 Mar 2013 13 Apr 2013 30
Boishakh 14 Apr 2013 14 May 2013 31
Joishtho 15 May 2013 14 Jun 2013 31
Asharh 15 Jun 2013 16 Jul 2013 32
Shrabon 17 Jul 2013 16 Aug 2013 31
Bhadro 17 Aug 2013 16 Sep 2013 31
Ashshin 17 Sep 2013 17 Oct 2013 31
Kartik 18 Oct 2013 16 Nov 2013 30
Ogrohayon 17 Nov 2013 15 Dec 2013 29
Poush part 16 Dec 2013 31 Dec 2013 16

What happened in the sky in 2013

Beyond the dates the Bengali Calendar lists, 2013 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) fell on 14 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 2012 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2013

Date (IST) Eclipse Bengali date Seen from India
26 Apr 1:37 AM Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Boishakh Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
10 May 5:55 AM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Akshay Tritiya Boishakh Amavasya Not visible
25 May 9:40 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Joishtho Purnima Not visible
19 Oct 5:20 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kojagari Lakshmi Puja Kartik Krishna Pratipada Penumbral only
3 Nov 6:16 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Kali Puja Kartik Amavasya Not visible

Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 2013

Date Graha Sign change
31 May 7:00 AM Guru (Jupiter) Vrishabha → Mithuna

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.

Frequently asked questions about the Bengali Calendar 2013

How many festivals and vrats does the Bengali Calendar list in 2013?

The Bengali Calendar lists 36 dates in 2013, of which 2 are vrats. The first is Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on Monday, 14 January 2013, and the last is Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) on Monday, 16 December 2013.

What are the main festival dates in the Bengali Calendar for 2013?

The first major observances of 2013 are:

  • Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) - Monday, 14 January 2013
  • Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) - Thursday, 14 February 2013
  • Maha Shivaratri - Sunday, 10 March 2013
  • Dol Yatra (Holi) - Tuesday, 26 March 2013
  • Charak Puja & Gajan - Sunday, 14 April 2013
  • Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) - Monday, 15 April 2013
Which month of 2013 has the most observances in the Bengali Calendar?

October 2013 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Mahalaya, Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Bijoya Dashami (Sindur Khela), Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Kojagari Lakshmi Puja.

Which traditional year does 2013 correspond to in the Bengali Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2013 spans Bangabda 1419 – 1420. 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 2013 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2013 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 2013?

2013 had 5 eclipses:

  • 26 April 2013 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 10 May 2013 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 25 May 2013 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
  • 19 October 2013 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
  • 3 November 2013 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India

Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 1 of these was kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2013?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2013:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 31 May 2013

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 2013?

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 Bengali Calendar - Panjika opens on the current month.

About the Bengali Calendar - Panjika

The Bengali festival calendar (Panjika). Bengali 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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