Bengali Calendar - Panjika 2020
The Bengali festival calendar (Panjika). Bengali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2020
Bangabda 1427
Boishakh – Joishtho
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 2020 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Bengali Calendar lists 37 dates in 2020, opening with Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on 15 January and closing with Nabanna on 23 December. Of these, 2 are vrats (fasting observances). April is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Bangabda 1426 – 1427. 2020 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2020 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Wed |
Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) The Bengali harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with pithe-puli. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 29 Jan | Wed |
Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
February 2020 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2020 Falgun – Choitro
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar | Mon |
Dol Yatra (Holi) The swing festival of Krishna on Phalguna Purnima, Bengal's Holi. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2020 Choitro – Boishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Wed |
Ashokashtami On Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshipped and ashoka flower buds are taken to ward off grief. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 2 Apr | Thu |
Basanti Puja The springtime Durga Puja of Chaitra — the original worship of Durga — culminating on Maha Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 13 Apr | Mon |
Charak Puja & Gajan On the last day of the Bengali year, devotees of Shiva perform the Gajan austerities and the spinning Charak rite. |
Krishna Shashthi |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) The Bengali solar new year, welcomed with Halkhata, sweets and visits to family and temples. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 15 Apr | Wed |
Poila Boisakh (Bengali New Year) The Bengali solar new year, the day after the Sun's entry into Mesha. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 26 Apr | Sun |
Akshay Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, an auspicious day for new ventures and Jagannath's Chandan Yatra. |
Shukla Tritiya |
May 2020 Boishakh – Joishtho
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May | Thu |
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 |
June 2020 Joishtho – Asharh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Fri |
Snana Yatra On Deva Snana Purnima, Lord Jagannath is given a grand ceremonial bath before retiring into seclusion ahead of Rath Yatra. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 23 Jun | Tue |
Ratha Yatra The chariot festival of Lord Jagannath. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 27 Jun | Sat | Bipodtarini Vrata Vrat | Shukla Saptami |
| 30 Jun | Tue |
Ulto Rath Yatra The return chariot festival (Bahuda Yatra), when Lord Jagannath journeys back to his temple. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2020 Asharh – Shrabon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul | Thu |
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 |
August 2020 Shrabon – Bhadro
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Rakhi Bandhan Sisters tie the rakhi on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 13 Aug | Thu |
Nandotsav The day after Janmashtami, celebrating Nanda Maharaj's joy at the birth of baby Krishna with sweets and revelry. |
Krishna Navami |
| 16 Aug | Sun |
Manasa Puja
The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped on the last day of Shravan for protection from snakes and for fertility. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 26 Aug | Wed |
Radhashtami The birth of Radha, Krishna's beloved, celebrated with worship and fasting fifteen days after Janmashtami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
September 2020 Bhadro – Ashshin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep | Wed |
Vishwakarma Puja The divine architect is worshipped as the Sun enters Kanya. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 17 Sep | Thu |
Mahalaya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha, when Devi is invoked at dawn. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2020 Ashshin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct | Wed |
Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Oct | Fri |
Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 23 Oct | Fri |
Durga Puja — Maha Saptami Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 24 Oct | Sat |
Durga Puja — Maha Navami The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 25 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 |
| 30 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 Chaturdashi |
November 2020 Kartik – Ogrohayon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 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 |
| 14 Nov | Sat |
Kali Puja
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 16 Nov | Mon |
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 Pratipada |
| 16 Nov | Mon |
Kartik Puja On the last day of the Bengali month of Kartik, Lord Kartikeya is worshipped, especially by families praying for sons. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 22 Nov | Sun |
Goshthashtami On Kartik Shukla Ashtami, cows and Lord Krishna as Gopala are honoured for their nurture and protection. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 23 Nov | Mon |
Jagaddhatri Puja Goddess Jagaddhatri, a serene form of Durga, is worshipped on Kartik Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
December 2020 Ogrohayon – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec | Tue | Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) Vrat | Shukla Pratipada |
| 23 Dec | Wed |
Nabanna The Bengali harvest festival of the new rice in Agrahayan. |
Shukla Navami |
Months of the Bengali Calendar in 2020
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 2020, covering Bangabda 1426 – 1427. 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 2020 | 15 Jan 2020 | 15 |
| Magh | 16 Jan 2020 | 13 Feb 2020 | 29 |
| Falgun | 14 Feb 2020 | 14 Mar 2020 | 30 |
| Choitro | 15 Mar 2020 | 13 Apr 2020 | 30 |
| Boishakh | 14 Apr 2020 | 14 May 2020 | 31 |
| Joishtho | 15 May 2020 | 14 Jun 2020 | 31 |
| Asharh | 15 Jun 2020 | 16 Jul 2020 | 32 |
| Shrabon | 17 Jul 2020 | 16 Aug 2020 | 31 |
| Bhadro | 17 Aug 2020 | 16 Sep 2020 | 31 |
| Ashshin | 17 Sep 2020 | 17 Oct 2020 | 31 |
| Kartik | 18 Oct 2020 | 16 Nov 2020 | 30 |
| Ogrohayon | 17 Nov 2020 | 15 Dec 2020 | 29 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 2020 | 31 Dec 2020 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2020
Beyond the dates the Bengali Calendar lists, 2020 brought 6 eclipses - 2 solar and 4 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Ashwina, running from 18 September 2020 to 16 October 2020. Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) fell on 29 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2019 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2020
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Bengali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 12:40 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Poush Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 6 Jun 12:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Snana Yatra | Joishtho Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 21 Jun 12:10 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Ratha Yatra | Asharh Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 5 Jul 9:59 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Asharh Purnima | Not visible |
| 30 Nov 3:12 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ogrohayon Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Dec 9:43 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ogrohayon 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 2020
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 10:00 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Mar 4:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Jun 5:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Dhanu re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishabha on 23 September 2020, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Bengali Calendar 2020
How many festivals and vrats does the Bengali Calendar list in 2020?
The Bengali Calendar lists 37 dates in 2020, of which 2 are vrats. The first is Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on Wednesday, 15 January 2020, and the last is Nabanna on Wednesday, 23 December 2020.
What are the main festival dates in the Bengali Calendar for 2020?
The first major observances of 2020 are:
- Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) - Wednesday, 15 January 2020
- Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) - Wednesday, 29 January 2020
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 21 February 2020
- Dol Yatra (Holi) - Monday, 9 March 2020
- Ashokashtami - Wednesday, 1 April 2020
- Basanti Puja - Thursday, 2 April 2020
Which month of 2020 has the most observances in the Bengali Calendar?
April 2020 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Ashokashtami, Basanti Puja, Charak Puja & Gajan, Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year), Poila Boisakh (Bengali New Year), Akshay Tritiya.
Which traditional year does 2020 correspond to in the Bengali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2020 spans Bangabda 1426 – 1427. 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 2020 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2020 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (Adhik)), the extra lunar month inserted roughly every third year to keep the lunar calendar in step with the solar one. Festivals falling after it shift later in the Gregorian year, which is why 2020 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2020?
2020 had 6 eclipses:
- 11 January 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 6 June 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 21 June 2020 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 5 July 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 November 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 14 December 2020 - Total 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 2020?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2020:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Makara on 24 January 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 March 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 30 June 2020, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 20 November 2020
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 2020?
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.
