Bengali Calendar (Panjika) 2021
The Bengali festival calendar (Panjika). Bengali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 2021 Poush – Magh
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Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti)
Tithi 10:17 AM, Jan 13 – 9:01 AM
The Bengali harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with pithe-puli.
February 2021 Magh – Falgun
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Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
Tithi 3:37 AM, Feb 16 – 5:35 AM, Feb 17
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.
March 2021 Falgun – Choitro
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Maha Shivaratri
Tithi 2:35 PM, Mar 10 – 2:39 PM, Mar 11
The great night of Lord Shiva.
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Dol Yatra (Holi)
Tithi 3:27 AM, Mar 28 – 12:25 AM, Mar 29
The swing festival of Krishna on Phalguna Purnima, Bengal's Holi.
April 2021 Choitro – Boishakh
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Charak Puja & Gajan
Tithi 10:13 AM, Apr 13 – 12:47 PM, Apr 14
On the last day of the Bengali year, devotees of Shiva perform the Gajan austerities and the spinning Charak rite.
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Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year)
Tithi 12:47 PM, Apr 14 – 3:27 PM, Apr 15
The Bengali solar new year, welcomed with Halkhata, sweets and visits to family and temples.
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Ashokashtami
Tithi 12:03 AM, Apr 20 – 12:58 AM, Apr 21
On Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshipped and ashoka flower buds are taken to ward off grief.
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Basanti Puja
Tithi 12:44 AM, Apr 21 – 12:51 AM, Apr 22
The springtime Durga Puja of Chaitra — the original worship of Durga — culminating on Maha Navami.
May 2021 Boishakh – Joishtho
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Akshay Tritiya
Tithi 3:10 AM, May 13 – 5:39 AM, May 14
Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, an auspicious day for new ventures and Jagannath's Chandan Yatra.
June 2021 Joishtho – Asharh
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Jamai Sasthi
Tithi 10:58 PM, Jun 15 – 10:55 PM, Jun 16
Mothers-in-law worship Goddess Sasthi and honour their sons-in-law (jamai) with a grand feast, on Jyeshtha Shukla Shashthi.
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Snana Yatra
Tithi 3:32 AM, Jun 24 – 12:06 AM, Jun 25
On Deva Snana Purnima, Lord Jagannath is given a grand ceremonial bath before retiring into seclusion ahead of Rath Yatra.
July 2021 Asharh – Shrabon
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Ratha Yatra
Tithi 7:58 AM, Jul 11 – 8:20 AM, Jul 12
The chariot festival of Lord Jagannath.
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Bipodtarini Vrata Vrat
Tithi 4:34 AM, Jul 17 – 2:50 AM, Jul 18
Women fast and worship Goddess Bipodtarini, a form of Durga, to be delivered from dangers — observed between Rath and Ulto Rath.
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Ulto Rath Yatra
Tithi 12:29 AM, Jul 19 – 10:04 PM, Jul 19
The return chariot festival (Bahuda Yatra), when Lord Jagannath journeys back to his temple.
August 2021 Shrabon – Bhadro
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Manasa Puja
Tithi 5:35 AM, Aug 17 – 3:22 AM, Aug 18
The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped on the last day of Shravan for protection from snakes and for fertility.
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Jhulan Yatra (Hindola) Begins
Tithi 3:21 AM, Aug 18 – 1:06 AM, Aug 19
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.
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Rakhi Bandhan
Tithi 6:58 PM, Aug 21 – 5:28 PM, Aug 22
Sisters tie the rakhi on Shravana Purnima.
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Janmashtami
Tithi 11:25 PM, Aug 29 – 2:00 AM, Aug 31
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.
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Nandotsav
Tithi 2:00 AM, Aug 31 – 4:30 AM, Sep 1
The day after Janmashtami, celebrating Nanda Maharaj's joy at the birth of baby Krishna with sweets and revelry.
September 2021 Bhadro – Ashshin
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Radhashtami
Tithi 3:09 PM, Sep 13 – 1:09 PM, Sep 14
The birth of Radha, Krishna's beloved, celebrated with worship and fasting fifteen days after Janmashtami.
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Vishwakarma Puja
Tithi 9:30 AM, Sep 16 – 8:08 AM, Sep 17
The divine architect is worshipped as the Sun enters Kanya.
October 2021 Ashshin – Kartik
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Mahalaya
Tithi 7:08 PM, Oct 5 – 4:37 PM, Oct 6
The new moon closing Pitru Paksha, when Devi is invoked at dawn.
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Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Tithi 2:14 AM, Oct 11 – 11:44 PM, Oct 11
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 11:50 PM, Oct 11 – 9:42 PM, Oct 12
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 9:46 PM, Oct 12 – 8:03 PM, Oct 13
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 8:05 PM, Oct 13 – 6:49 PM, Oct 14
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Bijoya Dashami (Sindur Khela)
Tithi 6:49 PM, Oct 14 – 5:59 PM, Oct 15
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).
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 6:04 PM, Oct 18 – 6:59 PM, Oct 19
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.
November 2021 Kartik – Ogrohayon
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 11:44 AM, Nov 2 – 9:02 AM, Nov 3
On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.
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Kali Puja
Tithi 6:03 AM, Nov 4 – 2:52 AM, Nov 5
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Bhai Phota
Tithi 11:14 PM, Nov 5 – 7:43 PM, Nov 6
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.
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Goshthashtami
Tithi 8:07 AM, Nov 10 – 6:49 AM, Nov 11
On Kartik Shukla Ashtami, cows and Lord Krishna as Gopala are honoured for their nurture and protection.
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Jagaddhatri Puja
Tithi 5:51 AM, Nov 12 – 5:13 AM, Nov 13
Goddess Jagaddhatri, a serene form of Durga, is worshipped on Kartik Shukla Navami.
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Kartik Puja
Tithi 6:27 AM, Nov 15 – 8:02 AM, Nov 16
On the last day of the Bengali month of Kartik, Lord Kartikeya is worshipped, especially by families praying for sons.
December 2021 Ogrohayon – Poush
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Nabanna
Tithi 7:08 PM, Dec 11 – 7:57 PM
The Bengali harvest festival of the new rice in Agrahayan.
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Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) Vrat
Tithi 2:01 AM, Dec 16 – 4:38 AM, Dec 17
Concluding on Agrahayan Sankranti, women worship the Sun god Itu through the Sundays of Agrahayan for family well-being.
Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
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 entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Dates are shown for the current and the coming year.