Bengali Calendar - Panjika 2023
The Bengali festival calendar (Panjika). Bengali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 2023
Bangabda 1429
Poush – Magh
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 2023 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Bengali Calendar lists 36 dates in 2023, opening with Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on 15 January and closing with Nabanna on 21 December. Of these, 2 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Bangabda 1429 – 1430. 2023 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2023 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Sun |
Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) The Bengali harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with pithe-puli. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 25 Jan | Wed |
Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
February 2023 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Feb | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2023 Falgun – Choitro
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Mon |
Dol Yatra (Holi) The swing festival of Krishna on Phalguna Purnima, Bengal's Holi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 29 Mar | Wed |
Ashokashtami On Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshipped and ashoka flower buds are taken to ward off grief. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 30 Mar | Thu |
Basanti Puja The springtime Durga Puja of Chaitra — the original worship of Durga — culminating on Maha Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
April 2023 Choitro – Boishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr | Fri |
Charak Puja & Gajan On the last day of the Bengali year, devotees of Shiva perform the Gajan austerities and the spinning Charak rite. |
Krishna Navami |
| 15 Apr | Sat |
Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) The Bengali solar new year, welcomed with Halkhata, sweets and visits to family and temples. |
Krishna Dashami |
| 22 Apr | Sat |
Akshay Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, an auspicious day for new ventures and Jagannath's Chandan Yatra. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
May 2023 Boishakh – Joishtho
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 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 2023 Joishtho – Asharh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 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 |
| 20 Jun | Tue |
Ratha Yatra The chariot festival of Lord Jagannath. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 24 Jun | Sat | Bipodtarini Vrata Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Jun | Wed |
Ulto Rath Yatra The return chariot festival (Bahuda Yatra), when Lord Jagannath journeys back to his temple. |
Shukla Dashami |
August 2023 Shrabon – Bhadro
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug | Thu |
Manasa Puja
The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped on the last day of Shravan for protection from snakes and for fertility. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 27 Aug | Sun |
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 |
| 31 Aug | Thu |
Rakhi Bandhan Sisters tie the rakhi on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 2023 Bhadro – Ashshin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep | Thu |
Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 8 Sep | Fri |
Nandotsav The day after Janmashtami, celebrating Nanda Maharaj's joy at the birth of baby Krishna with sweets and revelry. |
Krishna Navami |
| 17 Sep | Sun |
Vishwakarma Puja The divine architect is worshipped as the Sun enters Kanya. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 23 Sep | Sat |
Radhashtami The birth of Radha, Krishna's beloved, celebrated with worship and fasting fifteen days after Janmashtami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
October 2023 Ashshin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Oct | Sat |
Mahalaya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha, when Devi is invoked at dawn. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 20 Oct | Fri |
Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 21 Oct | Sat |
Durga Puja — Maha Saptami Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 22 Oct | Sun |
Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 23 Oct | Mon |
Durga Puja — Maha Navami The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship. |
Shukla Navami |
| 24 Oct | Tue |
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 Dashami |
| 28 Oct | Sat |
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 2023 Kartik – Ogrohayon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov | Sat |
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 |
| 12 Nov | Sun |
Kali Puja
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 15 Nov | Wed |
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 |
| 17 Nov | Fri |
Kartik Puja On the last day of the Bengali month of Kartik, Lord Kartikeya is worshipped, especially by families praying for sons. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 20 Nov | Mon |
Goshthashtami On Kartik Shukla Ashtami, cows and Lord Krishna as Gopala are honoured for their nurture and protection. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 21 Nov | Tue |
Jagaddhatri Puja Goddess Jagaddhatri, a serene form of Durga, is worshipped on Kartik Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
December 2023 Ogrohayon – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Sat | Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) Vrat | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 21 Dec | Thu |
Nabanna The Bengali harvest festival of the new rice in Agrahayan. |
Shukla Navami |
Months of the Bengali Calendar in 2023
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 2023, covering Bangabda 1429 – 1430. 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 2023 | 14 Jan 2023 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2023 | 13 Feb 2023 | 30 |
| Falgun | 14 Feb 2023 | 15 Mar 2023 | 30 |
| Choitro | 16 Mar 2023 | 14 Apr 2023 | 30 |
| Boishakh | 15 Apr 2023 | 15 May 2023 | 31 |
| Joishtho | 16 May 2023 | 15 Jun 2023 | 31 |
| Asharh | 16 Jun 2023 | 17 Jul 2023 | 32 |
| Shrabon | 18 Jul 2023 | 17 Aug 2023 | 31 |
| Bhadro | 18 Aug 2023 | 17 Sep 2023 | 31 |
| Ashshin | 18 Sep 2023 | 18 Oct 2023 | 31 |
| Kartik | 19 Oct 2023 | 17 Nov 2023 | 30 |
| Ogrohayon | 18 Nov 2023 | 16 Dec 2023 | 29 |
| Poush part | 17 Dec 2023 | 31 Dec 2023 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2023
Beyond the dates the Bengali Calendar lists, 2023 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Shravana, running from 18 July 2023 to 16 August 2023. Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) fell on 15 January, 1 day later in the year than in 2022 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2023
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Bengali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 9:46 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Akshay Tritiya | Boishakh Amavasya | Not visible |
| 5 May 10:53 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Boishakh Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Oct 11:29 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Mahalaya | Ashshin Amavasya | Not visible |
| 29 Oct 1:44 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Kartik Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2023
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 6:10 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 22 Apr 5:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Mesha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 30 October 2023, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Bengali Calendar 2023
How many festivals and vrats does the Bengali Calendar list in 2023?
The Bengali Calendar lists 36 dates in 2023, of which 2 are vrats. The first is Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) on Sunday, 15 January 2023, and the last is Nabanna on Thursday, 21 December 2023.
What are the main festival dates in the Bengali Calendar for 2023?
The first major observances of 2023 are:
- Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti) - Sunday, 15 January 2023
- Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) - Wednesday, 25 January 2023
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 18 February 2023
- Dol Yatra (Holi) - Monday, 6 March 2023
- Ashokashtami - Wednesday, 29 March 2023
- Basanti Puja - Thursday, 30 March 2023
Which month of 2023 has the most observances in the Bengali Calendar?
October 2023 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Mahalaya, Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Bijoya Dashami (Sindur Khela), Kojagari Lakshmi Puja.
Which traditional year does 2023 correspond to in the Bengali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2023 spans Bangabda 1429 – 1430. 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 2023 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2023 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (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 2023 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2023?
2023 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 April 2023 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 May 2023 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 14 October 2023 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 29 October 2023 - 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 1 of these was kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2023?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2023:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kumbha on 17 January 2023
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 22 April 2023
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 2023?
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.
