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 Poush – Magh
-
Poush Sankranti (Makar Sankranti)
Tithi 7:28 PM, Jan 14 – 7:52 PM
The Bengali harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with pithe-puli.
-
Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
Tithi 3:11 PM, Jan 24 – 12:33 PM, Jan 25
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.
February 2023 Magh – Falgun
-
Maha Shivaratri
Tithi 11:37 PM, Feb 17 – 8:05 PM, Feb 18
The great night of Lord Shiva.
March 2023 Falgun – Choitro
-
Dol Yatra (Holi)
Tithi 2:10 PM, Mar 5 – 4:18 PM, Mar 6
The swing festival of Krishna on Phalguna Purnima, Bengal's Holi.
-
Ashokashtami
Tithi 7:00 PM, Mar 28 – 9:04 PM, Mar 29
On Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshipped and ashoka flower buds are taken to ward off grief.
-
Basanti Puja
Tithi 9:06 PM, Mar 29 – 11:28 PM, Mar 30
The springtime Durga Puja of Chaitra — the original worship of Durga — culminating on Maha Navami.
April 2023 Choitro – Boishakh
-
Charak Puja & Gajan
Tithi 1:35 AM, Apr 14 – 11:17 PM, Apr 14
On the last day of the Bengali year, devotees of Shiva perform the Gajan austerities and the spinning Charak rite.
-
Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year)
Tithi 11:14 PM, Apr 14 – 8:46 PM, Apr 15
The Bengali solar new year, welcomed with Halkhata, sweets and visits to family and temples.
-
Akshay Tritiya
Tithi 8:13 AM, Apr 21 – 7:49 AM, Apr 22
Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, an auspicious day for new ventures and Jagannath's Chandan Yatra.
May 2023 Boishakh – Joishtho
-
Jamai Sasthi
Tithi 3:01 AM, May 25 – 5:15 AM, May 26
Mothers-in-law worship Goddess Sasthi and honour their sons-in-law (jamai) with a grand feast, on Jyeshtha Shukla Shashthi.
June 2023 Joishtho – Asharh
-
Snana Yatra
Tithi 11:27 AM, Jun 3 – 9:12 AM, Jun 4
On Deva Snana Purnima, Lord Jagannath is given a grand ceremonial bath before retiring into seclusion ahead of Rath Yatra.
-
Ratha Yatra
Tithi 11:20 AM, Jun 19 – 1:06 PM, Jun 20
The chariot festival of Lord Jagannath.
-
Bipodtarini Vrata Vrat
Tithi 7:54 PM, Jun 23 – 10:19 PM, Jun 24
Women fast and worship Goddess Bipodtarini, a form of Durga, to be delivered from dangers — observed between Rath and Ulto Rath.
-
Ulto Rath Yatra
Tithi 3:05 AM, Jun 28 – 3:39 AM, Jun 29
The return chariot festival (Bahuda Yatra), when Lord Jagannath journeys back to his temple.
August 2023 Shrabon – Bhadro
-
Manasa Puja
Tithi 3:07 PM, Aug 16 – 5:36 PM, Aug 17
The serpent goddess Manasa is worshipped on the last day of Shravan for protection from snakes and for fertility.
-
Jhulan Yatra (Hindola) Begins
Tithi 12:10 AM, Aug 27 – 9:43 PM, Aug 27
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.
-
Rakhi Bandhan
Tithi 10:57 AM, Aug 30 – 7:05 AM, Aug 31
Sisters tie the rakhi on Shravana Purnima.
September 2023 Bhadro – Ashshin
-
Nandotsav
Tithi 4:09 PM, Sep 7 – 5:27 PM, Sep 8
The day after Janmashtami, celebrating Nanda Maharaj's joy at the birth of baby Krishna with sweets and revelry.
-
Vishwakarma Puja
Tithi 9:24 AM, Sep 16 – 11:09 AM, Sep 17
The divine architect is worshipped as the Sun enters Kanya.
-
Radhashtami
Tithi 1:45 PM, Sep 22 – 12:19 PM, Sep 23
The birth of Radha, Krishna's beloved, celebrated with worship and fasting fifteen days after Janmashtami.
October 2023 Ashshin – Kartik
-
Mahalaya
Tithi 9:52 PM, Oct 13 – 11:30 PM, Oct 14
The new moon closing Pitru Paksha, when Devi is invoked at dawn.
-
Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Tithi 12:33 AM, Oct 20 – 11:32 PM, Oct 20
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
-
Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 11:26 PM, Oct 20 – 9:59 PM, Oct 21
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
-
Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 9:55 PM, Oct 21 – 8:03 PM, Oct 22
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
-
Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 8:01 PM, Oct 22 – 5:47 PM, Oct 23
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
-
Bijoya Dashami (Sindur Khela)
Tithi 5:47 PM, Oct 23 – 3:15 PM, Oct 24
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).
-
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 4:17 AM, Oct 28 – 1:46 AM, Oct 29
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 2023 Kartik – Ogrohayon
-
Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 12:44 PM, Nov 10 – 1:59 PM, Nov 11
On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.
-
Kali Puja
Tithi 2:06 PM, Nov 11 – 2:47 PM, Nov 12
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
-
Bhai Phota
Tithi 2:43 PM, Nov 14 – 1:49 PM, Nov 15
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.
-
Kartik Puja
Tithi 12:40 PM, Nov 16 – 11:04 AM, Nov 17
On the last day of the Bengali month of Kartik, Lord Kartikeya is worshipped, especially by families praying for sons.
-
Goshthashtami
Tithi 5:22 AM, Nov 20 – 3:18 AM, Nov 21
On Kartik Shukla Ashtami, cows and Lord Krishna as Gopala are honoured for their nurture and protection.
-
Jagaddhatri Puja
Tithi 3:16 AM, Nov 21 – 1:10 AM, Nov 22
Goddess Jagaddhatri, a serene form of Durga, is worshipped on Kartik Shukla Navami.
December 2023 Ogrohayon – Poush
-
Itu Puja (Itur Vrata) Vrat
Tithi 10:31 PM, Dec 15 – 8:00 PM, Dec 16
Concluding on Agrahayan Sankranti, women worship the Sun god Itu through the Sundays of Agrahayan for family well-being.
-
Nabanna
Tithi 11:08 AM, Dec 20 – 9:37 AM
The Bengali harvest festival of the new rice in Agrahayan.
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.