Gujarati Samvat Calendar 2016
The Gujarati festival calendar (Vikram Samvat, Kartika new year). Gujarati festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each.
July 2016
Gujarati Samvat 2072 (Plavanga)
Ashadha – Shravana
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.
Gujarati Samvat Calendar 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists 43 dates in 2016, opening with Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on 15 January and closing with Dattatreya Jayanti on 13 December. Of these, 9 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 11 dates. The year runs through Gujarati Samvat 2071 – 2072.
January 2016 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Fri |
Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) The kite festival on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Shashthi |
February 2016 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Fri |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
March 2016 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 22 Mar | Tue |
Holika Dahan The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 24 Mar | Thu |
Dhuleti (Holi) The festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan. |
Krishna Pratipada |
April 2016 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr | Fri |
Chaitra Navratri Begins
The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 9 Apr | Sat |
Gangaur The climax of an eighteen-day Rajasthani festival to Gauri (Parvati) on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya; married women pray for their husbands and unmarried girls for a good groom, with grand processions of Gauri and Isar (Shiva) idols in Jaipur and Udaipur. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 15 Apr | Fri |
Ram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 22 Apr | Fri |
Hanuman Jayanti
The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 2016 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May | Mon |
Akshaya Tritiya (Akhatrij) Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya — among the most auspicious days for new ventures. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 20 May | Fri |
Narsimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2016 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 19 Jun | Sun | Vat Purnima (Vat Pournima) Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
July 2016 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jul | Wed |
Ashadhi Beej (Kutchi New Year) The Kutchi new year on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, welcoming the monsoon. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 6 Jul | Wed |
Ratha Yatra Lord Jagannath's chariot festival, observed grandly in Ahmedabad. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 15 Jul | Fri | Gauri Vrat (Morakat) Begins Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 17 Jul | Sun | Jaya Parvati Vrat Begins Vrat | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 19 Jul | Tue |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2016 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 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 |
| 18 Aug | Thu |
Narali Purnima (Nariyal Purnima) On Shravana Purnima, coastal communities offer coconuts (naral / nariyal) to the sea god Varuna, marking the end of the monsoon and the return to fishing. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 21 Aug | Sun | Bol Choth (Bahula Chauth) Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
| 23 Aug | Tue | Randhan Chhath Vrat | Krishna Shashthi |
| 24 Aug | Wed | Shitala Satam Vrat | Krishna Saptami |
| 25 Aug | Thu |
Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2016 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Sun | Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 5 Sep | Mon |
Ganesh Chaturthi
The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 6 Sep | Tue | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Sep | Sat |
Pitru Paksha Begins The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors begins. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 2016 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Sat |
Sharad Navratri Begins The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 9 Oct | Sun |
Durga Ashtami
The eighth night of Navratri, sacred to Goddess Durga. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 11 Oct | Tue |
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) The triumph of good over evil on Ashwina Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 15 Oct | Sat |
Sharad Purnima
The bright autumn full moon of Ashwina, kept with Kojagari Lakshmi worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 22 Oct | Sat | Ahoi Ashtami Vrat | Krishna Saptami |
| 26 Oct | Wed |
Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) The first day of Diwali, when cows and their calves are worshipped in gratitude for their nourishment — kept as Vasubaras in Maharashtra and Vagh Baras in Gujarat, where traders close the old account books. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 27 Oct | Thu |
Dhanteras The worship of Dhanvantari and the buying of metal. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 28 Oct | Fri |
Kali Chaudas
The night before Diwali's Amavasya, Goddess Kali is worshipped to destroy negativity; sleep and laziness (alasya) are symbolically driven from the home. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 29 Oct | Sat |
Kali Chaudas Narak Chaturdashi, kept in Gujarat as Kali Chaudas. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 30 Oct | Sun |
Diwali The worship of Goddess Lakshmi and Sharda Puja on Kartika Amavasya. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 31 Oct | Mon |
Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) The Diwali Padwa honouring King Bali's return; wives perform aukshan (aarti) for their husbands and new account books and ventures are begun. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year. |
Shukla Pratipada |
November 2016 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov | Tue |
Bhai Beej Sisters honour their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 5 Nov | Sat |
Labh Pancham The fifth day after Diwali (Kartik Shukla Panchami) — the auspicious day Gujarati traders reopen their shops and account books, praying to Lakshmi and Ganesha for profit (labh) in the new year. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Nov | Mon |
Dev Diwali (Kartik Purnima) The Diwali of the gods on Kartika Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2016 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Dec | Tue |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
Months of the Gujarati Samvat Calendar in 2016
The Gujarati Samvat 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 2016, covering Gujarati Samvat 2071 – 2072. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pausha part | 1 Jan 2016 | 14 Jan 2016 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2016 | 13 Feb 2016 | 30 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 2016 | 14 Mar 2016 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2016 | 13 Apr 2016 | 30 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 2016 | 14 May 2016 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2016 | 14 Jun 2016 | 31 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 2016 | 16 Jul 2016 | 32 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2016 | 16 Aug 2016 | 31 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 2016 | 16 Sep 2016 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 17 Sep 2016 | 17 Oct 2016 | 31 |
| Kartika | 18 Oct 2016 | 15 Nov 2016 | 29 |
| Margashirsha | 16 Nov 2016 | 15 Dec 2016 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 16 Dec 2016 | 31 Dec 2016 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2016
Beyond the dates the Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists, 2016 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Vasant Panchami fell on 12 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2015 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2016
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Gujarati Samvat date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 7:27 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivratri | Phalguna Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 23 Mar 5:17 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Holika Dahan | Chaitra Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Sep 2:36 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:24 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Pitru Paksha Begins | Ashwina Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2016
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 9:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 30 January 2016, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Gujarati Samvat Calendar 2016
How many festivals and vrats does the Gujarati Samvat Calendar list in 2016?
The Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists 43 dates in 2016, of which 9 are vrats. The first is Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on Friday, 15 January 2016, and the last is Dattatreya Jayanti on Tuesday, 13 December 2016.
What are the main festival dates in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar for 2016?
The first major observances of 2016 are:
- Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) - Friday, 15 January 2016
- Vasant Panchami - Friday, 12 February 2016
- Maha Shivratri - Monday, 7 March 2016
- Holika Dahan - Tuesday, 22 March 2016
- Dhuleti (Holi) - Thursday, 24 March 2016
- Chaitra Navratri Begins - Friday, 8 April 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar?
October 2016 is the fullest month with 11 dates, including Sharad Navratri Begins, Durga Ashtami, Dussehra (Vijayadashami), Sharad Purnima, Ahoi Ashtami, Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhanteras, Kali Chaudas.
Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2016 spans Gujarati Samvat 2071 – 2072. 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 2016 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2016 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 2016?
2016 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 March 2016 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 23 March 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 1 September 2016 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak 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 2016?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2016:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 11 August 2016
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 2016?
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 Gujarati Samvat Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Gujarati Samvat Calendar
The Gujarati festival calendar (Vikram Samvat, Kartika new year). Gujarati festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each.
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.
