Gujarati Samvat Calendar

Gujarati Samvat Calendar 2018

The Gujarati festival calendar (Vikram Samvat, Kartika new year). Gujarati festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each.

October 2018

Gujarati Samvat 2074 (Saumya)

Ashwina – Kartika

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

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 2018 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists 43 dates in 2018, opening with Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on 14 January and closing with Dattatreya Jayanti on 22 December. Of these, 10 are vrats (fasting observances). November is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Gujarati Samvat 2073 – 2074. 2018 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 2018 Pausha – Magha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Sun Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti)

The kite festival on the Sun's entry into Makara.

Krishna Trayodashi
22 Jan Mon Vasant Panchami

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami

February 2018 Magha – Phalguna

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Feb Tue Maha Shivratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Trayodashi

March 2018 Phalguna – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Mar Thu Holika Dahan

The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Chaturdashi
2 Mar Fri Dhuleti (Holi)

The festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan.

Krishna Pratipada
18 Mar Sun Chaitra Navratri Begins

The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.

Shukla Pratipada
20 Mar Tue 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 Tritiya
25 Mar Sun Ram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Ashtami
31 Mar Sat Hanuman Jayanti

The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra.

Shukla Purnima

April 2018 Chaitra – Vaishakha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
18 Apr Wed Akshaya Tritiya (Akhatrij)

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya — among the most auspicious days for new ventures.

Shukla Tritiya
29 Apr Sun Narsimha Jayanti

The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

June 2018 Jyeshtha (Adhik) – Jyeshtha – Ashadha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
22 Jun Fri Ganga Dussehra

The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami
27 Jun Wed Vat Purnima (Vat Pournima) Vrat Shukla Chaturdashi

July 2018 Ashadha – Shravana

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jul Sat Ashadhi Beej (Kutchi New Year)

The Kutchi new year on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya, welcoming the monsoon.

Shukla Dwitiya
14 Jul Sat Ratha Yatra

Lord Jagannath's chariot festival, observed grandly in Ahmedabad.

Shukla Dwitiya
23 Jul Mon Gauri Vrat (Morakat) Begins Vrat Shukla Ekadashi
25 Jul Wed Jaya Parvati Vrat Begins Vrat Shukla Trayodashi
27 Jul Fri Guru Purnima

The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa.

Shukla Purnima

August 2018 Shravana – Bhadrapada

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
22 Aug Wed 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
26 Aug Sun 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
30 Aug Thu Bol Choth (Bahula Chauth) Vrat Krishna Chaturthi

September 2018 Bhadrapada – Ashwina

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Sep Sat Randhan Chhath Vrat Krishna Shashthi
2 Sep Sun Shitala Satam Vrat Krishna Saptami
3 Sep Mon Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
12 Sep Wed Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat Shukla Tritiya
13 Sep Thu Ganesh Chaturthi

The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
14 Sep Fri Rishi Panchami Vrat Shukla Panchami
26 Sep Wed Pitru Paksha Begins

The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors begins.

Krishna Pratipada

October 2018 Ashwina – Kartika

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Oct Wed Sharad Navratri Begins

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada
16 Oct Tue Durga Ashtami

The eighth night of Navratri, sacred to Goddess Durga.

Shukla Saptami
19 Oct Fri Dussehra (Vijayadashami)

The triumph of good over evil on Ashwina Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami
23 Oct Tue Sharad Purnima

The bright autumn full moon of Ashwina, kept with Kojagari Lakshmi worship.

Shukla Chaturdashi
31 Oct Wed Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Krishna Saptami

November 2018 Kartika – Margashirsha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Nov Sun 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 Dwadashi
5 Nov Mon 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
6 Nov Tue Kali Chaudas

Narak Chaturdashi, kept in Gujarat as Kali Chaudas.

Krishna Chaturdashi
7 Nov Wed Diwali

The worship of Goddess Lakshmi and Sharda Puja on Kartika Amavasya.

Krishna Amavasya
8 Nov Thu 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
9 Nov Fri Bhai Beej

Sisters honour their brothers two days after Diwali.

Shukla Dwitiya
12 Nov Mon 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
23 Nov Fri Dev Diwali (Kartik Purnima)

The Diwali of the gods on Kartika Purnima.

Shukla Purnima

December 2018 Margashirsha – Pausha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
18 Dec Tue Vaikuntha Ekadashi Vrat Shukla Dashami
22 Dec Sat Dattatreya Jayanti

The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima.

Shukla Purnima

Months of the Gujarati Samvat Calendar in 2018

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 2018, covering Gujarati Samvat 2073 – 2074. 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 2018 14 Jan 2018 14
Magha 15 Jan 2018 12 Feb 2018 29
Phalguna 13 Feb 2018 14 Mar 2018 30
Chaitra 15 Mar 2018 14 Apr 2018 31
Vaishakha 15 Apr 2018 14 May 2018 30
Jyeshtha 15 May 2018 15 May 2018 1
Jyeshtha (Adhik) 16 May 2018 13 Jun 2018 29
Jyeshtha 14 Jun 2018 15 Jun 2018 2
Ashadha 16 Jun 2018 16 Jul 2018 31
Shravana 17 Jul 2018 17 Aug 2018 32
Bhadrapada 18 Aug 2018 17 Sep 2018 31
Ashwina 18 Sep 2018 17 Oct 2018 30
Kartika 18 Oct 2018 16 Nov 2018 30
Margashirsha 17 Nov 2018 16 Dec 2018 30
Pausha part 17 Dec 2018 31 Dec 2018 15

What happened in the sky in 2018

Beyond the dates the Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists, 2018 brought 5 eclipses - 3 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 Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 2018 to 13 June 2018. Vasant Panchami fell on 22 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2017 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2018

Date (IST) Eclipse Gujarati Samvat date Seen from India
31 Jan 6:59 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Magha Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
16 Feb 2:21 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days after Maha Shivratri Phalguna Shukla Pratipada Not visible
13 Jul 8:31 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day before Ashadhi Beej (Kutchi New Year) Ashadha Amavasya Not visible
28 Jul 1:51 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Guru Purnima Shravana Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
11 Aug 3:16 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Shravana Amavasya Not visible

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.

Guru and Shani in 2018

Date Graha Sign change
11 Oct 7:30 PM Guru (Jupiter) Tula → Vrishchika

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.

Frequently asked questions about the Gujarati Samvat Calendar 2018

How many festivals and vrats does the Gujarati Samvat Calendar list in 2018?

The Gujarati Samvat Calendar lists 43 dates in 2018, of which 10 are vrats. The first is Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on Sunday, 14 January 2018, and the last is Dattatreya Jayanti on Saturday, 22 December 2018.

What are the main festival dates in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar for 2018?

The first major observances of 2018 are:

  • Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) - Sunday, 14 January 2018
  • Vasant Panchami - Monday, 22 January 2018
  • Maha Shivratri - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
  • Holika Dahan - Thursday, 1 March 2018
  • Dhuleti (Holi) - Friday, 2 March 2018
  • Chaitra Navratri Begins - Sunday, 18 March 2018
Which month of 2018 has the most observances in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar?

November 2018 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Kali Chaudas, Diwali, Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas), Bhai Beej, Labh Pancham, Dev Diwali (Kartik Purnima).

Which traditional year does 2018 correspond to in the Gujarati Samvat Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2018 spans Gujarati Samvat 2073 – 2074. 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 2018 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 2018 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (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 2018 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 2018?

2018 had 5 eclipses:

  • 31 January 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 16 February 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 13 July 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 28 July 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 11 August 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India

Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these were kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2018?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2018:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 11 October 2018

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 2018?

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.

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