Indian Calendar 1996
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.
June 1996
Shaka Samvat 1918 (Dhata)
Jyeshtha – Ashadha – Ashadha (Adhik)
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.
Indian Calendar 1996 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 1996, opening with New Year on 1 January and closing with Christmas on 25 December. April is the fullest month with 12 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1917 – 1918. 1996 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1996 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Mon | New Year | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Jan | Fri | National Youth Day | Krishna Shashthi |
| 14 Jan | Sun | Bhogi / Lohri | Krishna Ashtami |
| 15 Jan | Mon | Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal | Krishna Navami |
| 16 Jan | Tue | Mattu Pongal | Krishna Dashami |
| 23 Jan | Tue | Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) | Shukla Tritiya |
| 24 Jan | Wed | Vasant Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 26 Jan | Fri | Republic Day | Shukla Saptami |
| 30 Jan | Tue | Martyrs' Day | Shukla Dashami |
February 1996 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Feb | Wed | Valentine's Day | Krishna Dashami |
| 17 Feb | Sat | Maha Shivaratri | Krishna Trayodashi |
March 1996 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar | Mon | Holika Dahan | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 5 Mar | Tue | Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga | Shukla Purnima |
| 8 Mar | Fri | International Women's Day | Krishna Tritiya |
| 10 Mar | Sun | Rang Panchami | Krishna Panchami |
| 20 Mar | Wed | Navreh | Shukla Pratipada |
| 20 Mar | Wed | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri | Shukla Pratipada |
| 21 Mar | Thu | Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 23 Mar | Sat | Shaheed Diwas | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 25 Mar | Mon | Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Mar | Thu | Rama Navami | Shukla Navami |
April 1996 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr | Wed | Hanuman Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 5 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | Krishna Dwitiya |
| 7 Apr | Sun | Easter | Krishna Chaturthi |
| 13 Apr | Sat | Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) | Krishna Dashami |
| 13 Apr | Sat | Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba) | Krishna Dashami |
| 13 Apr | Sat | Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Krishna Dashami |
| 13 Apr | Sat | Vaisakhi | Krishna Dashami |
| 13 Apr | Sat | Vishu | Krishna Dashami |
| 14 Apr | Sun | Ambedkar Jayanti | Krishna Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Sun | Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) | Krishna Ekadashi |
| 20 Apr | Sat | Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) | Shukla Tritiya |
| 22 Apr | Mon | Earth Day | Shukla Chaturthi |
May 1996 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Wed | Labour Day | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 3 May | Fri | Buddha Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
| 28 May | Tue | Ganga Dussehra | Shukla Dashami |
June 1996 Jyeshtha – Ashadha – Ashadha (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Wed | World Environment Day | Krishna Chaturthi |
| 21 Jun | Fri | International Yoga Day | Shukla Panchami |
July 1996 Ashadha (Adhik) – Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul | Wed | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 26 Jul | Fri | Ulto Rath Yatra | Shukla Dashami |
| 30 Jul | Tue | Guru Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
August 1996 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug | Thu | Independence Day | Shukla Pratipada |
| 19 Aug | Mon | Nag Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Aug | Tue | Onam (Thiruvonam) | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 28 Aug | Wed | Raksha Bandhan | Shukla Purnima |
September 1996 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Thu | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Ashtami |
| 5 Sep | Thu | Teachers' Day | Krishna Ashtami |
| 14 Sep | Sat | Hindi Diwas | Shukla Pratipada |
| 15 Sep | Sun | Engineer's Day | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 16 Sep | Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi | Shukla Tritiya |
October 1996 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Wed | Gandhi Jayanti | Krishna Shashthi |
| 12 Oct | Sat | Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Krishna Amavasya |
| 13 Oct | Sun | Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 20 Oct | Sun | Durga Puja — Maha Navami | Shukla Ashtami |
| 21 Oct | Mon | Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) | Shukla Navami |
| 25 Oct | Fri | Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 31 Oct | Thu | National Unity Day | Krishna Panchami |
November 1996 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov | Fri | Dhanteras | Krishna Dwadashi |
| 10 Nov | Sun | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 10 Nov | Sun | Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 11 Nov | Mon | Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) | Krishna Amavasya |
| 11 Nov | Mon | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Krishna Amavasya |
| 12 Nov | Tue | Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej | Shukla Pratipada |
| 14 Nov | Thu | Children's Day | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 16 Nov | Sat | Chhath Puja | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Nov | Mon | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Nov | Mon | Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali | Shukla Purnima |
December 1996 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Sun | World AIDS Day | Krishna Shashthi |
| 25 Dec | Wed | Christmas | Krishna Pratipada |
What happened in the sky in 1996
Beyond the dates the Indian Calendar lists, 1996 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 Ashadha, running from 17 June 1996 to 15 July 1996. Bhogi / Lohri fell on 14 January, 1 day later in the year than in 1995 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1996
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 5:39 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Hanuman Jayanti | Chaitra Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 18 Apr 4:07 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) | Vaishakha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 27 Sep 8:24 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashwina Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 12 Oct 7:31 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Ashwina Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1996
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 6:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Kumbha → Meena |
| 26 Dec 8:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Indian Calendar 1996
How many festivals and vrats does the Indian Calendar list in 1996?
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 1996. The first is New Year on Monday, 1 January 1996, and the last is Christmas on Wednesday, 25 December 1996.
What are the main festival dates in the Indian Calendar for 1996?
The first major observances of 1996 are:
- New Year - Monday, 1 January 1996
- National Youth Day - Friday, 12 January 1996
- Bhogi / Lohri - Sunday, 14 January 1996
- Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal - Monday, 15 January 1996
- Mattu Pongal - Tuesday, 16 January 1996
- Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) - Tuesday, 23 January 1996
Which month of 1996 has the most observances in the Indian Calendar?
April 1996 is the fullest month with 12 dates, including Hanuman Jayanti, Good Friday, Easter, Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba), Puthandu (Tamil New Year), Vaisakhi, Vishu.
Which traditional year does 1996 correspond to in the Indian Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1996 spans Shaka Samvat 1917 – 1918. 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 1996 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1996 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (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 1996 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1996?
1996 had 4 eclipses:
- 4 April 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 18 April 1996 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 27 September 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 12 October 1996 - 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 1996?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1996:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Meena on 16 February 1996
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 26 December 1996
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 1996?
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 Indian Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Indian Calendar
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for 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.
