Indian Calendar 2012
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.
September 2012
Shaka Samvat 1934 (Nandana)
Bhadrapada (Adhik) – Ashwina
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 2012 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Indian Calendar lists 68 dates in 2012, opening with New Year on 1 January and closing with Christmas on 25 December. April is the fullest month with 13 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 2012 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2012 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Sun | New Year | Shukla Ashtami |
| 12 Jan | Thu | National Youth Day | Krishna Tritiya |
| 14 Jan | Sat | Bhogi / Lohri | Krishna Panchami |
| 15 Jan | Sun | Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal | Krishna Saptami |
| 16 Jan | Mon | Mattu Pongal | Krishna Ashtami |
| 23 Jan | Mon | Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) | Krishna Amavasya |
| 26 Jan | Thu | Republic Day | Shukla Tritiya |
| 28 Jan | Sat | Vasant Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Jan | Mon | Martyrs' Day | Shukla Saptami |
February 2012 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Feb | Tue | Valentine's Day | Krishna Saptami |
| 20 Feb | Mon | Maha Shivaratri | Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 2012 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Wed | Holika Dahan | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 8 Mar | Thu | Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga | Shukla Purnima |
| 8 Mar | Thu | International Women's Day | Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Mar | Mon | Rang Panchami | Krishna Panchami |
| 23 Mar | Fri | Navreh | Shukla Pratipada |
| 23 Mar | Fri | Shaheed Diwas | Shukla Pratipada |
| 23 Mar | Fri | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri | Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Mar | Sat | Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 29 Mar | Thu | Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) | Shukla Shashthi |
April 2012 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Sun | Rama Navami | Shukla Navami |
| 6 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | Shukla Purnima |
| 6 Apr | Fri | Hanuman Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 8 Apr | Sun | Easter | Krishna Dwitiya |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Ambedkar Jayanti | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba) | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Vaisakhi | Krishna Navami |
| 14 Apr | Sat | Vishu | Krishna Navami |
| 22 Apr | Sun | Earth Day | Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Apr | Tue | Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) | Shukla Tritiya |
May 2012 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Tue | Labour Day | Shukla Dashami |
| 6 May | Sun | Buddha Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
| 31 May | Thu | Ganga Dussehra | Shukla Dashami |
June 2012 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Tue | World Environment Day | Krishna Pratipada |
| 21 Jun | Thu | International Yoga Day | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 21 Jun | Thu | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 29 Jun | Fri | Ulto Rath Yatra | Shukla Dashami |
July 2012 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jul | Tue | Guru Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Jul | Tue | Nag Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
August 2012 Shravana – Bhadrapada – Bhadrapada (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Thu | Raksha Bandhan | Shukla Purnima |
| 10 Aug | Fri | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Ashtami |
| 15 Aug | Wed | Independence Day | Krishna Trayodashi |
September 2012 Bhadrapada (Adhik) – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Wed | Teachers' Day | Krishna Panchami |
| 14 Sep | Fri | Hindi Diwas | Krishna Trayodashi |
| 15 Sep | Sat | Engineer's Day | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 19 Sep | Wed | Ganesh Chaturthi | Shukla Chaturthi |
October 2012 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Tue | Gandhi Jayanti | Krishna Dwitiya |
| 15 Oct | Mon | Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Krishna Amavasya |
| 16 Oct | Tue | Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 23 Oct | Tue | Durga Puja — Maha Navami | Shukla Navami |
| 24 Oct | Wed | Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) | Shukla Dashami |
| 28 Oct | Sun | Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 31 Oct | Wed | National Unity Day | Krishna Dwitiya |
November 2012 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov | Sun | Dhanteras | Krishna Dwadashi |
| 13 Nov | Tue | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 13 Nov | Tue | Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 14 Nov | Wed | Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 14 Nov | Wed | Children's Day | Shukla Pratipada |
| 14 Nov | Wed | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Shukla Pratipada |
| 15 Nov | Thu | Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 19 Nov | Mon | Chhath Puja | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Nov | Wed | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Nov | Wed | Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali | Shukla Purnima |
December 2012 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Sat | World AIDS Day | Krishna Tritiya |
| 25 Dec | Tue | Christmas | Shukla Dwadashi |
What happened in the sky in 2012
Beyond the dates the Indian Calendar lists, 2012 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 2012 to 16 September 2012. Vasant Panchami fell on 28 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2011 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2012
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 5:22 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jyeshtha Shukla Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Jun 4:33 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day before World Environment Day | Jyeshtha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Nov 3:41 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) | Kartika Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 28 Nov 8:03 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Guru Nanak Jayanti | Margashirsha Purnima | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2012
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 May 6:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde |
| 17 May 9:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 4 Aug 8:50 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Tula on 23 December 2012, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Indian Calendar 2012
How many festivals and vrats does the Indian Calendar list in 2012?
The Indian Calendar lists 68 dates in 2012. The first is New Year on Sunday, 1 January 2012, and the last is Christmas on Tuesday, 25 December 2012.
What are the main festival dates in the Indian Calendar for 2012?
The first major observances of 2012 are:
- New Year - Sunday, 1 January 2012
- National Youth Day - Thursday, 12 January 2012
- Bhogi / Lohri - Saturday, 14 January 2012
- Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal - Sunday, 15 January 2012
- Mattu Pongal - Monday, 16 January 2012
- Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) - Monday, 23 January 2012
Which month of 2012 has the most observances in the Indian Calendar?
April 2012 is the fullest month with 13 dates, including Rama Navami, Good Friday, Hanuman Jayanti, Easter, Ambedkar Jayanti, Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba), Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year).
Which traditional year does 2012 correspond to in the Indian Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2012 spans Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 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 2012 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2012 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 2012 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2012?
2012 had 4 eclipses:
- 21 May 2012 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 June 2012 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 November 2012 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 November 2012 - 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 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2012?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2012:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 16 May 2012, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 17 May 2012
- Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 4 August 2012
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 2012?
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.
