Indian Calendar

Indian Calendar 2016

The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.

July 2016

Shaka Samvat 1938 (Durmukha)

Ashadha – Shravana

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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 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 2016, opening with New Year on 1 January and closing with Christmas on 25 December. April is the fullest month with 14 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938.

January 2016 Pausha – Magha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Jan Fri New Year Krishna Saptami
12 Jan Tue National Youth Day Shukla Tritiya
14 Jan Thu Bhogi / Lohri Shukla Panchami
15 Jan Fri Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal Shukla Shashthi
16 Jan Sat Mattu Pongal Shukla Saptami
23 Jan Sat Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) Shukla Chaturdashi
26 Jan Tue Republic Day Krishna Dwitiya
30 Jan Sat Martyrs' Day Krishna Shashthi

February 2016 Magha – Phalguna

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
12 Feb Fri Vasant Panchami Shukla Chaturthi
14 Feb Sun Valentine's Day Shukla Saptami

March 2016 Phalguna – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Mar Mon Maha Shivaratri Krishna Trayodashi
8 Mar Tue International Women's Day Krishna Chaturdashi
22 Mar Tue Holika Dahan Shukla Chaturdashi
23 Mar Wed Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga Shukla Purnima
23 Mar Wed Shaheed Diwas Shukla Purnima
25 Mar Fri Good Friday Krishna Dwitiya
27 Mar Sun Easter Krishna Chaturthi
28 Mar Mon Rang Panchami Krishna Panchami

April 2016 Chaitra – Vaishakha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
8 Apr Fri Navreh Shukla Pratipada
8 Apr Fri Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri Shukla Pratipada
9 Apr Sat Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) Shukla Dwitiya
12 Apr Tue Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) Shukla Shashthi
14 Apr Thu Ambedkar Jayanti Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba) Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Puthandu (Tamil New Year) Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Vaisakhi Shukla Ashtami
14 Apr Thu Vishu Shukla Ashtami
15 Apr Fri Rama Navami Shukla Navami
22 Apr Fri Earth Day Shukla Purnima
22 Apr Fri Hanuman Jayanti Shukla Purnima

May 2016 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 May Sun Labour Day Krishna Navami
9 May Mon Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) Shukla Tritiya
21 May Sat Buddha Purnima Shukla Purnima

June 2016 Jyeshtha – Ashadha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Jun Sun World Environment Day Krishna Amavasya
14 Jun Tue Ganga Dussehra Shukla Dashami
21 Jun Tue International Yoga Day Krishna Pratipada

July 2016 Ashadha – Shravana

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Jul Wed Jagannath Rath Yatra Shukla Dwitiya
14 Jul Thu Ulto Rath Yatra Shukla Dashami
19 Jul Tue Guru Purnima Shukla Purnima

August 2016 Shravana – Bhadrapada

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Aug Sun Nag Panchami Shukla Panchami
15 Aug Mon Independence Day Shukla Dwadashi
17 Aug Wed Onam (Thiruvonam) Shukla Chaturdashi
18 Aug Thu Raksha Bandhan Shukla Purnima
25 Aug Thu Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Ashtami

September 2016 Bhadrapada – Ashwina

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Sep Mon Ganesh Chaturthi Shukla Chaturthi
5 Sep Mon Teachers' Day Shukla Chaturthi
14 Sep Wed Hindi Diwas Shukla Dwadashi
15 Sep Thu Engineer's Day Shukla Chaturdashi
30 Sep Fri Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya Krishna Amavasya

October 2016 Ashwina – Kartika

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Oct Sat Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) Shukla Pratipada
2 Oct Sun Gandhi Jayanti Shukla Pratipada
10 Oct Mon Durga Puja — Maha Navami Shukla Navami
11 Oct Tue Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) Shukla Dashami
15 Oct Sat Kojagari Lakshmi Puja Shukla Chaturdashi
27 Oct Thu Dhanteras Krishna Dwadashi
29 Oct Sat Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) Krishna Chaturdashi
30 Oct Sun Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) Krishna Amavasya
31 Oct Mon Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) Shukla Pratipada
31 Oct Mon Govardhan Puja / Annakut Shukla Pratipada
31 Oct Mon National Unity Day Shukla Pratipada

November 2016 Kartika – Margashirsha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Nov Tue Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej Shukla Dwitiya
6 Nov Sun Chhath Puja Shukla Shashthi
14 Nov Mon Children's Day Shukla Purnima
14 Nov Mon Guru Nanak Jayanti Shukla Purnima
14 Nov Mon Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali Shukla Purnima

December 2016 Margashirsha – Pausha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Dec Thu World AIDS Day Shukla Dwitiya
25 Dec Sun Christmas Krishna Dwadashi

What happened in the sky in 2016

Beyond the dates the Indian 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 Hindu date Seen from India
9 Mar 7:27 AM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after International Women's Day Phalguna Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
23 Mar 5:17 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga 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) 2 days after Engineer's Day 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.

Frequently asked questions about the Indian Calendar 2016

How many festivals and vrats does the Indian Calendar list in 2016?

The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 2016. The first is New Year on Friday, 1 January 2016, and the last is Christmas on Sunday, 25 December 2016.

What are the main festival dates in the Indian Calendar for 2016?

The first major observances of 2016 are:

  • New Year - Friday, 1 January 2016
  • National Youth Day - Tuesday, 12 January 2016
  • Bhogi / Lohri - Thursday, 14 January 2016
  • Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal - Friday, 15 January 2016
  • Mattu Pongal - Saturday, 16 January 2016
  • Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) - Saturday, 23 January 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Indian Calendar?

April 2016 is the fullest month with 14 dates, including Navreh, Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri, Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year), Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti), Ambedkar Jayanti, Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba), Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year).

Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Indian Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2016 spans Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938. 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 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.

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