Jain Calendar 2004
A month-by-month list of the significant Jain festivals and fasting (upvas) days - Paryushan and Samvatsari, Mahavir Jayanti, the twelve Rohini Vrats, the Ashtahnika and Navpad Oli parvas, the Chaumasi Chaudas, Varshi Tap and Mahavir Nirvana - with the date and tithi of each.
The Jain Calendar lists 47 dates in 2004, from Rohini Vrat on 5 January through Rohini Vrat on 25 December. November holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2060 – 2061. 2004 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several dates later than usual. Mahavir Jayanti fell on 3 April, Paryushan began on 11 September, Samvatsari fell on 18 September and Mahavir Nirvana fell on 12 November.
Jain Festivals & Fasting Days
January 2004 Pausha – Magha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 2:26 PM, Jan 4 – 5:00 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Parshvanath Janma Kalyanak
Tithi 7:39 PM, Jan 16 – 5:20 PM
The birth anniversary (Janma Kalyanak) of Bhagwan Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, on Pausha Krishna Dashami - kept with the Uvasaggaharam Stotra jaap and fasting.
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Meru Trayodashi
Tithi 11:44 AM, Jan 19 – 8:37 AM
The nirvana (moksha) day of the first Tirthankara, Bhagwan Rishabhadeva (Adinatha), venerated with worship of the sacred Mount Meru.
February 2004 Magha – Phalguna
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 6:10 AM – 8:50 AM, Feb 2
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Phalguna Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 5:02 PM, Feb 26 – 7:32 PM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 7:34 PM, Feb 27 – 10:13 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
March 2004 Phalguna – Chaitra
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Phalguna Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 5:54 AM – 5:52 AM, Mar 6
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Phalguna Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 5:35 AM – 4:58 AM, Mar 7
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Varshitapa Arambha Vrat
Tithi 3:32 PM, Mar 13 – 1:29 PM
The beginning of Varshi Tap - a year-long penance of alternate-day fasting commemorating Bhagwan Rishabhadeva's long fast before his first alms.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 10:57 AM, Mar 26 – 1:33 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Chaitra Navapada Oli Begins Vrat
Tithi 1:35 PM, Mar 27 – 4:07 PM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
April 2004 Chaitra – Vaishakha
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Mahavir Swami Jayanti
Tithi 9:25 PM, Apr 2 – 8:27 PM
The birth anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, on Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi - celebrated with processions, abhishek and charity.
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Chaitra Navapada Oli Ends Vrat
Tithi 6:44 PM, Apr 4 – 4:35 PM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Varshitapa Parana
Tithi 10:27 PM, Apr 21 – 12:43 AM, Apr 23
The breaking (parana) of the year-long Varshi Tap with sugarcane juice on Akshaya Tritiya, as Bhagwan Rishabhadeva broke his fast.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 12:47 AM – 3:16 AM, Apr 24
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Mahavira Swami Kevalagyan
Tithi 12:38 PM, Apr 29 – 12:28 PM
The day Bhagwan Mahavira attained Kevala Jnana - infinite knowledge and omniscience.
May 2004 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 10:19 AM, May 19 – 12:45 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Shruta Panchami
Tithi 8:10 PM, May 23 – 10:20 PM
The Digambara festival venerating the Jain scriptures (Shruta) on Jyeshtha Shukla Panchami - commemorating the day the Shatkhandagama was first written down.
June 2004 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 8:56 PM, Jun 15 – 11:25 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 11:26 PM, Jun 16 – 1:57 AM, Jun 18
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Ashadha Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 12:43 PM, Jun 24 – 12:48 PM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
July 2004 Ashadha – Shravana – Shravana (Adhik)
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Ashadha Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 12:17 AM – 8:34 PM
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Ashadha Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 8:31 PM, Jul 1 – 4:38 PM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 7:19 AM, Jul 13 – 9:52 AM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
August 2004 Shravana (Adhik) – Bhadrapada
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 6:39 PM, Aug 9 – 9:07 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
September 2004 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 5:20 AM, Sep 5 – 7:31 AM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Paryushana Parvarambha
Tithi 4:48 PM, Sep 10 – 6:24 PM
The start of Paryushan - the holiest eight-day festival of the Jains - of fasting, scriptural study, penance and forgiveness.
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Samvatsari Parva
Tithi 5:35 PM, Sep 17 – 4:07 PM
The final and holiest day of Paryushan - of Pratikraman and Michhami Dukkadam, seeking forgiveness from every living being.
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Das Lakshana Parva Begins
Tithi 4:09 PM, Sep 18 – 2:26 PM
The ten-day Digambara festival of the ten supreme virtues (dharma), from Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami to Chaturdashi - the Digambara counterpart of Paryushan.
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Anant Chaturdashi Vrat
Tithi 9:21 PM, Sep 26 – 7:43 PM
The closing day of Das Lakshana, when the fourteen-knot thread of Ananta is worshipped and the Ananta Vrat is observed on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi.
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Kshamavani Parva
Tithi 7:44 PM, Sep 27 – 6:34 PM
The Digambara day of universal forgiveness, the day after Das Lakshana - Jains seek and grant pardon with the words Uttam Kshama and Michhami Dukkadam.
October 2004 Ashwina – Kartika
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 9:45 PM, Oct 3 – 11:56 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Ashwina Navapada Oli Begins Vrat
Tithi 6:49 PM, Oct 19 – 4:32 PM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends Vrat
Tithi 8:01 AM, Oct 27 – 8:37 AM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 10:46 AM, Oct 30 – 12:43 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
November 2004 Kartika – Margashirsha
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Mahavir Nirvana (Diwali)
Tithi 10:32 PM, Nov 11 – 8:02 PM
Diwali marks the nirvana (final liberation) of Bhagwan Mahavira at Pavapuri; Jains keep it with fasting, the Nirvana Laddu and recitation of his last sermon.
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Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat)
Tithi 7:59 PM, Nov 12 – 5:03 PM
The first day of the Jain Vira Nirvana Samvat year - the morning after Mahavira's nirvana, also the day Gautam Swami attained Kevala Jnana.
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Bhai Dooj (Bhratri Dwitiya)
Tithi 5:03 PM, Nov 13 – 1:54 PM
Sisters honour their brothers on Kartika Shukla Dwitiya, the day Gautam Swami is said to have visited his sister, closing the Diwali observances.
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Jnan Panchami (Labh Panchami)
Tithi 10:38 AM, Nov 15 – 7:38 AM
Knowledge (Jnan) Panchami - Jain scriptures and the gift of knowledge are venerated; in Gujarat it is also kept as Labh Panchami.
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Kartika Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 2:15 AM – 12:02 AM, Nov 19
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Kartika Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 10:32 PM, Nov 24 – 11:49 PM
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Kartika Ratha Yatra
Tithi 11:53 PM, Nov 25 – 1:31 AM, Nov 27
The Kartik Purnima chariot procession (Ratha Yatra) and the great pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya (Palitana), reopened after the Chaturmas.
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Kartika Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 11:53 PM, Nov 25 – 1:31 AM, Nov 27
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 1:36 AM – 3:33 AM, Nov 28
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
December 2004 Margashirsha – Pausha
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Maun Ekadashi Vrat
Tithi 10:36 AM, Dec 21 – 12:03 PM
The great silent (Maun) fast of Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, on which 150 Kalyanaks of the Tirthankaras are commemorated - kept with silence, fasting and Posaha.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 1:44 PM, Dec 23 – 3:51 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 3:50 PM, Dec 24 – 6:09 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
What happened in the sky in 2004
Beyond the dates the Jain Calendar lists, 2004 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 Shravana, running from 18 July 2004 to 16 August 2004. Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat) fell on 13 November, 19 days later in the year than in 2003 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2004
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 7:04 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Varshitapa Parana | Vaishakha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 5 May 2:00 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vaishakha Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Oct 8:29 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashwina Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Oct 8:34 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kartika Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2004
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 11:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
| 6 Sep 4:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Karka |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Jain Calendar 2004
How many festivals and vrats does the Jain Calendar list in 2004?
The Jain Calendar lists 47 dates in 2004, of which 32 are vrats. The first is Rohini Vrat on Monday, 5 January 2004, and the last is Rohini Vrat on Saturday, 25 December 2004.
When was Paryushan in 2004?
Paryushan began on Saturday, 11 September 2004 and closed on Samvatsari, Saturday, 18 September 2004.
The Digambara Das Lakshana Parva began on Sunday, 19 September 2004.
When was Mahavir Jayanti in 2004?
Mahavir Swami Jayanti fell on Saturday, 3 April 2004 (Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi), the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavira.
When was Mahavir Nirvana in 2004?
Mahavir Nirvana was observed on Friday, 12 November 2004, the same day as Diwali.
The Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat) began the next morning, Saturday, 13 November 2004.
What are the main festival dates in the Jain Calendar for 2004?
The main observances in 2004 are:
- Mahavir Jayanti - Saturday, 3 April 2004
- Paryushan - Saturday, 11 September 2004
- Samvatsari - Saturday, 18 September 2004
- Mahavir Nirvana - Friday, 12 November 2004
Which month of 2004 has the most observances in the Jain Calendar?
November 2004 is the fullest month with 9 dates, including Mahavir Nirvana (Diwali), Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat), Bhai Dooj (Bhratri Dwitiya), Jnan Panchami (Labh Panchami), Kartika Ashtahnika Begins, Kartika Chaumasi Chaudas, Kartika Ashtahnika Ends, Kartika Ratha Yatra.
Which traditional year does 2004 correspond to in the Jain Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2004 spans Vikram Samvat 2060 – 2061. 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 2004 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2004 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (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 2004 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2004?
2004 had 4 eclipses:
- 19 April 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 May 2004 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 October 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 October 2004 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal 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 2004?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2004:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 27 August 2004
- Shani (Saturn) entered Karka on 6 September 2004
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.
Are these 2004 dates the same everywhere?
The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.
About the Jain Calendar
A month-by-month list of the significant Jain festivals and fasting (upvas) days - Paryushan and Samvatsari, Mahavir Jayanti, the twelve Rohini Vrats, the Ashtahnika and Navpad Oli parvas, the Chaumasi Chaudas, Varshi Tap and Mahavir Nirvana - with the date and tithi of each.
Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.
This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.
