Kannada Calendar 2016
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
April 2016
Shaka Samvat 1938 (Durmukha)
Chaitra – Vaishakha
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.
Kannada Calendar 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kannada Calendar lists 45 dates in 2016, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 15 January and closing with Dhanurmasam Begins on 16 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938.
January 2016 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 24 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 2016 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Fri |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 13 Feb | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Feb | Sun |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
March 2016 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 13 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 22 Mar | Tue |
Kamana Habba (Holi) The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
April 2016 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr | Fri |
Yugadi (Kannada New Year) The Kannada new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, with bevu-bella. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 12 Apr | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Apr | Fri |
Sri Rama Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 22 Apr | Fri |
Karaga Bengaluru's centuries-old Karaga festival honours Draupadi Devi (Shakti) on the Chaitra full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 2016 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May | Mon |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 9 May | Mon |
Basava Jayanti The birth of Basaveshwara on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 11 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 20 May | Fri |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2016 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 20 Jun | Mon |
Kara Hunnime Farmers worship their cattle on the full moon of Jyeshtha. |
Shukla Purnima |
July 2016 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 19 Jul | Tue |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2016 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Sun |
Naga Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 18 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Aug | Thu |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2016 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Sun |
Gowri Habba Goddess Gauri is welcomed and worshipped on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, the day before Ganesha Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 5 Sep | Mon |
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 6 Sep | Tue | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 7 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Sep | Thu | Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 30 Sep | Fri |
Mahalaya Amavasya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2016 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Sat |
Sharad Navratri
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 6 Oct | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 10 Oct | Mon |
Ayudha Puja / Mahanavami The worship of weapons and tools on Mahanavami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 11 Oct | Tue |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 29 Oct | Sat |
Naraka Chaturdashi The abhyanjana snana marking the slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 31 Oct | Mon |
Balipadyami (Deepavali) The Bali Padyami and Lakshmi worship of Deepavali. |
Shukla Pratipada |
November 2016 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 10 Nov | Thu |
Utthana Ekadashi (Tulsi Vivah)
The awakening of Vishnu and the Tulsi marriage on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 14 Nov | Mon |
Kartika Purnima The Kartika full moon, lit with lamps. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2016 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Dec | Mon |
Champa Shashti A six-day festival to Lord Khandoba (Martand Bhairav, a form of Shiva) concludes on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi, worshipped by farmers and warriors. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 5 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 5 Dec | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Dec | Tue |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 16 Dec | Fri |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Tritiya |
Months of the Kannada Calendar in 2016
The Kannada 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 2016, covering Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938. 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 2016 | 14 Jan 2016 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2016 | 13 Feb 2016 | 30 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 2016 | 14 Mar 2016 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2016 | 13 Apr 2016 | 30 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 2016 | 14 May 2016 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2016 | 14 Jun 2016 | 31 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 2016 | 16 Jul 2016 | 32 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2016 | 16 Aug 2016 | 31 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 2016 | 16 Sep 2016 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 17 Sep 2016 | 17 Oct 2016 | 31 |
| Kartika | 18 Oct 2016 | 15 Nov 2016 | 29 |
| Margashirsha | 16 Nov 2016 | 15 Dec 2016 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 16 Dec 2016 | 31 Dec 2016 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2016
Beyond the dates the Kannada Calendar lists, 2016 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Yugadi (Kannada New Year) fell on 8 April, 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 | Kannada date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 7:27 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Phalguna Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 23 Mar 5:17 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kamana Habba (Holi) | Chaitra Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Sep 2:36 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Gowri Habba | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:24 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | 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.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Kannada Calendar 2016
How many festivals and vrats does the Kannada Calendar list in 2016?
The Kannada Calendar lists 45 dates in 2016, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Friday, 15 January 2016, and the last is Dhanurmasam Begins on Friday, 16 December 2016.
What are the main festival dates in the Kannada Calendar for 2016?
The first major observances of 2016 are:
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 24 January 2016
- Vasant Panchami - Friday, 12 February 2016
- Ratha Saptami - Sunday, 14 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 7 March 2016
- Kamana Habba (Holi) - Tuesday, 22 March 2016
- Yugadi (Kannada New Year) - Friday, 8 April 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Kannada Calendar?
September 2016 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Gowri Habba, Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata, Rishi Panchami, Skanda Shashthi, Ananta Chaturdashi, Mahalaya Amavasya.
Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Kannada 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 Kannada Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Kannada Calendar
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
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.
