Kannada Calendar 2020
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2020
Shaka Samvat 1942 (Sharvari)
Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
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 2020 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kannada Calendar lists 44 dates in 2020, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 6 January and closing with Dattatreya Jayanti on 29 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). December is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1941 – 1942. 2020 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2020 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Wed |
Makara Sankranti (Suggi) The harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with ellu-bella. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 29 Jan | Wed |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 30 Jan | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
February 2020 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 21 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 29 Feb | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 2020 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar | Mon |
Kamana Habba (Holi) The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Mar | Wed |
Yugadi (Kannada New Year) The Kannada new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, with bevu-bella. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 30 Mar | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 2020 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Thu |
Sri Rama Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 8 Apr | Wed |
Karaga Bengaluru's centuries-old Karaga festival honours Draupadi Devi (Shakti) on the Chaitra full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 26 Apr | Sun |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 26 Apr | Sun |
Basava Jayanti The birth of Basaveshwara on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 28 Apr | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
May 2020 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May | Wed |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 28 May | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 2020 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Fri |
Kara Hunnime Farmers worship their cattle on the full moon of Jyeshtha. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 26 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 2020 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 31 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dwadashi |
August 2020 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 21 Aug | Fri |
Gowri Habba Goddess Gauri is welcomed and worshipped on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, the day before Ganesha Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 22 Aug | Sat |
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 23 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 2020 Bhadrapada – Ashwina – Ashwina (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Tue | Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Sep | Thu |
Mahalaya Amavasya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 22 Sep | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 2020 Ashwina (Adhik) – Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct | Sat |
Sharad Navratri
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Oct | Sat |
Ayudha Puja / Mahanavami The worship of weapons and tools on Mahanavami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 25 Oct | Sun |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2020 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Nov | Sat |
Naraka Chaturdashi The abhyanjana snana marking the slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 15 Nov | Sun |
Balipadyami (Deepavali) The Bali Padyami and Lakshmi worship of Deepavali. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 25 Nov | Wed |
Utthana Ekadashi (Tulsi Vivah)
The awakening of Vishnu and the Tulsi marriage on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 30 Nov | Mon |
Kartika Purnima The Kartika full moon, lit with lamps. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2020 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 19 Dec | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 20 Dec | Sun |
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 |
| 20 Dec | Sun |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Dec | Fri |
Vaikunta Ekadashi The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 29 Dec | Tue |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
Months of the Kannada Calendar in 2020
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 2020, covering Shaka Samvat 1941 – 1942. 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 2020 | 14 Jan 2020 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2020 | 13 Feb 2020 | 30 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 2020 | 14 Mar 2020 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2020 | 13 Apr 2020 | 30 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 2020 | 14 May 2020 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2020 | 14 Jun 2020 | 31 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 2020 | 16 Jul 2020 | 32 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2020 | 16 Aug 2020 | 31 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 2020 | 16 Sep 2020 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 17 Sep 2020 | 17 Sep 2020 | 1 |
| Ashwina (Adhik) | 18 Sep 2020 | 16 Oct 2020 | 29 |
| Ashwina | 17 Oct 2020 | 17 Oct 2020 | 1 |
| Kartika | 18 Oct 2020 | 16 Nov 2020 | 30 |
| Margashirsha | 17 Nov 2020 | 15 Dec 2020 | 29 |
| Pausha part | 16 Dec 2020 | 31 Dec 2020 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2020
Beyond the dates the Kannada Calendar lists, 2020 brought 6 eclipses - 2 solar and 4 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Ashwina, running from 18 September 2020 to 16 October 2020. Yugadi (Kannada New Year) fell on 25 March, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2019 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2020
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Kannada date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 12:40 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Pausha Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 6 Jun 12:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kara Hunnime | Jyeshtha Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 21 Jun 12:10 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadha Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 5 Jul 9:59 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Guru Purnima | Ashadha Purnima | Not visible |
| 30 Nov 3:12 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Kartika Purnima | Margashirsha Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Dec 9:43 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Dhanurmasam Begins | Margashirsha Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2020
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 10:00 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Mar 4:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Jun 5:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Dhanu re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishabha on 23 September 2020, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Kannada Calendar 2020
How many festivals and vrats does the Kannada Calendar list in 2020?
The Kannada Calendar lists 44 dates in 2020, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Monday, 6 January 2020, and the last is Dattatreya Jayanti on Tuesday, 29 December 2020.
What are the main festival dates in the Kannada Calendar for 2020?
The first major observances of 2020 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Monday, 6 January 2020
- Makara Sankranti (Suggi) - Wednesday, 15 January 2020
- Vasant Panchami - Wednesday, 29 January 2020
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 1 February 2020
- Thaipusam - Saturday, 8 February 2020
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 21 February 2020
Which month of 2020 has the most observances in the Kannada Calendar?
December 2020 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Dhanurmasam Begins, Skanda Shashthi, Champa Shashti, Subramanya Shashti, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Dattatreya Jayanti.
Which traditional year does 2020 correspond to in the Kannada Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2020 spans Shaka Samvat 1941 – 1942. 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 2020 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2020 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (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 2020 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2020?
2020 had 6 eclipses:
- 11 January 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 6 June 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 21 June 2020 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 5 July 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 November 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 14 December 2020 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2020?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2020:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Makara on 24 January 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 March 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 30 June 2020, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 20 November 2020
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 2020?
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.
