Kashmiri Calendar 2020
The Kashmiri Hindu festival calendar (Navreh new year). Kashmiri Pandit festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each.
May 2020
Saptarshi Samvat 5096
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.
Kashmiri Calendar 2020 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kashmiri Calendar lists 19 dates in 2020, opening with Khetsimavas (Kheche Mavas) on 24 January and closing with Bhai Dooj on 16 November. Of these, 1 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Saptarshi Samvat 5095 – 5096. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan | Fri |
Khetsimavas (Kheche Mavas) The Pausha new moon kept by Kashmiri Pandits with khichdi offerings to Yaksha and the household deities. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 29 Jan | Wed |
Basant Panchami
The first day of spring and the worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
February 2020 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Kaw Punim The Magha full moon, when offerings of rice are made to the crows (kaw) at dawn. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 21 Feb | Fri |
Herath (Maha Shivaratri)
The great festival of Lord Shiva — the most important festival of the Kashmiri Pandits. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2020 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar | Tue |
Holi The festival of colours, the day after the Phalguna full moon. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 25 Mar | Wed |
Navreh The Kashmiri Pandit new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, when the Nechapatra almanac is viewed at dawn. |
Shukla Pratipada |
April 2020 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Thu |
Ram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Vaisakhi Sankranti The solar new year and harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Mesha. |
Krishna Saptami |
May 2020 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 May | Sat |
Zyeth Atham (Kheer Bhawani Mela) Kashmiri Pandits throng the Kheer Bhawani shrine for Ragnya Devi on Jyeshtha Shukla Ashtami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
August 2020 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Shravan Punim (Raksha Bandhan) Shravana Purnima — sisters tie the rakhi and the sacred thread (yajnopavit) is renewed. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Zarmae-Satam (Janmashtami)
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna, kept by Kashmiri Pandits as Zarmae Satam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 22 Aug | Sat |
Vinayaka Tsoram (Ganesha Chaturthi)
The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
September 2020 Bhadrapada – Ashwina – Ashwina (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep | Thu |
Kambari Mavus (Mahalaya Amavasya) The Mahalaya new moon that closes Pitru Paksha, when ancestors are honoured. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2020 Ashwina (Adhik) – Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct | Sat |
Sharad Navratri Begins
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin on Ashwina Shukla Pratipada. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Oct | Sat |
Mahanavami The ninth night of Sharad Navratri, the climax of Devi worship. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 25 Oct | Sun |
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) The victory of Rama over Ravana and of Durga over Mahishasura. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2020 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Wed | Karva Chauth Vrat | Krishna Chaturthi |
| 14 Nov | Sat |
Deepawali The festival of lights and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kartika Amavasya. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 16 Nov | Mon |
Bhai Dooj
Sisters honour their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Pratipada |
Months of the Kashmiri Calendar in 2020
The Kashmiri 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 Saptarshi Samvat 5095 – 5096. 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 Kashmiri 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. Khetsimavas (Kheche Mavas) fell on 24 January, 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 | Kashmiri 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) | 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) | Ashadha Purnima | Not visible |
| 30 Nov 3:12 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Margashirsha Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Dec 9:43 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | 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 Kashmiri Calendar 2020
How many festivals and vrats does the Kashmiri Calendar list in 2020?
The Kashmiri Calendar lists 19 dates in 2020, of which 1 are vrats. The first is Khetsimavas (Kheche Mavas) on Friday, 24 January 2020, and the last is Bhai Dooj on Monday, 16 November 2020.
What are the main festival dates in the Kashmiri Calendar for 2020?
The first major observances of 2020 are:
- Khetsimavas (Kheche Mavas) - Friday, 24 January 2020
- Basant Panchami - Wednesday, 29 January 2020
- Kaw Punim - Saturday, 8 February 2020
- Herath (Maha Shivaratri) - Friday, 21 February 2020
- Holi - Tuesday, 10 March 2020
- Navreh - Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Which traditional year does 2020 correspond to in the Kashmiri Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2020 spans Saptarshi Samvat 5095 – 5096. 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 Kashmiri Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Kashmiri Calendar
The Kashmiri Hindu festival calendar (Navreh new year). Kashmiri Pandit festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of 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.
