Marathi Calendar

Marathi Calendar 2012

The Marathi festival calendar (Gudi Padwa new year). Maharashtrian festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

November 2012

Shaka Samvat 1934 (Nandana)

Kartika – Margashirsha

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

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.

Marathi Calendar 2012 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 2012, opening with Makar Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Datta Jayanti on 27 December. Of these, 5 are vrats (fasting observances). November is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 2012 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 2012 Pausha – Magha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
15 Jan Sun Makar Sankranti

The Sun's entry into Makara, kept with tilgul sweets.

Krishna Saptami
27 Jan Fri Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi)

The birth of Ganesha on Magha Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
28 Jan Sat Vasant Panchami

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami
30 Jan Mon Ratha Saptami

The turning of Surya's chariot, on Magha Shukla Saptami.

Shukla Saptami

February 2012 Magha – Phalguna

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
20 Feb Mon Maha Shivratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Chaturdashi

March 2012 Phalguna – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Mar Wed Holika Dahan

The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Chaturdashi
9 Mar Fri Dhulivandan (Holi)

The festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan.

Krishna Pratipada
12 Mar Mon Rang Panchami

Dry gulal is thrown on Phalguna Krishna Panchami, the colourful finale of the Holi festivities five days after Holika Dahan.

Krishna Panchami
23 Mar Fri Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year)

The Maharashtrian new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, when the gudi is raised.

Shukla Pratipada

April 2012 Chaitra – Vaishakha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Apr Sun Shriram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami
6 Apr Fri Hanuman Jayanti

The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra.

Shukla Purnima
24 Apr Tue Akshaya Tritiya

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year.

Shukla Tritiya

May 2012 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 May Sat Narasimha Jayanti

The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

June 2012 Jyeshtha – Ashadha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Jun Sun Vat Purnima (Vat Pournima) Vrat Shukla Chaturdashi
30 Jun Sat Ashadhi Ekadashi (Devshayani) Vrat Shukla Ekadashi

July 2012 Ashadha – Shravana

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Jul Tue Guru Purnima

The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa.

Shukla Purnima
19 Jul Thu Gatari Amavasya

The Ashadha new moon of feasting before the austerities of Shravan.

Krishna Amavasya
24 Jul Tue Nag Panchami

Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami

August 2012 Shravana – Bhadrapada – Bhadrapada (Adhik)

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Aug Thu Narali Purnima (Nariyal Purnima)

On Shravana Purnima, coastal communities offer coconuts (naral / nariyal) to the sea god Varuna, marking the end of the monsoon and the return to fishing.

Shukla Purnima
10 Aug Fri Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
11 Aug Sat Gopalkala (Dahi Handi)

The day after Janmashtami, when human pyramids break the curd-filled dahi-handi hung high, re-enacting young Krishna's butter-stealing pranks.

Krishna Navami
17 Aug Fri Pithori Amavasya Vrat Krishna Amavasya

September 2012 Bhadrapada (Adhik) – Ashwina

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
18 Sep Tue Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat Shukla Tritiya
19 Sep Wed Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav)

Maharashtra's grandest festival begins with the installation of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
22 Sep Sat Jyeshtha Gauri Pujan

During Ganeshotsav, Goddess Gauri (Mahalakshmi) is welcomed as a daughter and worshipped with haldi-kumkum and a feast for prosperity and family well-being.

Shukla Saptami
29 Sep Sat Anant Chaturdashi (Ganpati Visarjan)

The immersion of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

October 2012 Ashwina – Kartika

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Oct Mon Pitru Paksha Begins

The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors begins.

Krishna Pratipada
15 Oct Mon Sarvapitri Amavasya

The Mahalaya new moon closing Pitru Paksha.

Krishna Amavasya
16 Oct Tue Ghatasthapana (Navratri Begins)

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada
24 Oct Wed Dasara (Vijayadashami)

The triumph of good over evil and the crossing of the seemollanghan.

Shukla Dashami
28 Oct Sun Kojagiri Purnima

The bright Ashwina full moon, kept awake for Goddess Lakshmi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

November 2012 Kartika – Margashirsha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Nov Fri Karwa Chauth Vrat Krishna Tritiya
10 Nov Sat Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)

The first day of Diwali, when cows and their calves are worshipped in gratitude for their nourishment — kept as Vasubaras in Maharashtra and Vagh Baras in Gujarat, where traders close the old account books.

Krishna Ekadashi
11 Nov Sun Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras)

The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth on Kartika Krishna Trayodashi.

Krishna Dwadashi
13 Nov Tue Laxmi Pujan (Diwali)

The worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kartika Amavasya.

Krishna Chaturdashi
13 Nov Tue Narak Chaturdashi

The abhyanga snan marking Krishna's slaying of Narakasura.

Krishna Chaturdashi
14 Nov Wed Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas)

The Diwali Padwa honouring King Bali's return; wives perform aukshan (aarti) for their husbands and new account books and ventures are begun. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year.

Shukla Pratipada
25 Nov Sun Tulsi Vivah

The ceremonial marriage of the holy Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu (Shaligram) on Kartik Dwadashi, the day after Prabodhini Ekadashi, which opens the Hindu wedding season.

Shukla Dwadashi
28 Nov Wed Tripurari Purnima

The Kartika full moon, when Shiva slew Tripurasura, lit with deepdan.

Shukla Purnima

December 2012 Margashirsha – Pausha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
18 Dec Tue 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
27 Dec Thu Datta Jayanti

The birth of Lord Dattatreya — the combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh — on Margashirsha Purnima, revered as the adi-guru.

Shukla Chaturdashi

Months of the Marathi Calendar in 2012

The Marathi 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 2012, covering Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 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 2012 14 Jan 2012 14
Magha 15 Jan 2012 13 Feb 2012 30
Phalguna 14 Feb 2012 14 Mar 2012 30
Chaitra 15 Mar 2012 13 Apr 2012 30
Vaishakha 14 Apr 2012 14 May 2012 31
Jyeshtha 15 May 2012 14 Jun 2012 31
Ashadha 15 Jun 2012 16 Jul 2012 32
Shravana 17 Jul 2012 16 Aug 2012 31
Bhadrapada 17 Aug 2012 17 Aug 2012 1
Bhadrapada (Adhik) 18 Aug 2012 16 Sep 2012 30
Ashwina 17 Sep 2012 16 Oct 2012 30
Kartika 17 Oct 2012 15 Nov 2012 30
Margashirsha 16 Nov 2012 15 Dec 2012 30
Pausha part 16 Dec 2012 31 Dec 2012 16

What happened in the sky in 2012

Beyond the dates the Marathi Calendar lists, 2012 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 2012 to 16 September 2012. Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) fell on 23 March, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2011 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2012

Date (IST) Eclipse Marathi date Seen from India
21 May 5:22 AM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Jyeshtha Shukla Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
4 Jun 4:33 PM Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Jyeshtha Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
14 Nov 3:41 AM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) Kartika Shukla Pratipada Not visible
28 Nov 8:03 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Tripurari Purnima Margashirsha Purnima Penumbral only

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 2012

Date Graha Sign change
16 May 6:40 AM Shani (Saturn) Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde
17 May 9:40 AM Guru (Jupiter) Mesha → Vrishabha
4 Aug 8:50 AM Shani (Saturn) Kanya → Tula

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Tula on 23 December 2012, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Marathi Calendar 2012

How many festivals and vrats does the Marathi Calendar list in 2012?

The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 2012, of which 5 are vrats. The first is Makar Sankranti on Sunday, 15 January 2012, and the last is Datta Jayanti on Thursday, 27 December 2012.

What are the main festival dates in the Marathi Calendar for 2012?

The first major observances of 2012 are:

  • Makar Sankranti - Sunday, 15 January 2012
  • Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi) - Friday, 27 January 2012
  • Vasant Panchami - Saturday, 28 January 2012
  • Ratha Saptami - Monday, 30 January 2012
  • Maha Shivratri - Monday, 20 February 2012
  • Holika Dahan - Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Which month of 2012 has the most observances in the Marathi Calendar?

November 2012 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Karwa Chauth, Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras), Laxmi Pujan (Diwali), Narak Chaturdashi, Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas), Tulsi Vivah, Tripurari Purnima.

Which traditional year does 2012 correspond to in the Marathi Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2012 spans Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 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 2012 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 2012 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 2012 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 2012?

2012 had 4 eclipses:

  • 21 May 2012 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 4 June 2012 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 14 November 2012 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 28 November 2012 - 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 2 of these were kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2012?

Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2012:

  • Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 16 May 2012, moving retrograde
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 17 May 2012
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 4 August 2012

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 2012?

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 Marathi Calendar opens on the current month.

About the Marathi Calendar

The Marathi festival calendar (Gudi Padwa new year). Maharashtrian 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.

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