Mithila Panchang 2016
The Mithila Panchang festival list of the Maithil region. Festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
April 2016
La. Sam. 896 · La. Sam. 897
Vaishakha – Chaitra – 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.
Mithila Panchang 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Mithila Panchang lists 29 dates in 2016, opening with Makar Sankranti (Tila Sankranti) on 15 January and closing with Vivah Panchami on 4 December. Of these, 2 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through La. Sam. 896 – 897.
January 2016 Magha – Pausha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Fri |
Makar Sankranti (Tila Sankranti) The Sun's entry into Makara, kept with til and chuda-dahi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
February 2016 Phalguna – Magha – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Fri |
Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
March 2016 Chaitra – Phalguna – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 24 Mar | Thu |
Holi (Phagua) The festival of colours, the day after the Phalguna full moon. |
Krishna Pratipada |
April 2016 Vaishakha – Chaitra – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr | Fri |
Chaitra Navratri / Basanti Puja
The spring nine nights of Devi worship in Mithila. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 14 Apr | Thu |
Jur Sital (Maithili New Year) The Maithili new year (Mesha Sankranti / Satuani), when elders sprinkle cooling water as blessings. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 15 Apr | Fri |
Ram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
May 2016 Jyeshtha – Vaishakha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May | Mon |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 14 May | Sat |
Janaki Navami (Sita Navami) The appearance of Goddess Sita on Vaishakha Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
June 2016 Ashadha – Jyeshtha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 15 Jun | Wed |
Mithun Sankranti
The Sun's entry into Mithuna. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2016 Shravana – Ashadha – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Tue |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2016 Bhadrapada – Shravana – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Sun |
Nag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Aug | Thu |
Raksha Bandhan Shravana Purnima — sisters tie the rakhi on their brothers' wrists. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Aug | Thu |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2016 Ashwina – Bhadrapada – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Sun | Haritalika Teej Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 5 Sep | Mon |
Chaurchan (Chaturchandra) Mithila worships the moon and Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, taking the moon's sight as a blessing. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 15 Sep | Thu | Anant Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Sep | Sat |
Pitru Paksha (Shradh) The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 30 Sep | Fri |
Mahalaya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha and ushering in Durga Puja. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2016 Ashwina – Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct | Sun |
Durga Puja (Dashain)
The great autumn worship of Goddess Durga. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 15 Oct | Sat |
Kojagara (Lakshmi Puja)
The Kojagari full moon worship of Goddess Lakshmi, special to newlyweds in Mithila. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 27 Oct | Thu |
Dhanteras The worship of Dhanvantari and the buying of metal on Kartika Krishna Trayodashi. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 30 Oct | Sun |
Diwali (Sukhraatri) The festival of lights and worship of Goddess Lakshmi, kept in Mithila as Sukhraatri. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 2016 Kartika – Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov | Tue |
Bhardutiya (Bhai Dooj)
Sisters honour their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 6 Nov | Sun |
Chhath Puja
A four-day vrat thanking the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, with offerings at the river. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 8 Nov | Tue |
Gopashtami The worship of cows and Krishna the cowherd on Kartika Shukla Ashtami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 14 Nov | Mon |
Sama Chakeva A Maithili folk festival of the bond between brother and sister, culminating on the Kartik full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2016 Margashirsha – Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Sun |
Vivah Panchami The wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, celebrated grandly in Janakpur and Ayodhya. |
Shukla Panchami |
Months of the Mithila Panchang in 2016
The Mithila Panchang 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 La. Sam. 896 – 897. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magha part | 1 Jan 2016 | 9 Jan 2016 | 9 |
| Pausha | 10 Jan 2016 | 14 Jan 2016 | 5 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2016 | 24 Jan 2016 | 10 |
| Phalguna | 25 Jan 2016 | 8 Feb 2016 | 15 |
| Magha | 9 Feb 2016 | 13 Feb 2016 | 5 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 2016 | 22 Feb 2016 | 9 |
| Chaitra | 23 Feb 2016 | 9 Mar 2016 | 16 |
| Phalguna | 10 Mar 2016 | 14 Mar 2016 | 5 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2016 | 23 Mar 2016 | 9 |
| Vaishakha | 24 Mar 2016 | 7 Apr 2016 | 15 |
| Chaitra | 8 Apr 2016 | 13 Apr 2016 | 6 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 2016 | 22 Apr 2016 | 9 |
| Jyeshtha | 23 Apr 2016 | 6 May 2016 | 14 |
| Vaishakha | 7 May 2016 | 14 May 2016 | 8 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2016 | 21 May 2016 | 7 |
| Ashadha | 22 May 2016 | 5 Jun 2016 | 15 |
| Jyeshtha | 6 Jun 2016 | 14 Jun 2016 | 9 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 2016 | 20 Jun 2016 | 6 |
| Shravana | 21 Jun 2016 | 4 Jul 2016 | 14 |
| Ashadha | 5 Jul 2016 | 16 Jul 2016 | 12 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2016 | 19 Jul 2016 | 3 |
| Bhadrapada | 20 Jul 2016 | 2 Aug 2016 | 14 |
| Shravana | 3 Aug 2016 | 16 Aug 2016 | 14 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 2016 | 18 Aug 2016 | 2 |
| Ashwina | 19 Aug 2016 | 1 Sep 2016 | 14 |
| Bhadrapada | 2 Sep 2016 | 16 Sep 2016 | 15 |
| Kartika | 17 Sep 2016 | 30 Sep 2016 | 14 |
| Ashwina | 1 Oct 2016 | 16 Oct 2016 | 16 |
| Kartika | 17 Oct 2016 | 17 Oct 2016 | 1 |
| Margashirsha | 18 Oct 2016 | 30 Oct 2016 | 13 |
| Kartika | 31 Oct 2016 | 14 Nov 2016 | 15 |
| Margashirsha | 15 Nov 2016 | 15 Nov 2016 | 1 |
| Pausha | 16 Nov 2016 | 29 Nov 2016 | 14 |
| Margashirsha | 30 Nov 2016 | 13 Dec 2016 | 14 |
| Pausha | 14 Dec 2016 | 15 Dec 2016 | 2 |
| Magha | 16 Dec 2016 | 29 Dec 2016 | 14 |
| Pausha part | 30 Dec 2016 | 31 Dec 2016 | 2 |
What happened in the sky in 2016
Beyond the dates the Mithila Panchang lists, 2016 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) fell on 12 February, 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 | Mithila date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 7:27 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Chaitra Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 23 Mar 5:17 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day before Holi (Phagua) | Chaitra Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Sep 2:36 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashwina Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:24 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Pitru Paksha (Shradh) | Kartika 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.
Frequently asked questions about the Mithila Panchang 2016
How many festivals and vrats does the Mithila Panchang list in 2016?
The Mithila Panchang lists 29 dates in 2016, of which 2 are vrats. The first is Makar Sankranti (Tila Sankranti) on Friday, 15 January 2016, and the last is Vivah Panchami on Sunday, 4 December 2016.
What are the main festival dates in the Mithila Panchang for 2016?
The first major observances of 2016 are:
- Makar Sankranti (Tila Sankranti) - Friday, 15 January 2016
- Saraswati Puja (Vasant Panchami) - Friday, 12 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 7 March 2016
- Holi (Phagua) - Thursday, 24 March 2016
- Chaitra Navratri / Basanti Puja - Friday, 8 April 2016
- Jur Sital (Maithili New Year) - Thursday, 14 April 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Mithila Panchang?
September 2016 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Haritalika Teej, Chaurchan (Chaturchandra), Anant Chaturdashi, Pitru Paksha (Shradh), Mahalaya.
Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Mithila Panchang?
The Gregorian year 2016 spans La. Sam. 896 – 897. 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 Mithila Panchang opens on the current month.
About the Mithila Panchang
The Mithila Panchang festival list of the Maithil region. 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.


