Nepali Calendar

Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 1978

The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

November 1978

Bikram Sambat 2035 (Prajapati)

Kartik – Mangsir

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.

Nepali Calendar 1978 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 1978, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 14 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 4 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2034 – 2035.

January 1978 Poush – Magh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Sat Maghe Sankranti

The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal.

Shukla Shashthi

February 1978 Magh – Falgun

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
11 Feb Sat Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Chaturthi

March 1978 Falgun – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Mar Tue Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath.

Krishna Trayodashi
24 Mar Fri Fagu Purnima (Holi)

The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Purnima

April 1978 Chaitra – Baishakh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Apr Fri Ghode Jatra

Kathmandu's horse-racing festival on the dark new moon of Chaitra, said to keep the demon Tundi at bay.

Krishna Amavasya
14 Apr Fri Bisket Jatra

Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh).

Shukla Saptami
16 Apr Sun Chaite Dashain

The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami.

Shukla Ashtami

May 1978 Baishakh – Jestha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 May Sun Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day)

The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed.

Krishna Amavasya
10 May Wed Akshaya Tritiya

An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya.

Shukla Tritiya

June 1978 Jestha – Ashadh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
16 Jun Fri Ganga Dussehra

The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami

July 1978 Ashadh – Shrawan

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
20 Jul Thu Guru Purnima

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

Shukla Purnima

August 1978 Shrawan – Bhadra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
9 Aug Wed Naag Panchami

Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami
18 Aug Fri Janai Purnima

Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
25 Aug Fri Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami

September 1978 Bhadra – Ashwin

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Sep Tue Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat Shukla Tritiya
7 Sep Thu Rishi Panchami Vrat Shukla Panchami
17 Sep Sun Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha)

The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors.

Krishna Pratipada

October 1978 Ashwin – Kartik

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Oct Tue Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)

The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown.

Shukla Pratipada
10 Oct Tue Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami

The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain.

Shukla Navami
11 Oct Wed Vijaya Dashami

The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara.

Shukla Dashami
31 Oct Tue Tihar (Laxmi Puja)

The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi.

Krishna Amavasya

November 1978 Kartik – Mangsir

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Nov Fri Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat Shukla Ekadashi

December 1978 Mangsir – Poush

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Dec Mon Vivah Panchami

The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami
14 Dec Thu Yomari Punhi

The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings.

Shukla Purnima

Months of the Nepali Calendar in 1978

The Nepali 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 1978, covering Bikram Sambat 2034 – 2035. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.

Month Begins Ends Days
Poush part 1 Jan 1978 14 Jan 1978 14
Magh 15 Jan 1978 12 Feb 1978 29
Falgun 13 Feb 1978 14 Mar 1978 30
Chaitra 15 Mar 1978 13 Apr 1978 30
Baishakh 14 Apr 1978 14 May 1978 31
Jestha 15 May 1978 15 Jun 1978 32
Ashadh 16 Jun 1978 16 Jul 1978 31
Shrawan 17 Jul 1978 16 Aug 1978 31
Bhadra 17 Aug 1978 16 Sep 1978 31
Ashwin 17 Sep 1978 17 Oct 1978 31
Kartik 18 Oct 1978 16 Nov 1978 30
Mangsir 17 Nov 1978 15 Dec 1978 29
Poush part 16 Dec 1978 31 Dec 1978 16

What happened in the sky in 1978

Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 1978 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 11 February, 18 days later in the year than in 1977 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 1978

Date (IST) Eclipse Nepali date Seen from India
24 Mar 9:52 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Fagu Purnima (Holi) Chaitra Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
7 Apr 8:33 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Ghode Jatra Chaitra Amavasya Not visible
17 Sep 12:34 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) Ashwin Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
2 Oct 11:57 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day before Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins) Ashwin Amavasya Not visible

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.

Guru and Shani in 1978

Date Graha Sign change
5 Aug 10:20 AM Guru (Jupiter) Mithuna → Karka

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 18 November 1978, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 1978

How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 1978?

The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 1978, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Saturday, 14 January 1978, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Thursday, 14 December 1978.

What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 1978?

The first major observances of 1978 are:

  • Maghe Sankranti - Saturday, 14 January 1978
  • Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Saturday, 11 February 1978
  • Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 7 March 1978
  • Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Friday, 24 March 1978
  • Ghode Jatra - Friday, 7 April 1978
  • Bisket Jatra - Friday, 14 April 1978
Which month of 1978 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?

October 1978 is the fullest month with 4 dates, including Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins), Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami, Vijaya Dashami, Tihar (Laxmi Puja).

Which traditional year does 1978 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?

The Gregorian year 1978 spans Bikram Sambat 2034 – 2035. 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 1978 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 1978 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 1978?

1978 had 4 eclipses:

  • 24 March 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 7 April 1978 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 17 September 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 2 October 1978 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India

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 1978?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1978:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Karka on 5 August 1978

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 1978?

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 Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat opens on the current month.

About the Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat

The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali 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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