Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 1996
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
April 1996
Bikram Sambat 2053 (Virodhi)
Chaitra – Baishakh
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 1996 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 1996, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 24 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2052 – 2053. 1996 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1996 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Mon |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Krishna Navami |
| 24 Jan | Wed |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
February 1996 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Feb | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 1996 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar | Mon |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 19 Mar | Tue |
Ghode Jatra Kathmandu's horse-racing festival on the dark new moon of Chaitra, said to keep the demon Tundi at bay. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 28 Mar | Thu |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
April 1996 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Sat |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Krishna Dashami |
| 17 Apr | Wed |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 20 Apr | Sat |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
May 1996 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 1996 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul | Tue |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 1996 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug | Mon |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 28 Aug | Wed |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 1996 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Thu |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 16 Sep | Mon | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 17 Sep | Tue | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 26 Sep | Thu |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 27 Sep | Fri |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Shukla Purnima |
October 1996 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct | Sun |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 20 Oct | Sun |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 21 Oct | Mon |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Navami |
November 1996 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov | Sun |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 21 Nov | Thu | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 1996 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec | Sun |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Dec | Tue |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 1996
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 1996, covering Bikram Sambat 2052 – 2053. 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 1996 | 14 Jan 1996 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 1996 | 13 Feb 1996 | 30 |
| Falgun | 14 Feb 1996 | 14 Mar 1996 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 1996 | 13 Apr 1996 | 30 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 1996 | 14 May 1996 | 31 |
| Jestha | 15 May 1996 | 14 Jun 1996 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 1996 | 16 Jul 1996 | 32 |
| Shrawan | 17 Jul 1996 | 16 Aug 1996 | 31 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 1996 | 16 Sep 1996 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 1996 | 16 Oct 1996 | 30 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 1996 | 15 Nov 1996 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 1996 | 15 Dec 1996 | 30 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 1996 | 31 Dec 1996 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1996
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 1996 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Ashadha, running from 17 June 1996 to 15 July 1996. Maghe Sankranti fell on 15 January, 1 day later in the year than in 1995 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1996
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 5:39 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Chaitra Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 18 Apr 4:07 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) | Baishakh Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 27 Sep 8:24 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) | Ashwin Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 12 Oct 7:31 PM | 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 1996
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 6:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Kumbha → Meena |
| 26 Dec 8:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 1996
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 1996?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 1996, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Monday, 15 January 1996, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Tuesday, 24 December 1996.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 1996?
The first major observances of 1996 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Monday, 15 January 1996
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Wednesday, 24 January 1996
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 17 February 1996
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Monday, 4 March 1996
- Ghode Jatra - Tuesday, 19 March 1996
- Chaite Dashain - Thursday, 28 March 1996
Which month of 1996 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
September 1996 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Krishna Janmashtami, Teej (Haritalika Teej), Rishi Panchami, Indra Jatra, Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha).
Which traditional year does 1996 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1996 spans Bikram Sambat 2052 – 2053. 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 1996 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1996 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (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 1996 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1996?
1996 had 4 eclipses:
- 4 April 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 18 April 1996 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 27 September 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 12 October 1996 - 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 1996?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1996:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Meena on 16 February 1996
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 26 December 1996
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 1996?
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.
