Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 1997
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
October 1997
Bikram Sambat 2054 (Vikriti)
Ashwin – Kartik
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 1997 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 1997, 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 2053 – 2054.
January 1997 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Tue |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Shukla Shashthi |
February 1997 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb | Tue |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
March 1997 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 23 Mar | Sun |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
April 1997 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon |
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 | Mon |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Shukla Saptami |
| 15 Apr | Tue |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
May 1997 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May | Tue |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 May | Fri |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
June 1997 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jun | Sun |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 1997 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 1997 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug | Fri |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Aug | Mon |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Aug | Mon |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1997 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Fri | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 7 Sep | Sun | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Sep | Wed |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 1997 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Thu |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 10 Oct | Fri |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 11 Oct | Sat |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 30 Oct | Thu |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 1997 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov | Mon | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
December 1997 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Thu |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Dec | Sun |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 1997
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 1997, covering Bikram Sambat 2053 – 2054. 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 1997 | 13 Jan 1997 | 13 |
| Magh | 14 Jan 1997 | 12 Feb 1997 | 30 |
| Falgun | 13 Feb 1997 | 14 Mar 1997 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 1997 | 13 Apr 1997 | 30 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 1997 | 14 May 1997 | 31 |
| Jestha | 15 May 1997 | 14 Jun 1997 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 1997 | 16 Jul 1997 | 32 |
| Shrawan | 17 Jul 1997 | 16 Aug 1997 | 31 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 1997 | 16 Sep 1997 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 1997 | 17 Oct 1997 | 31 |
| Kartik | 18 Oct 1997 | 16 Nov 1997 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 17 Nov 1997 | 15 Dec 1997 | 29 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 1997 | 31 Dec 1997 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1997
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 1997 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Maghe Sankranti fell on 14 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1996 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1997
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 6:53 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Falgun Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Mar 10:09 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Fagu Purnima (Holi) | Chaitra Purnima | Not visible |
| 2 Sep 5:33 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadra Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:16 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) | Ashwin Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1997
Neither of the slow grahas changed sign in 1997: it was a whole year of Guru (Jupiter) in Makara and Shani (Saturn) in Meena. Rahu entered Simha on 24 June 1997, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 1997
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 1997?
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 1997, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Tuesday, 14 January 1997, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Sunday, 14 December 1997.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 1997?
The first major observances of 1997 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Tuesday, 14 January 1997
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Tuesday, 11 February 1997
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 7 March 1997
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Sunday, 23 March 1997
- Ghode Jatra - Monday, 7 April 1997
- Bisket Jatra - Monday, 14 April 1997
Which month of 1997 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
October 1997 is the fullest month with 4 dates, including Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins), Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami, Vijaya Dashami, Tihar (Laxmi Puja).
Which traditional year does 1997 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1997 spans Bikram Sambat 2053 – 2054. 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 1997 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1997 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 1997?
1997 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 March 1997 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 March 1997 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 2 September 1997 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 1997 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal 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 1997?
No. Neither of the slow grahas crossed a sign boundary in 1997 - it was a full year of Guru (Jupiter) in Makara</strong> and <strong>Shani (Saturn) in Meena.
How do I see the tithi and nakshatra for a specific date in 1997?
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.
