Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2003
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
August 2003
Bikram Sambat 2060 (Durmukha)
Shrawan – Bhadra
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 2003 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2003, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 8 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2059 – 2060.
January 2003 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 Ekadashi |
February 2003 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb | Thu |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
March 2003 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 18 Mar | Tue |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2003 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | 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 |
| 11 Apr | Fri |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Mon |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Shukla Dwadashi |
May 2003 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Thu |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 4 May | Sun |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
June 2003 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jun | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2003 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2003 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Sun |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Aug | Tue |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 20 Aug | Wed |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 30 Aug | Sat | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
September 2003 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Mon | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 9 Sep | Tue |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 11 Sep | Thu |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 26 Sep | Fri |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2003 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct | Fri |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 4 Oct | Sat |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Navami |
| 25 Oct | Sat |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 2003 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Tue | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 28 Nov | Fri |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
December 2003 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Dec | Mon |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2003
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 2003, covering Bikram Sambat 2059 – 2060. 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 2003 | 14 Jan 2003 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2003 | 12 Feb 2003 | 29 |
| Falgun | 13 Feb 2003 | 14 Mar 2003 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2003 | 14 Apr 2003 | 31 |
| Baishakh | 15 Apr 2003 | 15 May 2003 | 31 |
| Jestha | 16 May 2003 | 15 Jun 2003 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 16 Jun 2003 | 16 Jul 2003 | 31 |
| Shrawan | 17 Jul 2003 | 17 Aug 2003 | 32 |
| Bhadra | 18 Aug 2003 | 17 Sep 2003 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 18 Sep 2003 | 17 Oct 2003 | 30 |
| Kartik | 18 Oct 2003 | 16 Nov 2003 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 17 Nov 2003 | 16 Dec 2003 | 30 |
| Poush part | 17 Dec 2003 | 31 Dec 2003 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2003
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2003 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 6 February, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2002 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2003
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 9:10 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jestha Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 May 9:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jestha Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Nov 6:48 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kartik Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Nov 4:19 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Mangsir Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2003
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 2:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
| 7 Apr 8:20 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Jul 12:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mesha on 6 September 2003, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2003
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2003?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2003, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Tuesday, 14 January 2003, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Monday, 8 December 2003.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2003?
The first major observances of 2003 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Tuesday, 14 January 2003
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Thursday, 6 February 2003
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 1 March 2003
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Tuesday, 18 March 2003
- Ghode Jatra - Tuesday, 1 April 2003
- Chaite Dashain - Friday, 11 April 2003
Which traditional year does 2003 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2003 spans Bikram Sambat 2059 – 2060. 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 2003 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2003 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 2003?
2003 had 4 eclipses:
- 16 May 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 May 2003 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 November 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 November 2003 - Total 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 2003?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2003:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 8 January 2003, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mithuna on 7 April 2003
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 30 July 2003
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 2003?
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.
