Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2008
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2008
Bikram Sambat 2065 (Plava)
Baishakh – Jestha
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 2008 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 2008, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 12 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2064 – 2065.
January 2008 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 2008 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb | Mon |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
March 2008 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 21 Mar | Fri |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2008 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr | Sun |
Ghode Jatra Kathmandu's horse-racing festival on the dark new moon of Chaitra, said to keep the demon Tundi at bay. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 13 Apr | Sun |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Shukla Ashtami |
May 2008 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May | Mon |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 7 May | Wed |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
June 2008 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun | Fri |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2008 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul | Fri |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2008 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug | Wed |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Aug | Sat |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Aug | Sun |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2008 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Tue | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 4 Sep | Thu | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Sep | Sun |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 16 Sep | Tue |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 30 Sep | Tue |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 2008 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | Wed |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 9 Oct | Thu |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 28 Oct | Tue |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 2008 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov | Sun | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 2008 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Dec | Wed |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Dec | Fri |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2008
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 2008, covering Bikram Sambat 2064 – 2065. 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 2008 | 14 Jan 2008 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2008 | 13 Feb 2008 | 30 |
| Falgun | 14 Feb 2008 | 14 Mar 2008 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2008 | 13 Apr 2008 | 30 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 2008 | 14 May 2008 | 31 |
| Jestha | 15 May 2008 | 14 Jun 2008 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 2008 | 16 Jul 2008 | 32 |
| Shrawan | 17 Jul 2008 | 16 Aug 2008 | 31 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 2008 | 16 Sep 2008 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 2008 | 16 Oct 2008 | 30 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2008 | 15 Nov 2008 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2008 | 15 Dec 2008 | 30 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 2008 | 31 Dec 2008 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2008
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 11 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2007 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2008
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 9:25 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magh Amavasya | Not visible |
| 21 Feb 8:56 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Falgun Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 1 Aug 3:51 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shrawan Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 17 Aug 2:40 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Janai Purnima | Bhadra Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2008
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 11:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 30 April 2008, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2008
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2008?
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 2008, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Tuesday, 15 January 2008, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Friday, 12 December 2008.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2008?
The first major observances of 2008 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Tuesday, 15 January 2008
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Monday, 11 February 2008
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 6 March 2008
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Friday, 21 March 2008
- Ghode Jatra - Sunday, 6 April 2008
- Bisket Jatra - Sunday, 13 April 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
September 2008 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Teej (Haritalika Teej), Rishi Panchami, Indra Jatra, Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha), Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins).
Which traditional year does 2008 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2008 spans Bikram Sambat 2064 – 2065. 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 2008 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2008 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 2008?
2008 had 4 eclipses:
- 7 February 2008 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 21 February 2008 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 1 August 2008 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 17 August 2008 - Partial 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 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2008?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2008:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 9 December 2008
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 2008?
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.
