Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2016
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2016
Bikram Sambat 2073 (Saumya)
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 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 2016, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Vivah Panchami on 4 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 4 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2072 – 2073.
January 2016 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Fri |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Shukla Shashthi |
February 2016 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Fri |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
March 2016 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 22 Mar | Tue |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
April 2016 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Thu |
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 | Thu |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 15 Apr | Fri |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
May 2016 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May | Fri |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 May | Mon |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
June 2016 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2016 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Tue |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2016 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Sun |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Aug | Thu |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Aug | Thu |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2016 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Sun | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 6 Sep | Tue | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Sep | Thu |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Sep | Sat |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 2016 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Sat |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 10 Oct | Mon |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 11 Oct | Tue |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 30 Oct | Sun |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 2016 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov | Thu | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
December 2016 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Sun |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2016
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 2016, covering Bikram Sambat 2072 – 2073. 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 2016 | 14 Jan 2016 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2016 | 12 Feb 2016 | 29 |
| Falgun | 13 Feb 2016 | 13 Mar 2016 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 14 Mar 2016 | 12 Apr 2016 | 30 |
| Baishakh | 13 Apr 2016 | 13 May 2016 | 31 |
| Jestha | 14 May 2016 | 13 Jun 2016 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 14 Jun 2016 | 15 Jul 2016 | 32 |
| Shrawan | 16 Jul 2016 | 15 Aug 2016 | 31 |
| Bhadra | 16 Aug 2016 | 15 Sep 2016 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 16 Sep 2016 | 16 Oct 2016 | 31 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2016 | 15 Nov 2016 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2016 | 14 Dec 2016 | 29 |
| Poush part | 15 Dec 2016 | 31 Dec 2016 | 17 |
What happened in the sky in 2016
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2016 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 12 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2015 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2016
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 7:27 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Falgun Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 23 Mar 5:17 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Fagu Purnima (Holi) | Chaitra Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Sep 2:36 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadra Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:24 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) | Ashwin Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2016
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 9:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 30 January 2016, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2016
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2016?
The Nepali Calendar lists 24 dates in 2016, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Friday, 15 January 2016, and the last is Vivah Panchami on Sunday, 4 December 2016.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2016?
The first major observances of 2016 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Friday, 15 January 2016
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Friday, 12 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 7 March 2016
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Tuesday, 22 March 2016
- Ghode Jatra - Thursday, 7 April 2016
- Bisket Jatra - Thursday, 14 April 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
September 2016 is the fullest month with 4 dates, including Teej (Haritalika Teej), Rishi Panchami, Indra Jatra, Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha).
Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2016 spans Bikram Sambat 2072 – 2073. 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 2016 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2016 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 2016?
2016 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 March 2016 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 23 March 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 1 September 2016 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 1 of these was kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2016?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2016:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 11 August 2016
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 2016?
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.
