Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2017
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 2017
Bikram Sambat 2073 (Saumya)
Poush – Magh
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 2017 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2017, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 3 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2073 – 2074.
January 2017 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Sat |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
February 2017 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Wed |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2017 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar | Sun |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 27 Mar | Mon |
Ghode Jatra Kathmandu's horse-racing festival on the dark new moon of Chaitra, said to keep the demon Tundi at bay. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
April 2017 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr | Tue |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 14 Apr | Fri |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Krishna Tritiya |
| 26 Apr | Wed |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 28 Apr | Fri |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
June 2017 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun | Sun |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2017 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Jul | Fri |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
August 2017 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Mon |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Aug | Tue |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 24 Aug | Thu | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 26 Aug | Sat | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 2017 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Tue |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 7 Sep | Thu |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 21 Sep | Thu |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 29 Sep | Fri |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 30 Sep | Sat |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
October 2017 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct | Thu |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 31 Oct | Tue | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
November 2017 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov | Thu |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
December 2017 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Dec | Sun |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2017
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 2017, covering Bikram Sambat 2073 – 2074. 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 2017 | 13 Jan 2017 | 13 |
| Magh | 14 Jan 2017 | 11 Feb 2017 | 29 |
| Falgun | 12 Feb 2017 | 13 Mar 2017 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 14 Mar 2017 | 13 Apr 2017 | 31 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 2017 | 13 May 2017 | 30 |
| Jestha | 14 May 2017 | 14 Jun 2017 | 32 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 2017 | 15 Jul 2017 | 31 |
| Shrawan | 16 Jul 2017 | 16 Aug 2017 | 32 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 2017 | 16 Sep 2017 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 2017 | 16 Oct 2017 | 30 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2017 | 15 Nov 2017 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2017 | 15 Dec 2017 | 30 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 2017 | 31 Dec 2017 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2017
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2017 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 2016 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2017
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 6:13 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magh Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 26 Feb 8:23 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Falgun Amavasya | Not visible |
| 7 Aug 11:50 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Janai Purnima | Shrawan Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 21 Aug 11:55 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadra Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2017
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Jan 7:40 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
| 21 Jun 4:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Dhanu → Vrishchika re-entry while retrograde |
| 12 Sep 7:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
| 26 Oct 3:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Karka on 18 August 2017, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2017
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2017?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2017, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Saturday, 14 January 2017, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Sunday, 3 December 2017.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2017?
The first major observances of 2017 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Saturday, 14 January 2017
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Wednesday, 1 February 2017
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 24 February 2017
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Sunday, 12 March 2017
- Ghode Jatra - Monday, 27 March 2017
- Chaite Dashain - Tuesday, 4 April 2017
Which month of 2017 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
September 2017 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Indra Jatra, Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha), Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins), Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami, Vijaya Dashami.
Which traditional year does 2017 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2017 spans Bikram Sambat 2073 – 2074. 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 2017 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2017 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 2017?
2017 had 4 eclipses:
- 11 February 2017 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 26 February 2017 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 7 August 2017 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 21 August 2017 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2017?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2017:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Dhanu on 26 January 2017
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishchika on 21 June 2017, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Tula on 12 September 2017
- Shani (Saturn) entered Dhanu on 26 October 2017
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 2017?
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.
