Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2018
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
November 2018
Bikram Sambat 2075 (Virodhakrit)
Kartik – Mangsir
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 2018 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2018, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 22 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2074 – 2075. 2018 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2018 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Sun |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 22 Jan | Mon |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
February 2018 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2018 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Thu |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Mar | Sat |
Ghode Jatra Kathmandu's horse-racing festival on the dark new moon of Chaitra, said to keep the demon Tundi at bay. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 25 Mar | Sun |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
April 2018 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr | Sat |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 16 Apr | Mon |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 18 Apr | Wed |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
June 2018 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jun | Fri |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2018 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jul | Fri |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2018 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug | Wed |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 26 Aug | Sun |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 2018 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Mon |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 12 Sep | Wed | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 14 Sep | Fri | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Sep | Sun |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 26 Sep | Wed |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 2018 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct | Wed |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 18 Oct | Thu |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 19 Oct | Fri |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2018 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov | Wed |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 19 Nov | Mon | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 2018 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec | Wed |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 22 Dec | Sat |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2018
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 2018, covering Bikram Sambat 2074 – 2075. 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 2018 | 13 Jan 2018 | 13 |
| Magh | 14 Jan 2018 | 12 Feb 2018 | 30 |
| Falgun | 13 Feb 2018 | 13 Mar 2018 | 29 |
| Chaitra | 14 Mar 2018 | 13 Apr 2018 | 31 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 2018 | 14 May 2018 | 31 |
| Jestha | 15 May 2018 | 14 Jun 2018 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 2018 | 15 Jul 2018 | 31 |
| Shrawan | 16 Jul 2018 | 16 Aug 2018 | 32 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 2018 | 16 Sep 2018 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 2018 | 16 Oct 2018 | 30 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2018 | 15 Nov 2018 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2018 | 15 Dec 2018 | 30 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 2018 | 31 Dec 2018 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2018
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2018 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 2018 to 13 June 2018. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 22 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2017 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2018
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 6:59 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magh Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 16 Feb 2:21 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days after Maha Shivaratri | Falgun Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 13 Jul 8:31 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadh Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Jul 1:51 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Guru Purnima | Shrawan Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Aug 3:16 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shrawan Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2018
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 7:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Tula → Vrishchika |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2018
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2018?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2018, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Sunday, 14 January 2018, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Saturday, 22 December 2018.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2018?
The first major observances of 2018 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Sunday, 14 January 2018
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Monday, 22 January 2018
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Thursday, 1 March 2018
- Ghode Jatra - Saturday, 17 March 2018
- Chaite Dashain - Sunday, 25 March 2018
Which month of 2018 has the most observances in the Nepali Calendar?
September 2018 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Krishna Janmashtami, Teej (Haritalika Teej), Rishi Panchami, Indra Jatra, Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha).
Which traditional year does 2018 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2018 spans Bikram Sambat 2074 – 2075. 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 2018 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2018 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month inserted roughly every third year to keep the lunar calendar in step with the solar one. Festivals falling after it shift later in the Gregorian year, which is why 2018 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2018?
2018 had 5 eclipses:
- 31 January 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 16 February 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 July 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 July 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 August 2018 - Partial 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 2018?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2018:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 11 October 2018
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 2018?
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.
