Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2020
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
February 2020
Bikram Sambat 2076 (Paridhavi)
Magh – Falgun
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 2020 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2020, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 30 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2076 – 2077. 2020 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2020 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Wed |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 29 Jan | Wed |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
February 2020 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 2020 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar | Mon |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Mar | 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 |
April 2020 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Thu |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Krishna Saptami |
| 22 Apr | Wed |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 26 Apr | Sun |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
June 2020 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun | Mon |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2020 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Jul | Sat |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
August 2020 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 21 Aug | Fri | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 23 Aug | Sun | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 2020 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Tue |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 3 Sep | Thu |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 2020 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct | Sat |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Oct | Sat |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 25 Oct | Sun |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2020 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Nov | Sat |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 25 Nov | Wed | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 2020 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec | Sat |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Dec | Wed |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2020
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 2020, covering Bikram Sambat 2076 – 2077. 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 2020 | 14 Jan 2020 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2020 | 12 Feb 2020 | 29 |
| Falgun | 13 Feb 2020 | 13 Mar 2020 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 14 Mar 2020 | 12 Apr 2020 | 30 |
| Baishakh | 13 Apr 2020 | 13 May 2020 | 31 |
| Jestha | 14 May 2020 | 13 Jun 2020 | 31 |
| Ashadh | 14 Jun 2020 | 15 Jul 2020 | 32 |
| Shrawan | 16 Jul 2020 | 15 Aug 2020 | 31 |
| Bhadra | 16 Aug 2020 | 15 Sep 2020 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 16 Sep 2020 | 16 Oct 2020 | 31 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2020 | 15 Nov 2020 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2020 | 14 Dec 2020 | 29 |
| Poush part | 15 Dec 2020 | 31 Dec 2020 | 17 |
What happened in the sky in 2020
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2020 brought 6 eclipses - 2 solar and 4 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Ashwina, running from 18 September 2020 to 16 October 2020. Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) fell on 29 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2019 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2020
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 12:40 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Poush Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 6 Jun 12:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jestha Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 21 Jun 12:10 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadh Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 5 Jul 9:59 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Guru Purnima | Ashadh Purnima | Not visible |
| 30 Nov 3:12 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Mangsir Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Dec 9:43 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Mangsir 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 2020
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 10:00 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Mar 4:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Jun 5:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Dhanu re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishabha on 23 September 2020, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2020
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2020?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2020, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Wednesday, 15 January 2020, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Wednesday, 30 December 2020.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2020?
The first major observances of 2020 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Wednesday, 15 January 2020
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Wednesday, 29 January 2020
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 21 February 2020
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Monday, 9 March 2020
- Ghode Jatra - Tuesday, 24 March 2020
- Chaite Dashain - Thursday, 2 April 2020
Which traditional year does 2020 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2020 spans Bikram Sambat 2076 – 2077. 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 2020 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2020 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (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 2020 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2020?
2020 had 6 eclipses:
- 11 January 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 6 June 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 21 June 2020 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 5 July 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 November 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 14 December 2020 - 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 2020?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2020:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Makara on 24 January 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 March 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 30 June 2020, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 20 November 2020
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 2020?
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.
