Nepali Calendar - Bikram Sambat 2021
The Nepali festival calendar (Bikram Sambat). Nepali festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
March 2021
Bikram Sambat 2077 (Pramadi) · Bikram Sambat 2078 (Aananda)
Falgun – Chaitra
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 2021 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2021, opening with Maghe Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Yomari Punhi on 19 December. Of these, 3 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Bikram Sambat 2077 – 2078.
January 2021 Poush – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Thu |
Maghe Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, the great winter festival of Nepal. |
Shukla Pratipada |
February 2021 Magh – Falgun
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb | Tue |
Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
March 2021 Falgun – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the grand mela at Pashupatinath. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 28 Mar | Sun |
Fagu Purnima (Holi) The festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2021 Chaitra – Baishakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr | Mon |
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 | Wed |
Bisket Jatra Bhaktapur's chariot and pole festival welcoming the Nepali solar new year (Baishakh). |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 21 Apr | Wed |
Chaite Dashain The lesser Dashain on Chaitra Shukla Navami, coinciding with Ram Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
May 2021 Baishakh – Jestha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May | Tue |
Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) The Baishakh new-moon day honouring mothers, living and departed. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 14 May | Fri |
Akshaya Tritiya An auspicious day for new beginnings on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
June 2021 Jestha – Ashadh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun | Sun |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
July 2021 Ashadh – Shrawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jul | Sat |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2021 Shrawan – Bhadra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Aug | Fri |
Naag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 22 Aug | Sun |
Janai Purnima Hindus change the sacred thread (janai) and tie the raksha protection cord on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 30 Aug | Mon |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2021 Bhadra – Ashwin
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep | Thu | Teej (Haritalika Teej) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 11 Sep | Sat | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 19 Sep | Sun |
Indra Jatra Kathmandu's great festival of Indra and the living goddess Kumari, from Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 21 Sep | Tue |
Sorah Shraddha (Pitru Paksha) The sixteen days of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
October 2021 Ashwin – Kartik
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct | Thu |
Ghatasthapana (Dashain Begins)
The first day of Bada Dashain, when the jamara is sown. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 14 Oct | Thu |
Maha Ashtami / Maha Navami
The climactic eighth and ninth days of Dashain. |
Shukla Navami |
| 15 Oct | Fri |
Vijaya Dashami The tenth day of Dashain, when elders give tika and jamara. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2021 Kartik – Mangsir
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Thu |
Tihar (Laxmi Puja) The festival of lights (Yamapanchak) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 14 Nov | Sun | Haribodhini Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 2021 Mangsir – Poush
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Dec | Wed |
Vivah Panchami The wedding of Rama and Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 19 Dec | Sun |
Yomari Punhi The Newar harvest full moon of Margashirsha, celebrated with sweet yomari dumplings. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Nepali Calendar in 2021
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 2021, covering Bikram Sambat 2077 – 2078. 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 2021 | 13 Jan 2021 | 13 |
| Magh | 14 Jan 2021 | 11 Feb 2021 | 29 |
| Falgun | 12 Feb 2021 | 13 Mar 2021 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 14 Mar 2021 | 13 Apr 2021 | 31 |
| Baishakh | 14 Apr 2021 | 13 May 2021 | 30 |
| Jestha | 14 May 2021 | 14 Jun 2021 | 32 |
| Ashadh | 15 Jun 2021 | 15 Jul 2021 | 31 |
| Shrawan | 16 Jul 2021 | 16 Aug 2021 | 32 |
| Bhadra | 17 Aug 2021 | 16 Sep 2021 | 31 |
| Ashwin | 17 Sep 2021 | 16 Oct 2021 | 30 |
| Kartik | 17 Oct 2021 | 15 Nov 2021 | 30 |
| Mangsir | 16 Nov 2021 | 15 Dec 2021 | 30 |
| Poush part | 16 Dec 2021 | 31 Dec 2021 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2021
Beyond the dates the Nepali Calendar lists, 2021 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 2020 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2021
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Nepali date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 4:48 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jestha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 10 Jun 4:11 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jestha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 19 Nov 2:32 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Mangsir Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Dec 1:03 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Mangsir Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2021
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr 12:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 14 Sep 2:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kumbha → Makara re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 11:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Nepali Calendar 2021
How many festivals and vrats does the Nepali Calendar list in 2021?
The Nepali Calendar lists 25 dates in 2021, of which 3 are vrats. The first is Maghe Sankranti on Thursday, 14 January 2021, and the last is Yomari Punhi on Sunday, 19 December 2021.
What are the main festival dates in the Nepali Calendar for 2021?
The first major observances of 2021 are:
- Maghe Sankranti - Thursday, 14 January 2021
- Basanta Panchami (Saraswati Puja) - Tuesday, 16 February 2021
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 11 March 2021
- Fagu Purnima (Holi) - Sunday, 28 March 2021
- Ghode Jatra - Monday, 12 April 2021
- Bisket Jatra - Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Which traditional year does 2021 correspond to in the Nepali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2021 spans Bikram Sambat 2077 – 2078. 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 2021 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2021 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 2021?
2021 had 4 eclipses:
- 26 May 2021 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 10 June 2021 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 19 November 2021 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 December 2021 - Total 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 2021?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2021:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 6 April 2021
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 14 September 2021, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 20 November 2021
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 2021?
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.
