Punjabi Calendar 2008
The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
April 2008
Nanakshahi 540
Chet – Vaisakh
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.
Punjabi Calendar 2008 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Punjabi Calendar lists 39 dates in 2008, opening with Lohri on 14 January and closing with Gita Jayanti on 9 December. Of these, 8 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Nanakshahi 539 – 540.
January 2008 Poh – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Mon |
Lohri The bonfire harvest festival on the eve of Maghi (Makar Sankranti). |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Maghi (Makar Sankranti) The Sun's entry into Makara, kept as Maghi. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 25 Jan | Fri | Sakat Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
February 2008 Magh – Phagan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Thu | Mauni Amavasya Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 11 Feb | Mon |
Basant Panchami
The kite-flying festival of spring and Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
March 2008 Phagan – Chet
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 21 Mar | Fri |
Holika Dahan The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 22 Mar | Sat |
Hola Mohalla The Nihang Sikhs' festival of martial valour and mock battles, the day after Holi. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 28 Mar | Fri | Sheetala Saptami Vrat | Krishna Shashthi |
April 2008 Chet – Vaisakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon |
Chet Navratri
The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 11 Apr | Fri |
Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) The river goddess Yamuna is worshipped on Chaitra Shukla Shashthi, with holy baths in her waters at Mathura and Vrindavan. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Apr | Sun |
Vaisakhi The Punjabi spring harvest new year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth, on Mesha Sankranti. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 20 Apr | Sun |
Hanuman Jayanti
The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 2008 Vaisakh – Jeth
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May | Sun |
Ganga Saptami Ganga Jayanti — the rebirth of the holy Ganga on Vaishakha Shukla Saptami, when the river emerged from sage Jahnu's ear; riverside baths and Ganga aarti are held. |
Shukla Saptami |
June 2008 Jeth – Harh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun | Tue | Vat Savitri Vrat Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 13 Jun | Fri |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 14 Jun | Sat | Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 18 Jun | Wed |
Kabirdas Jayanti The birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas, the great mystic poet-saint, observed on Jyeshtha Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2008 Sawan – Bhadon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Sun |
Hariyali Teej (Chhoti Teej) On Shravana Shukla Tritiya women celebrate the union of Shiva and Parvati with swings, songs and green attire; in Rajasthan it is Chhoti Teej, marked by the royal Teej Mata procession through Jaipur. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 4 Aug | Mon |
Teej (Teeyan) The Punjabi women's monsoon festival of swings and song on Shravana Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 16 Aug | Sat |
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri) Sisters tie the rakhri on their brothers' wrists on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 19 Aug | Tue |
Kajari Teej (Badi / Satudi Teej)
On Bhadrapada Krishna Tritiya, fifteen days after Hariyali Teej, married women fast for their husbands' long life; in Rajasthan this is Badi Teej (Satudi Teej), and Sindhis keep the same day as Teejri, applying mehndi and breaking the fast after sighting the moon. |
Krishna Tritiya |
| 24 Aug | Sun |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 25 Aug | Mon |
Goga Navami (Gogaji) On Bhadrapada Krishna Navami the folk snake-deity Gogaji (Goga Maharaj) is worshipped for protection from snakes; the great Gogamedi fair is held at his shrine in Rajasthan. |
Krishna Navami |
September 2008 Bhadon – Assu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Tue | Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 16 Sep | Tue |
Vishwakarma Puja Vishwakarma, the divine architect, is worshipped by artisans, engineers and craftsmen on Kanya Sankranti. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 30 Sep | Tue |
Sharad Navratri The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 2008 Assu – Katak
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct | Thu |
Dussehra The burning of Ravana on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 14 Oct | Tue |
Meerabai Jayanti The birth anniversary of the saint-poetess Meerabai, the devotee of Lord Krishna, observed on Sharad Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 17 Oct | Fri | Karva Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
| 21 Oct | Tue | Ahoi Ashtami Vrat | Krishna Ashtami |
| 26 Oct | Sun |
Dhanteras The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 28 Oct | Tue |
Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas) The festival of lights, also Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikh tradition. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 29 Oct | Wed |
Govardhan Puja / Annakut Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 30 Oct | Thu |
Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka) Sisters apply the tikka to their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
November 2008 Katak – Maghar
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov | Sat |
Kansa Vadh Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Dashami, with processions and re-enactments in Mathura. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 13 Nov | Thu |
Guru Nanak Jayanti The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on Kartika Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2008 Maghar – Poh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Dec | Wed |
Vivah Panchami The wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, celebrated grandly in Janakpur and Ayodhya. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 9 Dec | Tue |
Gita Jayanti The day the Bhagavad Gita was revealed, on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
Months of the Punjabi Calendar in 2008
The Punjabi 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 2008, covering Nanakshahi 539 – 540. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poh part | 1 Jan 2008 | 14 Jan 2008 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 2008 | 13 Feb 2008 | 30 |
| Phagan | 14 Feb 2008 | 14 Mar 2008 | 30 |
| Chet | 15 Mar 2008 | 13 Apr 2008 | 30 |
| Vaisakh | 14 Apr 2008 | 14 May 2008 | 31 |
| Jeth | 15 May 2008 | 14 Jun 2008 | 31 |
| Harh | 15 Jun 2008 | 16 Jul 2008 | 32 |
| Sawan | 17 Jul 2008 | 16 Aug 2008 | 31 |
| Bhadon | 17 Aug 2008 | 16 Sep 2008 | 31 |
| Assu | 17 Sep 2008 | 16 Oct 2008 | 30 |
| Katak | 17 Oct 2008 | 15 Nov 2008 | 30 |
| Maghar | 16 Nov 2008 | 15 Dec 2008 | 30 |
| Poh part | 16 Dec 2008 | 31 Dec 2008 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2008
Beyond the dates the Punjabi Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basant Panchami fell on 11 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2007 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2008
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Punjabi date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 9:25 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magh Amavasya | Not visible |
| 21 Feb 8:56 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Phagan Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 1 Aug 3:51 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Hariyali Teej (Chhoti Teej) | Sawan Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 17 Aug 2:40 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri) | Bhadon Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2008
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 11:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 30 April 2008, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Punjabi Calendar 2008
How many festivals and vrats does the Punjabi Calendar list in 2008?
The Punjabi Calendar lists 39 dates in 2008, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Lohri on Monday, 14 January 2008, and the last is Gita Jayanti on Tuesday, 9 December 2008.
What are the main festival dates in the Punjabi Calendar for 2008?
The first major observances of 2008 are:
- Lohri - Monday, 14 January 2008
- Maghi (Makar Sankranti) - Tuesday, 15 January 2008
- Basant Panchami - Monday, 11 February 2008
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 6 March 2008
- Holika Dahan - Friday, 21 March 2008
- Hola Mohalla - Saturday, 22 March 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Punjabi Calendar?
October 2008 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Dussehra, Meerabai Jayanti, Karva Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Dhanteras, Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas), Govardhan Puja / Annakut, Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka).
Which traditional year does 2008 correspond to in the Punjabi Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2008 spans Nanakshahi 539 – 540. 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 2008 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2008 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 2008?
2008 had 4 eclipses:
- 7 February 2008 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 21 February 2008 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 1 August 2008 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 17 August 2008 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2008?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2008:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 9 December 2008
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 2008?
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 Punjabi Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Punjabi Calendar
The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi 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.
