Punjabi Calendar

Punjabi Calendar 2011

The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

December 2011

Nanakshahi 543

Maghar – Poh

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

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 2011 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 2011, opening with Lohri on 14 January and closing with Gita Jayanti on 6 December. Of these, 8 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Nanakshahi 542 – 543.

January 2011 Poh – Magh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Fri Lohri

The bonfire harvest festival on the eve of Maghi (Makar Sankranti).

Shukla Navami
15 Jan Sat Maghi (Makar Sankranti)

The Sun's entry into Makara, kept as Maghi.

Shukla Dashami
22 Jan Sat Sakat Chauth Vrat Krishna Tritiya

February 2011 Magh – Phagan

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Feb Wed Mauni Amavasya Vrat Krishna Amavasya
8 Feb Tue Basant Panchami

The kite-flying festival of spring and Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami

March 2011 Phagan – Chet

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Mar Wed Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Trayodashi
19 Mar Sat Holika Dahan

The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Purnima
20 Mar Sun Hola Mohalla

The Nihang Sikhs' festival of martial valour and mock battles, the day after Holi.

Krishna Pratipada
25 Mar Fri Sheetala Saptami Vrat Krishna Saptami

April 2011 Chet – Vaisakh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Apr Mon Chet Navratri

The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.

Shukla Pratipada
9 Apr Sat 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
12 Apr Tue Ram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami
14 Apr Thu Vaisakhi

The Punjabi spring harvest new year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth, on Mesha Sankranti.

Shukla Ekadashi
18 Apr Mon Hanuman Jayanti

The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra.

Shukla Purnima

May 2011 Vaisakh – Jeth

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 May Tue 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 2011 Jeth – Harh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Jun Wed Vat Savitri Vrat Vrat Krishna Amavasya
11 Jun Sat Ganga Dussehra

The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami
12 Jun Sun Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Shukla Ekadashi
15 Jun Wed Kabirdas Jayanti

The birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas, the great mystic poet-saint, observed on Jyeshtha Purnima.

Shukla Purnima

August 2011 Sawan – Bhadon

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Aug Tue 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 Tritiya
13 Aug Sat Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri)

Sisters tie the rakhri on their brothers' wrists on Shravana Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
16 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
22 Aug Mon Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
23 Aug Tue 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
31 Aug Wed Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat Shukla Tritiya

September 2011 Bhadon – Assu

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Sep Tue Shradh Paksha (Pitru Paksha)

The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors.

Krishna Pratipada
17 Sep Sat Vishwakarma Puja

Vishwakarma, the divine architect, is worshipped by artisans, engineers and craftsmen on Kanya Sankranti.

Krishna Panchami
28 Sep Wed Sharad Navratri

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada

October 2011 Assu – Katak

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Oct Thu Dussehra

The burning of Ravana on Vijayadashami.

Shukla Dashami
11 Oct Tue Meerabai Jayanti

The birth anniversary of the saint-poetess Meerabai, the devotee of Lord Krishna, observed on Sharad Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
15 Oct Sat Karva Chauth Vrat Krishna Tritiya
19 Oct Wed Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Krishna Saptami
24 Oct Mon Dhanteras

The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth.

Krishna Dwadashi
26 Oct Wed Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas)

The festival of lights, also Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikh tradition.

Krishna Amavasya
27 Oct Thu Govardhan Puja / Annakut

Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity.

Shukla Pratipada
28 Oct Fri Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka)

Sisters apply the tikka to their brothers two days after Diwali.

Shukla Dwitiya

November 2011 Katak – Maghar

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 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
10 Nov Thu Guru Nanak Jayanti

The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on Kartika Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
29 Nov Tue Vivah Panchami

The wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, celebrated grandly in Janakpur and Ayodhya.

Shukla Panchami

December 2011 Maghar – Poh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Dec Tue Gita Jayanti

The day the Bhagavad Gita was revealed, on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi.

Shukla Ekadashi

Months of the Punjabi Calendar in 2011

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 2011, covering Nanakshahi 542 – 543. 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 2011 14 Jan 2011 14
Magh 15 Jan 2011 13 Feb 2011 30
Phagan 14 Feb 2011 14 Mar 2011 29
Chet 15 Mar 2011 14 Apr 2011 31
Vaisakh 15 Apr 2011 15 May 2011 31
Jeth 16 May 2011 15 Jun 2011 31
Harh 16 Jun 2011 16 Jul 2011 31
Sawan 17 Jul 2011 17 Aug 2011 32
Bhadon 18 Aug 2011 17 Sep 2011 31
Assu 18 Sep 2011 17 Oct 2011 30
Katak 18 Oct 2011 16 Nov 2011 30
Maghar 17 Nov 2011 16 Dec 2011 30
Poh part 17 Dec 2011 31 Dec 2011 15

What happened in the sky in 2011

Beyond the dates the Punjabi Calendar lists, 2011 brought 6 eclipses - 4 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Lohri fell on 14 January, 1 day later in the year than in 2010 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2011

Date (IST) Eclipse Punjabi date Seen from India
4 Jan 2:20 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Poh Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
2 Jun 2:46 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Jeth Shukla Pratipada Not visible
16 Jun 1:42 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kabirdas Jayanti Harh Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
1 Jul 2:08 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Harh Amavasya Not visible
25 Nov 11:50 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Maghar Amavasya Not visible
10 Dec 8:01 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Maghar Purnima Yes - Sutak observed

Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.

Guru and Shani in 2011

Date Graha Sign change
8 May 2:20 PM Guru (Jupiter) Meena → Mesha
15 Nov 10:20 AM Shani (Saturn) Kanya → Tula

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishchika on 6 June 2011, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Punjabi Calendar 2011

How many festivals and vrats does the Punjabi Calendar list in 2011?

The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 2011, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Lohri on Friday, 14 January 2011, and the last is Gita Jayanti on Tuesday, 6 December 2011.

What are the main festival dates in the Punjabi Calendar for 2011?

The first major observances of 2011 are:

  • Lohri - Friday, 14 January 2011
  • Maghi (Makar Sankranti) - Saturday, 15 January 2011
  • Basant Panchami - Tuesday, 8 February 2011
  • Maha Shivaratri - Wednesday, 2 March 2011
  • Holika Dahan - Saturday, 19 March 2011
  • Hola Mohalla - Sunday, 20 March 2011
Which month of 2011 has the most observances in the Punjabi Calendar?

October 2011 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 2011 correspond to in the Punjabi Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2011 spans Nanakshahi 542 – 543. 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 2011 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2011 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 2011?

2011 had 6 eclipses:

  • 4 January 2011 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 2 June 2011 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 16 June 2011 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 1 July 2011 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 25 November 2011 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 10 December 2011 - Total 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 2011?

Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2011:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 8 May 2011
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 15 November 2011

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 2011?

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.

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