Punjabi Calendar

Punjabi Calendar 2023

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

August 2023

Nanakshahi 555

Sawan – Bhadon

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 2023 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 2023, opening with Sakat Chauth on 10 January and closing with Gita Jayanti on 22 December. Of these, 8 are vrats (fasting observances). November is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Nanakshahi 554 – 555. 2023 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 2023 Poh – Magh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Jan Tue Sakat Chauth Vrat Krishna Tritiya
14 Jan Sat Lohri

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

Krishna Saptami
15 Jan Sun Maghi (Makar Sankranti)

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

Krishna Ashtami
21 Jan Sat Mauni Amavasya Vrat Krishna Amavasya
25 Jan Wed Basant Panchami

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

Shukla Chaturthi

February 2023 Magh – Phagan

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
18 Feb Sat Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Trayodashi

March 2023 Phagan – Chet

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Mar Mon Holika Dahan

The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Chaturdashi
8 Mar Wed Hola Mohalla

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

Krishna Pratipada
14 Mar Tue Sheetala Saptami Vrat Krishna Saptami
22 Mar Wed Chet Navratri

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

Shukla Pratipada
27 Mar Mon 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
30 Mar Thu Ram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami

April 2023 Chet – Vaisakh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Apr Thu Hanuman Jayanti

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

Shukla Purnima
14 Apr Fri Vaisakhi

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

Krishna Navami
26 Apr Wed 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 Shashthi

May 2023 Vaisakh – Jeth

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
19 May Fri Vat Savitri Vrat Vrat Krishna Amavasya
30 May Tue Ganga Dussehra

The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.

Shukla Dashami
31 May Wed Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Shukla Ekadashi

June 2023 Jeth – Harh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Jun Sun Kabirdas Jayanti

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

Shukla Purnima

August 2023 Sawan – Bhadon

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
19 Aug Sat 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
31 Aug Thu Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri)

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

Shukla Purnima

September 2023 Bhadon – Assu

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Sep Sat 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
7 Sep Thu Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
8 Sep Fri 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
17 Sep Sun Vishwakarma Puja

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

Shukla Dwitiya
18 Sep Mon Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat Shukla Tritiya
30 Sep Sat Shradh Paksha (Pitru Paksha)

The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors.

Krishna Pratipada

October 2023 Assu – Katak

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
15 Oct Sun Sharad Navratri

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada
24 Oct Tue Dussehra

The burning of Ravana on Vijayadashami.

Shukla Dashami
28 Oct Sat Meerabai Jayanti

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

Shukla Purnima

November 2023 Katak – Maghar

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Nov Wed Karva Chauth Vrat Krishna Chaturthi
5 Nov Sun Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Krishna Ashtami
10 Nov Fri Dhanteras

The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth.

Krishna Dwadashi
12 Nov Sun Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas)

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

Krishna Chaturdashi
13 Nov Mon Govardhan Puja / Annakut

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

Krishna Amavasya
15 Nov Wed Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka)

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

Shukla Dwitiya
22 Nov Wed Kansa Vadh

Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Dashami, with processions and re-enactments in Mathura.

Shukla Dashami
27 Nov Mon Guru Nanak Jayanti

The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on Kartika Purnima.

Shukla Purnima

December 2023 Maghar – Poh

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
17 Dec Sun Vivah Panchami

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

Shukla Panchami
22 Dec Fri Gita Jayanti

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

Shukla Dashami

Months of the Punjabi Calendar in 2023

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 2023, covering Nanakshahi 554 – 555. 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 2023 13 Jan 2023 13
Magh 14 Jan 2023 12 Feb 2023 30
Phagan 13 Feb 2023 14 Mar 2023 30
Chet 15 Mar 2023 13 Apr 2023 30
Vaisakh 14 Apr 2023 14 May 2023 31
Jeth 15 May 2023 14 Jun 2023 31
Harh 15 Jun 2023 16 Jul 2023 32
Sawan 17 Jul 2023 16 Aug 2023 31
Bhadon 17 Aug 2023 16 Sep 2023 31
Assu 17 Sep 2023 17 Oct 2023 31
Katak 18 Oct 2023 16 Nov 2023 30
Maghar 17 Nov 2023 15 Dec 2023 29
Poh part 16 Dec 2023 31 Dec 2023 16

What happened in the sky in 2023

Beyond the dates the Punjabi Calendar lists, 2023 brought 4 eclipses - 2 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 Shravana, running from 18 July 2023 to 16 August 2023. Lohri fell on 14 January, 1 day later in the year than in 2022 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2023

Date (IST) Eclipse Punjabi date Seen from India
20 Apr 9:46 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Vaisakh Amavasya Not visible
5 May 10:53 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Vaisakh Purnima Penumbral only
14 Oct 11:29 PM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day before Sharad Navratri Assu Amavasya Not visible
29 Oct 1:44 AM Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Meerabai Jayanti Katak Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed

Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 2023

Date Graha Sign change
17 Jan 6:10 PM Shani (Saturn) Makara → Kumbha
22 Apr 5:20 AM Guru (Jupiter) Meena → Mesha

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 30 October 2023, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Punjabi Calendar 2023

How many festivals and vrats does the Punjabi Calendar list in 2023?

The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 2023, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Sakat Chauth on Tuesday, 10 January 2023, and the last is Gita Jayanti on Friday, 22 December 2023.

What are the main festival dates in the Punjabi Calendar for 2023?

The first major observances of 2023 are:

  • Lohri - Saturday, 14 January 2023
  • Maghi (Makar Sankranti) - Sunday, 15 January 2023
  • Basant Panchami - Wednesday, 25 January 2023
  • Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 18 February 2023
  • Holika Dahan - Monday, 6 March 2023
  • Hola Mohalla - Wednesday, 8 March 2023
Which month of 2023 has the most observances in the Punjabi Calendar?

November 2023 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Karva Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Dhanteras, Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas), Govardhan Puja / Annakut, Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka), Kansa Vadh, Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Which traditional year does 2023 correspond to in the Punjabi Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2023 spans Nanakshahi 554 – 555. 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 2023 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 2023 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (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 2023 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 2023?

2023 had 4 eclipses:

  • 20 April 2023 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 5 May 2023 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
  • 14 October 2023 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 29 October 2023 - 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 1 of these was kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2023?

Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2023:

  • Shani (Saturn) entered Kumbha on 17 January 2023
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 22 April 2023

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 2023?

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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