Telugu Calendar

Telugu Calendar 2016

The Telugu festival calendar (Ugadi new year). Telugu festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

November 2016

Shaka Samvat 1938 (Durmukha)

Kartika – Margashirsha

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.

Telugu Calendar 2016 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Telugu Calendar lists 45 dates in 2016, opening with Bhogi on 14 January and closing with Dhanurmasam Begins on 16 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938.

January 2016 Pausha – Magha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Jan Thu Bhogi

The bonfire of old things on the eve of Makara Sankranti.

Shukla Panchami
15 Jan Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
16 Jan Sat Kanuma

The cattle-honouring day after Makara Sankranti.

Shukla Saptami
24 Jan Sun Thaipusam

Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai.

Shukla Purnima

February 2016 Magha – Phalguna

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
12 Feb Fri Vasant Panchami (Sri Panchami)

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Chaturthi
13 Feb Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
14 Feb Sun Ratha Saptami

Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami.

Shukla Saptami
15 Feb Mon Bhishma Ashtami

Tarpan is offered to Bhishma on Magha Shukla Ashtami.

Shukla Ashtami

March 2016 Phalguna – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Mar Mon Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Trayodashi
13 Mar Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
22 Mar Tue Holi (Kamadahanam)

The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Chaturdashi

April 2016 Chaitra – Vaishakha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
8 Apr Fri Ugadi (Telugu New Year)

The Telugu new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, when Ugadi pachadi is shared.

Shukla Pratipada
12 Apr Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
15 Apr Fri Sri Rama Navami

The wedding of Sita and Rama (Sitarama Kalyanam) on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami
22 Apr Fri Hanuman Jayanthi

The full moon of Chaitra (Telugu Hanuman Jayanthi precedes the 41-day deeksha).

Shukla Purnima

May 2016 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
9 May Mon Akshaya Tritiya

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year.

Shukla Tritiya
11 May Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
20 May Fri Narasimha Jayanthi

The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

June 2016 Jyeshtha – Ashadha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Jun Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
20 Jun Mon Eruvaka Purnima

Farmers begin the sowing season, worshipping the cattle and the plough on the full moon of Jyeshtha.

Shukla Purnima

July 2016 Ashadha – Shravana

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
9 Jul Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
19 Jul Tue Guru Purnima

The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa.

Shukla Purnima

August 2016 Shravana – Bhadrapada

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
8 Aug Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
12 Aug Fri Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat Shukla Navami
18 Aug Thu Avani Avittam (Upakarma)

Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
25 Aug Thu Sri Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami

September 2016 Bhadrapada – Ashwina

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Sep Mon Vinayaka Chavithi

The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
6 Sep Tue Rishi Panchami Vrat Shukla Panchami
7 Sep Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
30 Sep Fri Bathukamma Begins

Telangana's flower festival of Goddess Gauri begins on Mahalaya Amavasya.

Krishna Amavasya
30 Sep Fri Mahalaya Amavasya

The new moon closing Pitru Paksha.

Krishna Amavasya

October 2016 Ashwina – Kartika

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Oct Sat Sharad Navratri

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada
6 Oct Thu Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
9 Oct Sun Durgashtami / Mahanavami

The eighth night of Navratri, sacred to Goddess Durga.

Shukla Ashtami
11 Oct Tue Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja

Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.

Shukla Dashami
18 Oct Tue Atla Taddi Vrat Krishna Tritiya
30 Oct Sun Deepavali

The festival of lights and worship of Goddess Lakshmi.

Krishna Amavasya

November 2016 Kartika – Margashirsha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 Nov Fri Nagula Chavithi

Serpent gods are worshipped at anthills on Kartika Shukla Chaturthi in Andhra and Telangana.

Shukla Chaturthi
5 Nov Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
14 Nov Mon Karthika Purnima

The Kartika full moon, lit with deepam and Jwala Toranam.

Shukla Purnima

December 2016 Margashirsha – Pausha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Dec Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
5 Dec Mon Subramanya Shashti

Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi.

Shukla Shashthi
10 Dec Sat Gita Jayanthi

The revelation of the Bhagavad Gita on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi.

Shukla Ekadashi
13 Dec Tue Datta Jayanthi

The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima.

Shukla Chaturdashi
16 Dec Fri Dhanurmasam Begins

The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu.

Krishna Tritiya

Months of the Telugu Calendar in 2016

The Telugu 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 2016, covering Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.

Month Begins Ends Days
Pausha part 1 Jan 2016 14 Jan 2016 14
Magha 15 Jan 2016 13 Feb 2016 30
Phalguna 14 Feb 2016 14 Mar 2016 30
Chaitra 15 Mar 2016 13 Apr 2016 30
Vaishakha 14 Apr 2016 14 May 2016 31
Jyeshtha 15 May 2016 14 Jun 2016 31
Ashadha 15 Jun 2016 16 Jul 2016 32
Shravana 17 Jul 2016 16 Aug 2016 31
Bhadrapada 17 Aug 2016 16 Sep 2016 31
Ashwina 17 Sep 2016 17 Oct 2016 31
Kartika 18 Oct 2016 15 Nov 2016 29
Margashirsha 16 Nov 2016 15 Dec 2016 30
Pausha part 16 Dec 2016 31 Dec 2016 16

What happened in the sky in 2016

Beyond the dates the Telugu Calendar lists, 2016 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ugadi (Telugu New Year) fell on 8 April, 19 days later in the year than in 2015 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2016

Date (IST) Eclipse Telugu date Seen from India
9 Mar 7:27 AM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri Phalguna Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
23 Mar 5:17 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Holi (Kamadahanam) Chaitra Purnima Penumbral only
1 Sep 2:36 PM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Bhadrapada Amavasya Not visible
17 Sep 12:24 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Ashwina Krishna Pratipada Penumbral only

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

Guru and Shani in 2016

Date Graha Sign change
11 Aug 9:30 PM Guru (Jupiter) Simha → Kanya

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 30 January 2016, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Telugu Calendar 2016

How many festivals and vrats does the Telugu Calendar list in 2016?

The Telugu Calendar lists 45 dates in 2016, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Bhogi on Thursday, 14 January 2016, and the last is Dhanurmasam Begins on Friday, 16 December 2016.

What are the main festival dates in the Telugu Calendar for 2016?

The first major observances of 2016 are:

  • Bhogi - Thursday, 14 January 2016
  • Kanuma - Saturday, 16 January 2016
  • Thaipusam - Sunday, 24 January 2016
  • Vasant Panchami (Sri Panchami) - Friday, 12 February 2016
  • Ratha Saptami - Sunday, 14 February 2016
  • Bhishma Ashtami - Monday, 15 February 2016
Which month of 2016 has the most observances in the Telugu Calendar?

October 2016 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Sharad Navratri, Skanda Shashthi, Durgashtami / Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Atla Taddi, Deepavali.

Which traditional year does 2016 correspond to in the Telugu Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2016 spans Shaka Samvat 1937 – 1938. 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 2016 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2016 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 2016?

2016 had 4 eclipses:

  • 9 March 2016 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 23 March 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
  • 1 September 2016 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 17 September 2016 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak 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 2016?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2016:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 11 August 2016

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 2016?

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 Telugu Calendar opens on the current month.

About the Telugu Calendar

The Telugu festival calendar (Ugadi new year). Telugu 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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