Marathi Festival Calendar 2016
January 2016
12 festivals
Tue
5
Jan
Ekadashi observed with sesame seeds (tila) offering
Thu
7
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
7
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
9
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
13
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Tue
19
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Thu
21
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
23
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Wed
27
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
27
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
February 2016
14 festivals
Thu
4
Feb
Ekadashi for victory and success
Sat
6
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
6
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
8
Feb
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Mon
8
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
11
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
12
Feb
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Sat
13
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Sun
14
Feb
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Mon
15
Feb
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
Thu
18
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Sat
20
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
22
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
26
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
March 2016
14 festivals
Fri
4
Mar
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Sun
6
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
7
Mar
The great night of Lord Shiva
Tue
8
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
12
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Fri
18
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Sun
20
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
22
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Tue
22
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
23
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Wed
23
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
27
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
31
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
April 2016
16 festivals
Sun
3
Apr
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Tue
5
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
5
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
7
Apr
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Thu
7
Apr
Marathi New Year
Thu
7
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
10
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
12
Apr
Birthday of River Yamuna
Wed
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Fri
15
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Fri
15
Apr
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Sun
17
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Tue
19
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
21
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Thu
21
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
26
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
May 2016
17 festivals
Mon
2
May
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Wed
4
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
4
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
6
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
8
May
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Sun
8
May
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Mon
9
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
12
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Sat
14
May
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Sat
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Tue
17
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Thu
19
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Thu
19
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
21
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Sat
21
May
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
22
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Wed
25
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
June 2016
13 festivals
Wed
1
Jun
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Fri
3
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
4
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
4
Jun
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Wed
8
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
14
Jun
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Tue
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Wed
15
Jun
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
Fri
17
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
19
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
20
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
24
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
30
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
July 2016
14 festivals
Sat
2
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
2
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
4
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Tue
5
Jul
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Thu
7
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
15
Jul
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Sat
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Sun
17
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
19
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Tue
19
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
23
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
29
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Sun
31
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
31
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
August 2016
15 festivals
Tue
2
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
6
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
7
Aug
Day of serpent worship
Sun
14
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Mon
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Tue
16
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Wed
17
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Wed
17
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Sun
21
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
24
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Sat
27
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Mon
29
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
30
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
31
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
September 2016
17 festivals
Sun
4
Sep
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Mon
5
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
6
Sep
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Wed
7
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Fri
9
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Mon
12
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Wed
14
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
15
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Fri
16
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Sat
17
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
Mon
19
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
26
Sep
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Wed
28
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
28
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
30
Sep
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Fri
30
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
October 2016
21 festivals
Sat
1
Oct
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Sun
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Tue
4
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
8
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Sun
9
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Mon
10
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Wed
12
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Sat
15
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Sat
15
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Wed
19
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
25
Oct
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Wed
26
Oct
Worship of cow and calf
Thu
27
Oct
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Thu
27
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
28
Oct
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Fri
28
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
28
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
29
Oct
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Sun
30
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
31
Oct
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
November 2016
14 festivals
Tue
1
Nov
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Thu
3
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
9
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Thu
10
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Fri
11
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Sat
12
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
14
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Thu
17
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
20
Nov
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Thu
24
Nov
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Sat
26
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
27
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
28
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
December 2016
12 festivals
Sat
3
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
4
Dec
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Sat
10
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Sat
10
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Sun
11
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
13
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Tue
13
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Sat
17
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
26
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
26
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
28
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
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