North Indian Festival Calendar 2003
January 2003
13 festivals
Thu
2
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
6
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
13
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Tue
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Wed
15
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
17
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
21
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
21
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
Sun
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Tue
28
Jan
Ekadashi for victory and success
Thu
30
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
31
Jan
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Fri
31
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
February 2003
13 festivals
Wed
5
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
6
Feb
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Sat
8
Feb
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Sun
9
Feb
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
Wed
12
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Thu
13
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Fri
14
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
16
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
20
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
26
Feb
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Fri
28
Feb
The great night of Lord Shiva
Fri
28
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
28
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
March 2003
12 festivals
Sun
2
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
6
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
14
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Fri
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Sun
16
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
17
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Tue
18
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Fri
21
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
25
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
Fri
28
Mar
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Sun
30
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
30
Mar
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
April 2003
16 festivals
Tue
1
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
2
Apr
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Sat
5
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
7
Apr
Birthday of River Yamuna
Fri
11
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Fri
11
Apr
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Sat
12
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Mon
14
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Mon
14
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
16
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Wed
16
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
19
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
26
Apr
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Mon
28
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
29
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
30
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
May 2003
19 festivals
Thu
1
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
4
May
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Sun
4
May
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Mon
5
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
8
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Sat
10
May
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Mon
12
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Wed
14
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Wed
14
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
15
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Thu
15
May
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
15
May
Sun enters Taurus
Fri
16
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Mon
19
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
26
May
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Wed
28
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
28
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
30
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
30
May
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
June 2003
11 festivals
Tue
3
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
9
Jun
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Tue
10
Jun
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
Thu
12
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
14
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
15
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Tue
17
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
25
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
Fri
27
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
27
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
29
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
July 2003
12 festivals
Tue
1
Jul
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Thu
3
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
9
Jul
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Fri
11
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
13
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Sun
13
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Thu
17
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
24
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Sat
26
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
27
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
28
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
August 2003
17 festivals
Fri
1
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
2
Aug
Day of serpent worship
Fri
8
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Sat
9
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
11
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Mon
11
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
11
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Fri
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Fri
15
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
17
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Tue
19
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Sat
23
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Mon
25
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
25
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
27
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
30
Aug
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Sun
31
Aug
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
September 2003
16 festivals
Mon
1
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Wed
3
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Sat
6
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Mon
8
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
9
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Wed
10
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
11
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
Sun
14
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
17
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Sun
21
Sep
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Tue
23
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
24
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
25
Sep
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Thu
25
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
26
Sep
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Mon
29
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
October 2003
21 festivals
Thu
2
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Thu
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Fri
3
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Sat
4
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Sun
5
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Tue
7
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
9
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Thu
9
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
14
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Tue
21
Oct
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Wed
22
Oct
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Wed
22
Oct
Worship of cow and calf
Thu
23
Oct
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Thu
23
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
23
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
24
Oct
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Sat
25
Oct
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Sat
25
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
26
Oct
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Tue
28
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
November 2003
13 festivals
Mon
3
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Tue
4
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Wed
5
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Thu
6
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
8
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
12
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
16
Nov
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Sun
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Wed
19
Nov
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Fri
21
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
23
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
26
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
27
Nov
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
December 2003
12 festivals
Wed
3
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Wed
3
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Fri
5
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
6
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
8
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Mon
8
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
12
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
16
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Fri
19
Dec
Ekadashi observed with sesame seeds (tila) offering
Sun
21
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
21
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
26
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
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