Tithi Calendar | तिथि पंचांग कैलेंडर

What is a Tithi Calendar?

Naksham's Tithi Calendar reads the Moon's path for every day. It shows the daily Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (lunar mansion), Yoga, and Karana. It also lists every Panchang (five-limb almanac) reading for the month. The Hindu calendar is luni-solar. Months come from the Moon. The year stays in step with the Sun.^[1]

We compute each tithi from your local sunrise. This is the Suryodaya Tithi (sunrise-anchored tithi) rule.^[2] Drik Panchang and the official Rashtriya Panchang both follow this rule.^[3] The Panchang has guided Indian time-keeping for over 3,000 years.^[4] It sets every Hindu festival date. It shapes Vrat (fast) timing. It picks the right Muhurat (auspicious moment) for big work.

The 30 Tithis. A Quick Guide

A lunar month holds 30 Tithis. Two fortnights split them in half. Each Tithi spans 12 degrees of Sun-Moon angle.^[1] The Moon moves about 12 degrees ahead of the Sun each day. One full cycle takes about 29.5 days. That makes one lunar month.

Shukla Paksha (waxing fortnight). Tithis 1 to 15

The bright fortnight starts at Amavasya (new moon). It ends at Purnima (full moon). The Moon grows from a thin crescent to full light. This is the time for new starts and growth. Key Tithis here are Panchami (5th lunar day, sacred to Saraswati), Ekadashi (11th, the great fast for Vishnu), and Purnima (15th, the full moon).

Krishna Paksha (waning fortnight). Tithis 16 to 30

The dark fortnight starts at Purnima. It ends at Amavasya. The Moon shrinks from full to hidden. This is the time for quiet work and ancestor prayer. Key Tithis here are Ashtami (8th, sacred to Durga and Krishna), Chaturdashi (14th, sacred to Shiva), and Amavasya (the day for Pitru Tarpan).

Paksha. The Two Fortnights

Paksha (fortnight) is the heart of the Hindu calendar. Shukla Paksha is the bright half. The Moon waxes. Light and energy grow. We pick this half for marriages and big starts.^[5]

Krishna Paksha is the dark half. The Moon wanes. We turn inward. We finish old tasks. We honour the ancestors. Some of the most powerful festivals fall here. Maha Shivaratri and Diwali both sit in Krishna Paksha.^[5]

Nakshatra in the Calendar. The 27 Lunar Mansions

Each day shows the ruling Nakshatra (lunar mansion). The Moon sits in one of 27 sky parts. Each part spans 13 degrees and 20 minutes. The Moon moves through one each day. The full cycle takes about 27.3 days.^[1]

Nakshatras shape big choices. They guide baby names through Naamkaran (naming ritual). They steer your Muhurat picks. They drive the Vimshottari Dasha timeline. This is the main reading method in Vedic astrology.^[6]

How to Read a Hindu Panchang

A Panchang has five limbs. Each one tells you something key.

• Tithi (lunar day). Where you sit in the Moon's month.
• Nakshatra. The Moon's spot in the sky. Sets the day's mood.
• Yoga. The Sun-Moon blend. Shows if the day is kind.
• Karana. The half-day quality. Shows if a few hours are good.
• Vara (weekday). The ruling Graha (planet) for the day.

Use it like this. Is today Ekadashi? Keep the fast. Is today Purnima or Amavasya? Offer prayer. What festivals fall today? Mark them. For event timing, check Tithi, Nakshatra, and Yoga together. Or use our Muhurat Finder. For a full guide, read our piece on How to Read a Panchang.

Ekadashi and Purnima. The Most Loved Tithis

Ekadashi (11th lunar day) is the most kept fast in Hindu life. It falls twice each lunar month. It is sacred to Lord Vishnu. The fast clears the body and mind. It also brings spiritual merit.^[7] There are 24 Ekadashi dates each year. Each one has its own name. Nirjala Ekadashi (waterless fast in Jyeshtha) is the toughest. Devuthani Ekadashi (Kartika) marks the end of Chaturmas. This is when Lord Vishnu wakes from his sleep.

Purnima (full moon) is the best day for prayer and giving. Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, and Buddha Purnima all fall on this Tithi. The full moon lifts Chandra (Moon) energy. It is great for mantra chanting. It is great for quiet sitting and sacred ritual. Amavasya (new moon) is the day for Pitru Tarpan (ancestor offerings) and inner work.

Planning Festivals with the Tithi Calendar

Hindu festivals follow a Tithi plus Masa (lunar month) rule.^[7] They do not follow fixed Gregorian dates. Naksham's engine spots and marks each festival on its own. Here are the key anchors.

• Diwali. Krishna Amavasya in Kartika (October/November).
• Holi. Phalguna Purnima (February/March).
• Navratri. Ashwina Shukla Pratipada to Navami.
• Ganesh Chaturthi. Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.
• Maha Shivaratri. Magha Krishna Chaturdashi.
• Krishna Janmashtami. Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami.
• Ram Navami. Chaitra Shukla Navami.
• Vasant Panchami. Magha Shukla Panchami (sacred to Saraswati).
• Akshaya Tritiya. Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya (gold-buying day).
• Raksha Bandhan. Shravana Purnima (sister-brother bond).
• Vat Savitri. Jyeshtha Krishna Amavasya (for husband's long life).
• Vijayadashami. Ashwina Shukla Dashami (end of Navratri).
• Dhanteras. Kartika Krishna Trayodashi (Diwali starts).
• Govardhan Puja. Kartika Shukla Pratipada (day after Diwali).
• Bhai Dooj. Kartika Shukla Dwitiya (sister-brother).
• Mahalaya. Bhadrapada Krishna Amavasya (start of Pitru Paksha).
• Hartalika Teej. Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya (for Parvati).
• Vinayaka Chaturthi. Every Shukla Chaturthi (for Ganesha).
• Sankashti Chaturthi (obstacle removal). Every Krishna Chaturthi.
• Angarki Sankashti. Sankashti that lands on a Tuesday (most powerful).
• Pradosh (twilight worship). Every Trayodashi (for Shiva).
• Soma, Bhaum, Shani Pradosh. Pradosh on Monday, Tuesday, or Saturday.
• Vaikuntha, Mokshada, Devuthani, Nirjala Ekadashi. Named Ekadashi vrats.
• Ekadashi Vrat. Every 11th Tithi in both fortnights (24 each year).

Festival dates shift by 10 to 15 days each Gregorian year. They follow the lunar cycle. Naksham marks all of them for you. Plan your fasts, puja, and family time well ahead. For event timing inside any day, use the Muhurat Finder.

Tithi Calendar for Personal Planning

The Tithi Calendar helps with daily life too. Many people time their big steps with the Panchang. They start ventures, sign deals, hold interviews, or begin medication on chosen days. Shukla Paksha (waxing fortnight) suits new starts. Krishna Paksha (waning fortnight) suits finishing tasks and quiet work.

Pair the Tithi Calendar with your Kundali (birth chart) for the best results. Read your daily Rashifal for transit news. Use the Panchang tool for daily detail. Check your 90-Day Forecast for the bigger view. When the Panchang and your chart agree, the work goes well. Muhurta Chintamani says it best.^[5] The wise person begins big work when both the sky and the chart say yes.

How Naksham Computes the Calendar

We use the NOAA solar position model for sunrise and sunset. Output is accurate within 1 to 2 minutes for India locations.^[3] We use Lahiri ayanamsa (sidereal correction) for sky positions. We anchor each tithi to your local sunrise. This is the Suryodaya Tithi convention.^[2] Festival rules use Chandra masa (lunar month). We compute the Chandra masa from the previous Amavasya (Amanta system). Naksham detects Adhika Masa (extra lunar month) on its own. So festivals stay in the right Vedic month, even in years like 2026.^[4]

Footnotes

1. [1] Surya Siddhanta (8th century CE), Chapter 2: Madhyamadhikara. The classical Sanskrit text on Hindu astronomy. Defines tithi as 12 degrees of Sun-Moon elongation and nakshatra as 13°20' segments of the zodiac.
2. [2] Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS), Chapter 24: Yoga Karaka Adhyaya. Sage Parashara's foundational text on Vedic astrology. Establishes the sunrise-anchored Vedic day (Suryodaya Tithi) for ritual and astrological use.
3. [3] Drik Panchang convention and Rashtriya Panchang (Government of India, 1957). The official Indian National Calendar reformed by the Calendar Reform Committee under Meghnad Saha. Sets the standard for sunrise-anchored tithi computation across India.
4. [4] Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS), Chapter 86: Festival Determination. Defines festival anchoring by Tithi plus Chandra masa (lunar month). Adhika Masa rules from the same source ensure festivals stay in their proper Vedic month.
5. [5] Muhurta Chintamani by Rama Daivajna (16th century CE). The classical Sanskrit text on muhurta selection. Sets Paksha-based rules for auspicious activity timing.
6. [6] Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS), Chapters 46 to 48: Vimshottari Dasha. Defines the 120-year planetary period system anchored to the birth Nakshatra.
7. [7] Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda. The classical Sanskrit Purana defining Ekadashi vrat rules and the spiritual merit of fasting on the 11th lunar day. Cross-referenced in the Hindu Calendar tradition (see also Wikipedia: Hindu Calendar, Ekadashi).