Reference Guide
Hindu Calendar Months
All 12 months of the Hindu (Panchang) year, in order — their Devanagari names, what each name means, roughly which Gregorian weeks they cover, and the major festival each one is known for.
The Hindu calendar's 12 months are lunar — each one runs from one new moon to the next, roughly 29.5 days — so their overlap with the fixed-length Gregorian months shifts slightly every year. Most North Indian Panchangs begin the year at Chaitra; some regional traditions, like Gujarat's, begin it elsewhere. See how the month system actually works for the Amanta vs Purnimanta distinction and the leap-month (Adhik Masa) mechanism.
All 12 months, Chaitra to Phalguna
Tap any month for its full deep-dive page.
Why Hindu months don't line up with Gregorian months
Each Hindu month is tied to the Moon's phase, not a fixed number of days. That means a Hindu month can start on the 3rd of a Gregorian month one year and the 22nd the next. Over time this drift would pull the Hindu calendar's months out of sync with the seasons — Phalguna could eventually fall in monsoon rather than late winter — so the Panchang periodically inserts an extra month, Adhik Masa, to re-anchor the calendar to the solar year. See Adhik Maas explained and this year's Hindu calendar for when the next one falls.
Frequently asked questions
How many months are there in the Hindu calendar?
There are 12 lunar months in a standard year: Chaitra, Vaishakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwina, Kartika, Margashirsha, Pausha, Magha and Phalguna. An extra 13th month, Adhik Masa, is inserted roughly every 2–3 years to keep the lunar year aligned with the solar year.
Which Hindu month is the first month of the year?
Chaitra is the first month in most North Indian Panchangs, beginning the traditional Hindu new year (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada). Some regional calendars, such as Gujarat's, start the year elsewhere — at Diwali.
Why do Hindu month names not match Gregorian months?
Hindu months are lunar — each one runs roughly 29.5 days between new moons — while Gregorian months are fixed at 28–31 days. Because of this drift, a single Hindu month can overlap two different Gregorian months, and the exact overlap shifts slightly from year to year.