Masa · मासाः
The 12 Sanskrit Months
Each Sanskrit month (Masa) is named after the Nakshatra the Moon was full in during that month — a naming convention that goes back to the Vedic period itself. Today's month is highlighted; tap any month for its dedicated page.
All 12 months at a glance
Each month below links to its own dedicated page with a fuller description, its Ritu (season), and the major festivals that fall within it.
| # | Month | Season | Roughly | Known for |
| 1 | Chaitra (चैत्र) | Vasanta | Mar–Apr | New year begins here |
| 2 | Vaishakha (वैशाख) | Vasanta | Apr–May | Buddha Purnima |
| 3 | Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठ) | Grishma | May–Jun | The hottest month |
| 4 | Ashadha (आषाढ) | Grishma | Jun–Jul | Guru Purnima |
| 5 | Shravana (श्रावण) | Varsha | Jul–Aug | Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami |
| 6 | Bhadrapada (भाद्रपद) | Varsha | Aug–Sep | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 7 | Ashwina (आश्विन) | Sharad | Sep–Oct | Navratri, Dussehra |
| 8 | Kartika (कार्तिक) | Sharad | Oct–Nov | Diwali |
| 9 | Margashirsha (मार्गशीर्ष) | Hemanta | Nov–Dec | Krishna's favourite month, per the Gita |
| 10 | Pausha (पौष) | Hemanta | Dec–Jan | A quieter, contemplative month |
| 11 | Magha (माघ) | Shishira | Jan–Feb | Vasant Panchami |
| 12 | Phalguna (फाल्गुन) | Shishira | Feb–Mar | Holi |
Why these particular names
Each Sanskrit month is named after the Nakshatra (lunar mansion) the Moon was traditionally full in during that month — a naming convention going back to the Vedic period. Chaitra is named for Chitra, Vaishakha for Vishakha, Jyeshtha for the Jyeshtha Nakshatra, and so on down the list. This is also why the names don't shift or get renamed the way "leap months" do — the underlying Nakshatra association is fixed even as the exact Gregorian dates a month spans shift year to year.
This list vs. how the months actually work
This page is a quick reference to all 12 names. For the mechanics behind them — why a Sanskrit month never lines up neatly with a Gregorian one, the difference between the Amanta and Purnimanta ways of drawing a month's boundary, and how the leap month Adhik Masa keeps the whole system anchored to the seasons — see How Sanskrit Calendar Months Work.
The seven Vasara (weekdays)
| English | Sanskrit | Ruling Graha |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | रविवार (Ravivāra) | Surya (Sun) |
| Monday | सोमवार (Somavāra) | Chandra (Moon) |
| Tuesday | मंगलवार (Maṅgalavāra) | Mangala (Mars) |
| Wednesday | बुधवार (Budhavāra) | Budha (Mercury) |
| Thursday | गुरुवार (Guruvāra) | Brihaspati (Jupiter) |
| Friday | शुक्रवार (Śukravāra) | Shukra (Venus) |
| Saturday | शनिवार (Śanivāra) | Shani (Saturn) |
See the six Ritus (seasons) these months group into, or the wider Panchanga system they're part of.
Frequently asked questions
How many months are in the Sanskrit calendar?
12 in an ordinary year, the same as the Gregorian calendar — though roughly every 32–33 months, a 13th "leap" month (Adhik Masa) is inserted to keep the lunar year aligned with the seasons.
Which Sanskrit month is the new year?
Chaitra is the first month of the traditional Hindu lunar year in most of North India, though some regional calendars (notably in Gujarat) begin their year elsewhere, such as at Diwali.
Why are the months named after Nakshatras?
Each month is traditionally named for the Nakshatra the Moon was full in during that month, a naming convention dating to the Vedic period — see our full Nakshatra guide for how this system works.