12 Vedic
Months
Vedic months are named after the nakshatra where the full moon falls. Each month encodes a solar longitude range, a season, and a set of observances — all anchored to the actual positions of the Sun and Moon in the sky.
12
Vedic months
27
Nakshatras used
6
Seasons (Ritu)
354
Lunar year (days)
Ritu — The Vedic Season System
Vasanta
Spring · Mar–May
Chaitra + Vaishakha
Vernal equinox (March 20/21). Days lengthen. Sun crosses celestial equator northward.
Grishma
Summer · May–Jul
Jyeshtha + Ashadha
Summer solstice (June 20/21). Sun reaches northernmost declination. Dakshinayana begins.
Varsha
Monsoon · Jul–Sep
Shravana + Bhadrapada
No solstice/equinox but peak monsoon corresponds to Sun in Cancer/Leo — hottest months produce convection-driven rain.
Sharad
Autumn · Sep–Nov
Ashwin + Kartika
Autumnal equinox (September 22/23). Days shorten. Sun crosses equator southward.
Hemanta
Pre-winter · Nov–Jan
Margashirsha + Pausha
Sun moving toward winter solstice. Makar Sankranti (Uttarayana) falls here.
Shishira
Winter · Jan–Mar
Magha + Phalguna
Winter solstice (December 21/22) behind us. Sun returning north. Coldest period.
Each Month = A Celestial Position
The month name tells you which star the full moon is near. The solar position tells you the season. Together they give a complete astronomical timestamp for every month of the Vedic year.
Chaitra
Mar–Apr · Vasanta (Spring)
Sun: Pisces → Aries
Full moon in: Spica (Chitra)
Named after Chitra nakshatra (α Virginis / Spica). The full moon in Chaitra falls near Spica, the brightest star in Virgo.
Ugadi / Gudi Padwa
Ram Navami
Hanuman Jayanti
Vaishakha
Apr–May · Vasanta (Spring)
Sun: Aries → Taurus
Full moon in: Vishakha
Named after Vishakha nakshatra (α & β Librae). Spring in full bloom; the Sun in Aries is exalted.
Akshaya Tritiya
Buddha Purnima
Vaishakhi
Jyeshtha
May–Jun · Grishma (Summer)
Sun: Taurus → Gemini
Full moon in: Antares (Jyeshtha)
Named after Jyeshtha nakshatra (α Scorpii / Antares). Full moon near Antares — the "heart of the scorpion," one of the four royal stars of Persia.
Vat Savitri Vrat
Ganga Dussehra
Ashadha
Jun–Jul · Grishma (Summer)
Sun: Gemini → Cancer
Full moon in: Uttara Ashadha
Named after Ashadha nakshatras (Purva + Uttara Ashadha, δ & σ Sagittarii). The summer solstice falls in this month — Dakshinayana (Sun begins moving south) begins.
Guru Purnima
Rath Yatra
Dakshinayana begins
Shravana
Jul–Aug · Varsha (Monsoon)
Sun: Cancer → Leo
Full moon in: Shravana (Altair)
Named after Shravana nakshatra (α Aquilae / Altair). Full moon near Altair. Peak of monsoon — the month of hearing (Shravana = listening); Vedic learning season begins.
Raksha Bandhan
Nag Panchami
Krishna Janmashtami
Bhadrapada
Aug–Sep · Varsha (Monsoon)
Sun: Leo → Virgo
Full moon in: Uttara Bhadrapada
Named after Bhadrapada nakshatras (γ Pegasi region). The auspicious (Bhadra) feet (pada) — a month of harvest preparation.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Onam
Ashwin
Sep–Oct · Sharad (Autumn)
Sun: Virgo → Libra
Full moon in: Ashwini
Named after Ashwini nakshatra (β & γ Arietis). The Ashwini Kumars (divine physicians) as twin stars. Autumn equinox falls in this month.
Sharad Navratri
Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
Pitru Paksha
Kartika
Oct–Nov · Sharad (Autumn)
Sun: Libra → Scorpio
Full moon in: Pleiades (Krittika)
Named after Krittika nakshatra (the Pleiades). The full moon of Kartika when the Pleiades are at opposition — maximum visibility. The Pleiades were the original calendar reference for Vedic astronomy.
Diwali (Amavasya)
Kartika Purnima
Tulsi Vivah
Margashirsha
Nov–Dec · Hemanta (Pre-winter)
Sun: Scorpio → Sagittarius
Full moon in: Mrigashira (Orion)
Named after Mrigashira nakshatra (λ Orionis, the head of Orion's deer). In the oldest layer of Vedic astronomy, this was the first month of the year — the Sun was in Mrigashira at the vernal equinox around 6500 BCE.
Vivah Panchami
Gita Jayanti
Mokshada Ekadashi
Pausha
Dec–Jan · Hemanta (Pre-winter)
Sun: Sagittarius → Capricorn
Full moon in: Pushya (Asellus)
Named after Pushya nakshatra (δ Cancri / Asellus Australis). Contains Makar Sankranti — the only festival fixed to a sidereal solar transit (Sun entering Capricorn), independent of the lunar calendar.
Makar Sankranti
Lohri
Uttarayana transition
Magha
Jan–Feb · Shishira (Winter)
Sun: Capricorn → Aquarius
Full moon in: Regulus (Magha)
Named after Magha nakshatra (α Leonis / Regulus). Full moon near Regulus — the "heart of the lion," one of the four royal stars. Month of Maha Shivratri.
Maha Shivratri
Vasant Panchami
Ratha Saptami
Phalguna
Feb–Mar · Shishira (Winter)
Sun: Aquarius → Pisces
Full moon in: Uttara Phalguni
Named after Phalguni nakshatras (δ Leonis region). Ends with Holi — the full moon that marks the spring equinox proximity, the astronomical end of winter.
Holi (Purnima)
Holashtak
Amalaki Ekadashi