INDIAN FESTIVALS

Dates of Indian Festivals are set according to the Moon calendar and they have to be converted to the Western Calendar each year anew.

Indian Festivals in 2012

Shakambari Purnima - January 09 (Monday)
Shakambari brings again "green food"

Makar Sankranti - January 14 (Friday)
Sun begins to move northwards, release from darkness (ignorance) and return of the light (wisdom, knowledge)

Indian Republic Day - January 26 (Thursday)
Constitution of India

Vasant Panchami - January 28 (Saturday)
Birthday of Goddess Sarasvati (Wisdom)

Magh Purnima - February 07 (Tuesday)
Puja to Lord Satyanarayan and Lord Vishnu

Maha Shivaratri - February 20/21 (Monday/Tuesday)
Night of worship and meditation to Lord Shiva

Holi Purnima - March 08/09 (Thursday/Friday)
Festival of Prahlad (Bhakti), Lord Shiva protects and saves his Bhaktas

Ramayana Week - Spring Navaratri - March 23 (Friday)
9 days of fasting in honour to the Holy Mother

Rama Navami - April 01 (Sunday)
Birthday of Lord Rama

Hanuman Jayanti (Chaitra Purnima) - April 06 (Friday)
Festival of Sri Hanumanji (Seva)

Buddha Purnima - May 06 (Sunday)
Celebration of Buddha's Birthday

Vata Purnima - June 04 (Monday)
Women pray for their husbands' long life

Guru Purnima - July 03 (Tuesday)
Festival of the Guru, Birthday of Maharishi Ved-Vyasa

Sri Devpuriji's Mahasamadhi - July 20 (Friday)
(western calendar: August 14, Tuesday)

Swamiji's Birthday - July 21 (Saturday)
(western calendar: August 15, Wednesday)

Rakhi Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) - August 02 (Thursday)
Festival of brothers and sisters

Sri Krishna Jayanti (Janmashthami) - August 10 (Friday)
Birthday of Lord Krishna

Holy Guruji's Birthday - August 18 (Saturday)
(western calendar: September 11, Tuesday)

Adhik Bhadrapad Purnima - August 31 (Friday)
Extra month in Moon calendar

Ganesh Chaturthi - September 19 (Wednesday)
Festival of Lord Ganeshji

Pitr Purnima - September 30 (Sunday)
Remembering of the ancestors

Start of Autumn Navaratri - October 16 (Tuesday)
9 days of fasting in honour to the Holy Mother

Vijaya Dashami (Dassera) - October 24 (Wednesday)
Festival of Holy Mother Durga, day of victory of the good over evil, "Day of Enlightenment"

Sharad Purnima - October 29 (Monday)
Nectar from the Moon (Kheer)

Deepavali (Diwali) - November 13 (Tuesday)
Festival of Light, Return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya, Birthday of Mahaprabhuji

Lakshmi Puja (Vikram New Year 2069) - November 14 (Wednesday)
Festival of Goddess Lakshmi (Wealth), Indian New Year

Holy Guruji's Mahasamadhi - November 21 (Wednesday)
(western calendar: October 31, Wednesday)

Kartik Purnima (Dev Diwali) - November 28 (Wednesday)
Devas descend on Earth to honor Ganga Mata

Agrahayana Purnima - December 28 (Friday)
Vishnu and Lakshmi Puja

Sri Mahaprabhujii's Mahasamadhi - January 01, 2013 (Tuesday)
(western calendar: December 5, Wednesday)

Memorial days

UN Peace Day - September 21 (Friday)
Peace Prayers at YIDL Peace Trees

Gandhi Jayanti - October 02 (Tuesday)
Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, International day of non-violence