Amavasya

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Amavasya
Amāvásyā
Simulated image of new moon
GenreNatural phenomena
FrequencyMonthly

Amavasya (Amāvásyā) represents the lunar phase of new moon in the Hindu calendar. A calendar month ends on amavasya as per the amanta tradition of the Hindu lunar calendar.[a] Various Hindu beliefs and rituals are associated with the day. Hindu festivals including Diwali are celebrated on the amavasya day of various months.

Etymology

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Amavasya is derived from Sanskrit words amā meaning "together" and vásya meaning "to dwell" or "cohabit", implying the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon in the same ecliptic longitude.[4] It can also be interpreted as "no-moon day", derived from na + ma + asya ("no" + "moon" + "there"), referring to the lunar phase when the Moon is not visible from the Earth.[5]

Description

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Amavasya and Prathama tithi
See also: Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar

In the Hindu lunar calendar, each month has 29 or 30 days. The month begins on the next day after Amavasya (new moon) or Purnima (full moon) in the amanta and purnimanta systems respectively. The amanta system is followed majorly in the South India and the purnimanta system in North India.[6] A month consists of two cycles– Shukla Paksha (waning moon) and Krishna Paksha (waxing moon), consisting of 15 days each. Days in each cycle is labeled as a thithi, with each thithi representing the different phases of the moon and repeating twice in a month.[7][8] Amavasya corresponds to the period when the Moon is within 12 degrees of angular distance from the Sun before their conjunction.[9]

Tradition and beliefs

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Worship of ancestors during Pitru Paksha

In Hindu culture, Amavasya day is considered a time of significance to propitiate the Sun, the Moon and other Gods.[10] People observe fasting on the day, with the belief that all desires could be fulfilled if one fasts on this Amavasya.[11] When the new moon day falls on a Monday, it is observed as Somvati Amavasya. [12] Married women observe fast and pray to lord Shiva for the well being of their husbands.[13]

Amavasya is particularly associated with worship of ancestors (pitrs). People take holy dips in rivers and perform special pujas. It is considered the time to perform rituals (Śrāddha) to the ancestors. Memorial rituals such as tarpana, and offering of pinda (cooked rice and flour balls mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds) are performed for the oblation of the departed souls of the forefathers.[14]

The dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the month of Bhadrapada is known as Pitru Paksha and is reserved for the veneration of the dead. The period ends on the Mahalaya Amavasya day, on which Hindus pay homage to their ancestors through special offerings. As per Hindu scriptures, it has been ordained that offerings made during this period benefit all the departed souls with the grace of Yama.[15][16][17] Kush Amavasya is observed on the same amavasya day of the month of Bhadrapada, during which people collect the sacred Kusha grass which is used in various Hindu rituals.[18][19] In Southern state of Tamil Nadu, people perform rituals on Aadi Amavasai, which falls in the Tamil month of Aadi (July-August) and Thai Amavasai, which falls in the month of Thai (January-February).[20]

Festivals

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Lakshmi Puja, celebrated on the Amavasya of the month of Ashvin marks the important day of Diwali celebrations

Diwali is a five‑day Hindu festival of lights marking the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil.[21][22][23] Lakshmi Puja, celebrated on the Amavasya of the month of Ashvin marks the important day of Diwali celebrations. It is dedicated to welcoming prosperity by worshipping Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, and Ganesha, the foremost god. People light lamps (diyas), burst crackers, and do pujas.[24][25]

Shani Dev Jayanti is celebrated on Amavasya of the month of Jyeshtha. It is dedicated to Shani (Saturn), one of the navagrahas.[26] In Gujarat, Dashama Vrata, dedicated to Momai, is observed on the Amavasya of the month of Ashadha.[27][28] Sohrai is a harvest festival celebrated by tribal communities in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Observed on Amavasya of the month of Kartika, it honours cattle, agricultural land and involves paying tribute to the ancestors, and community feasting.[29] Homes are cleaned and decorated, livestock bathed and offered special meals, and the walls of houses are adorned with Sohrai art.[30]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Hindu calendar follows two various systems:Amanta and Purnimanta. As per the amanta tradition, the lunar month ends on the new moon day and as per the purnimanta tradition, it ends on the full moon day. As a consequence, in the amanta tradition, Shukla paksha (waning moon) precedes Krishna paksha (waxing moon) in every lunar month, whereas the reverse happens in purnimānta tradition. Hence, Shukla paksha will always belong to the same month in both traditions, whereas Krishna paksha will always be associated with different but succeeding months in each tradition. The Amanta tradition is officially followed by the Indian national calendar.[1][2][3]

References

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  1. ^ V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar (1993). The Gupta Polity. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 24–35. ISBN 978-81-208-1024-2.
  2. ^ "Amānta and Pūrṇimānta – Decoding Hindu Lunar Months". Divine Hindu. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Lunar months – Pūrṇimānta and Amānta system". Ekohumm. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  4. ^ "What is Amāvaśyā?" (PDF). Sampratyaya Journal. December 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Why do we call new-moon day 'Amavasyā'?". Tamil and Vedas. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Hindu calendar". Arya Samaj. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Hindu calendar". ISKCON. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ Most, Glenn W. (2006). Hesiod Volume 1: Theogony Works and Days. Harvard University Press.
  9. ^ Cole, Freedom (April–September 2014). "Amāvásya and Pratipad". Jyotish Digest. XI (2).
  10. ^ B. K. Chaturvedi (2002). Garuda Purana. Diamond Pocket Books. pp. 82–. ISBN 978-81-288-0155-6. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  11. ^ Gaṅgā Rām Garg (1992). Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World: Ak-Aq. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 370–. ISBN 978-81-7022-375-7. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  12. ^ "SomvatiAmavasya – The Sacred Significance and Observances". The Daily Guardian. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Somvati Amavasya 2024: Date, Time and Puja Vidhi". India Today. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  14. ^ "SomvatiAmavasya: The Day to Honour Ancestors and Seek Liberation". The Times of India. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Pitru-Paksha – a fortnight of venerating and honouring our ancestors". British Hindus. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Significance of Pitru Paksha, Shraaddh and Tarpan". eSamskriti. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  17. ^ "What is Purnima Shradha". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Kusha Grahani Amavasya". Hindu Blog. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  19. ^ "Bhadrapada Amavasya 2025 Date, Puja, Significance". India TV. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Aadi Amavasai 2024: Importance and Rituals in Tamil Nadu". Tamil Nadu Tourism. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Deepavali". Its Life. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  22. ^ Mead, Jean (February 2008). How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?. Evans Brothers. ISBN 978-0-237-53412-7. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  23. ^ Vasudha Narayanan; Deborah Heiligman (2008). Celebrate Diwali. National Geographic Society. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-4263-0291-6. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  24. ^ "Happy Diwali: Deepavali, Kali Puja, Naraka Chaturdasi, Ramayana, The Legends Linked To Diwali". NDTV. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Diwali 2025: Five Days of Lights, Legends and Rituals". Hinduism Today. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  26. ^ "Shani Jayanti 2025: Date, rituals, significance and top Shani Dev temples in India". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  27. ^ "Dashama Vrata". Bharat Temples. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  28. ^ "Dashama Vrat 2025: Date, Puja Vidhi and Significance". The Times of India. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  29. ^ "Sohrai – A tribal festival celebrating cattle & nature". Village Square. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  30. ^ "Sohrai Festival". Ministry of Tourism – Utsav. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
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