Chaitra

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For the films, see Chaitra (2002 film) and Chaitra (2023 film).
Chaitra
Krishna with his beloved in the month of Chaitra, a Jaipur miniature painting from the National Museum, Warsaw
Native nameचैत्र (Sanskrit)
CalendarHindu calendar
Month number1
Number of days29 or 30
SeasonVasanta (Spring)
Gregorian equivalentMarch–April
Significant days
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Chaitra (Sanskrit: चैत्र, romanized: Caitra) is the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar.[1][2] The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Chitra nakshatra (star) on the full moon day.[3] The month corresponds to spring (Vasanta) season and falls in March–April in the Gregorian calendar.[4]

In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the last month of Mina and begins with the Sun's entry into Pisces.[5][6] It corresponds to Choitro, the last month in the Bengali calendar, and Chait, the last month in the Nepali calendar (Vikram Samvat).[5][7] In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the third month of Chittirai, falling in the Gregorian months of April–May.[5][8]

In the Sindhi lunisolar calendar, the first month is referred to as Chet and is marked by the celebration of the Cheti Chand (birth of Jhulelal, an incarnation of Vishnu).[9] In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the first month of Visnu.[10][11]

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) as per amanta and purnimanta systems respectively. A month consists of two cycles of 15 days each, Shukla Paksha (waning moon) and Krishna Paksha (waxing moon). Days in each cycle is labeled as a thithi, with each thithi repeating twice in a month.[12][13]

Festivals

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The first day of the month is celebrated as the Hindu New Year's Day, known as Gudi Padwa in Gujarat and Maharashtra,[14][15] Puthandu in Tamil Nadu,[16] Vishu in Kerala,[17][18] and Ugadi in Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.[19] In West Bengal, Basanti Puja, Annapurna Puja, Ram Navami, Neel Puja, and Chorok Puja are held consecutively before the beginning of Bengali New Year on Poila Baishakh.[20]

The month is also associated with the departure of spring.[21] Holi, the Hindu spring festival of colours, is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) of Phalguna, the month before Chaitra, exactly six days after which the Chaiti form of the Chhath festival is observed.[22][23] Ram Navami, which commemorates the birth of the Hindu god Rama, is celebrated on Navami (ninth lunar day) thithi of the Shukla Paksha (waning moon) of the month.[24] Hanuman Jayanti, dedicated to Hanuman, is observed on the Purnima day of the month.[25]

Chitra Pournami is observed on the full moon day (Pournami) of the Tamil month of Chithirai (April–May) and is dedicated to Chitragupta, the divine accountant for Yama.[26] People take a holy bath in rivers or temple tanks on this day to cleanse the sins of the past.[27] Other rituals include special pujas to Indra, offerings of rice, and Kavadi Attam dedicated to Murugan. [28]

In lunar calendar, Chaitra begins with the new moon day and is the first month of the year. The first day of Chaitra is marked as the Chaitra Navaratri, the lunar new year.[29][30] Navadurga (nine forms of the goddess Durga) starts from Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.[31]

According to Jain texts, Mahavira was born on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the moon in the month of Chaitra in 599 BCE (Chaitra Sud 13). Jains celebrate Mahavir Janma Kalyanak commemorating the same.[32][33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kenneth W. Morgan, ed. (1987). The Religion Of The Hindus. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 96. ISBN 978-8-120-80387-9.
  2. ^ "Significance of Chaitra – first month in Hindu calendar". IndiaPost News. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  3. ^ Garima Garg (2022). Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures. Penguin Random House. p. 75. ISBN 978-9-354-92705-8.
  4. ^ Helene Henderson, ed. (2005). Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary (Third ed.). Detroit: Omnigraphics. p. xxix. ISBN 978-0-780-80982-6.
  5. ^ a b c Robert Sewell; John Faithful Fleet (1989). The Siddhantas and the Indian Calendar. Asian Educational Services. p. 334.
  6. ^ "Hindu Panchang". Hindu Net. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  7. ^ "Nepali Calendar 2081 Chaitra". Nepali Date Today. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Tamil Calendar – Months". Time and Date. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Cheti Chand 2025: Date, Time, Muhurat, Significance And Rituals For Sindhi New Year". Daily Jagran. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Vaisnava Calendar Reminder Services – About Calendar". Vaisnava Calendar. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Something about the Vaisnava Calendar". ISVARA. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Hindu calendar". ISKCON. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Hindu calendar". Arya Samaj. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Gudi Padwa 2025: All you need to know about this auspicious day". India Today. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Gudi Padawa". Hindu Gujrati. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Puthandu 2025: Know the date, history, significance, celebrations of Tamil New Year". The Indian Express. 13 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Vishu 2025: Date, history and significance, know all about Malayalam New Year". NDTV. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Chaitra Vishu". Prarthana. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  19. ^ "Ugadi". Hindu Utsav. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  20. ^ "Bengali New Year to Be Celebrated on April 15". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  21. ^ "Holika Dahan 2025: Check date, time significance, puja rituals and more". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  22. ^ "Phalguna Month 2025: Start and End Date". The Times of India. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  23. ^ "When is Chaiti Chhath Puja in 2025? Know the Chhath Puja date, timing, history and important rituals here". India Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  24. ^ "Ram Navami 2025: Date, Origin, Timings, Celebrations, & Significance". The Indian Express. 6 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Hanuman Jayanti 2025: Date, History And Significance Of This Festival". NDTV. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  26. ^ "Chitra Pournami". South Indian Society. 18 Apr 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  27. ^ "Why Is Chitra Pournami Celebrated?". Astro Ulagam. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  28. ^ "Chitra Pournami: Embracing Divine Blessings". Varnam Malaysia. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  29. ^ "Chaitra Navratri 2025: Start and End Date in India – History, Importance & Significance". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  30. ^ "Navratri 2023: Date — Chaitra Navratri". Bhakti Bharat. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  31. ^ "Navratri 2025 date: When is Chaitra Navratri, Ram Navami? Check rituals and a guide to all nine forms of Maa Durga". The Economic Times. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  32. ^ (India), Gujarat (1975). Gazetteers: Junagadh. p. 13.
  33. ^ Kristi L. Wiley (2004). Historical Dictionary of Jainism. Lanham. p. 134.
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