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Mithila Panchang

• The Maithil Calendar
• Nakshtra Durations
• Tithi determination
• Festivals this year
• Auspicious dates this year

The Maithil Calendar

The day is reckoned from sunrise to sunrise.  Festivals, however, are performed according to Tithi.Tithi  may start anytime during the day and may last for 20 to 26 hours. Day and night have 4 prahars each.

For month both lunar and solar systems are followed. Lunar months end on full-moon day. Solar months are reckoned with Sankranti. Sankranti match with dates of Gregorian Calendar.

There are several New Years: Starting on 1 Chaitra, Chaitra Amavasya (Vikram), Mesha sankranti (Shakabda), 1 Savan (Sal). By convention, the last one is prevalent in Mithilanchal i.e. Shravan to Ashadh.

Nakshtra Durations

Given below are the commencing dates on which Sun enters a particular Nakshtra, commonly referred to as Nakshtra period:

Tithi Determination

Tithi is time period in which Moon traverses 12 degrees relative to Sun. It is geocentric, i.e., occurs at the same time throughout the world. Here we have used the Indian Standard Time(GMT +5.30) for Tithi duration  and sunrise at Darbhanga (Long. 85^o.57) for "day". Correction has to be made depending on the time of the place under consideration. It is, thus, possible that the Tithi-day is different in London or New York from that shown here. Convert the given IST to the local standard time to find the Tithi duration. Now get the local sunrise time for the day on which the Tithi is effective for the particular festival  considering the following directions:

1. The Tithi at sunrise, udayatithi, is taken as the tithi for the day for most of the festivals. Determine the  Standard times corresponding to the IST given. The tithi at sunrise of the place will be the tithi for the day.

2. Evening (Pradosh)/Night  festivals are celebrated in the Tithi falling at that hour. Chauth-Chandra, Kojagara, Deepavali, Shiva Ratri,  Holika dahan (night) are some of these. 

3. The Tithi at noon is taken for shraddha karma e.g. barshi etc.

Festivals this year 1420 Saal (4 July 2012 - 22 July 2013)

*Pradosh : First half prahar (1/8 of duration of night) i.e.about first 1.5 hours of evening is known as pradosh. Chauth Chandra, Kojagra, Deepavali, and Shivaratri  pooja are performed within this hour.If the tithi traverses pradosh on two days, the  pooja has to be performed on later day.

Address query, if any, to: drj_mishra@yahoo.co.in giving (i) Time diff. with respect to IST (ii) sunrise time of the place (iii) question (iv) name and email address.I am not an astrologer, so I cannot be of much help in deciding dates.

Auspicious Dates this year                            

Acknowledgment: Based on following Panchangs:
1. Vidyapati Panchang published by Pustak Bhandar Publishing House, Govind Mitra Road, Patna - 800 004 INDIA
     (Priced $10 by air), email: pbph@sancharnet.in, pat_siyarams@dataone.in Phones :.+ 91-612-2301 341

2. Vishwavidyalaya Panchang published by Panchang Vibhag, K.S.D.S.University, Darbhanga 846003 INDIA 

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