The Tamil calendar is a sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people. It is used in the Indian subcontinent, and other countries with significant Tamil population like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and Mauritius. It is used in contemporary times for cultural, religious and agricultural events, with the Gregorian calendar largely used for official purposes.
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Chaitra (Sanskrit: चैत्र, romanized: Caitra) is the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Chitra nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. The month corresponds to spring (Vasanta) season and falls in March–April in the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the last month of Mina and begins with the Sun's entry into Pisces. It corresponds to Choitro, the last month in the Bengali calendar, and Chait, the last month in the Nepali calendar (Vikram Samvat). In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the third month of Chittirai, falling in the Gregorian months of April–May.
The Hindu calendar, also called Panchanga (Sanskrit: पञ्चाङ्ग), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a similar underlying concept for timekeeping based on sidereal year for solar cycle and adjustment of lunar cycles in every three years, but differ in their relative emphasis to moon cycle or the sun cycle and the names of months and when they consider the New Year to start. Of the various regional calendars, the most studied and known Hindu calendars are the Shalivahana Shaka (associated with the King Shalivahana and basis for the Indian national calendar) found in the Deccan region of Southern India and the Vikram Samvat (Bikrami) found in Nepal and the North and Central regions of India – both of which emphasize the lunar cycle. Their new year starts in spring. In regions such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the solar cycle is emphasized and this is called the Tamil calendar (though Tamil Calendar uses month names like in Hindu Calendar) and Malayalam calendar and these have origins in the second half of the 1st millennium CE. A Hindu calendar is sometimes referred to as Panchangam (पञ्चाङ्गम्), which is also known as Panjika in Eastern India.
The ancient Hindu calendar conceptual design is also found in the Babylonian calendar, the Chinese calendar, and the Hebrew calendar, but different from the Gregorian calendar. Unlike the Gregorian calendar which adds additional days to the month to adjust for the mismatch between twelve lunar cycles (354 lunar days) and approximately 365 solar days, the Hindu calendar maintains the integrity of the lunar month, but inserts an extra full month, once every 32–33 months, to ensure that the festivals and crop-related rituals fall in the appropriate season.
Phalguna or Phagun is the twelfth and last month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Pushya nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. The month corresponds to the end of the winter (Shishira) season and falls in January–February of the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Kumbha and begins with the Sun's entry into Aquarius. It corresponds to Falgun, the eleventh month in the Bengali calendar and Vikram Samvat. In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the twelfth and last month of Panguni, falling in the Gregorian months of March–April. In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the twelfth month of Govinda.
Vaisakha (Sanskrit: वैशाख, IAST: Vaiśākha) is the second month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Vishākhā nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. It corresponds to April–May in the Gregorian calendar. The month corresponds to the end of the spring (Vasanta) season and falls in April–May of the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Mesha and begins with the Sun's entry into Aries. It corresponds to Boishakh, the first month in the Bengali calendar. In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the third month of Vaikasi, falling in the Gregorian months of May–June. In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the third month of Madhusudanah.
Ashvin (/əˈʃwɪn/; Sanskrit: आश्विन; Malay/Indonesian: Aswin; Thai: Asawin), or Ashwin, also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Ashvini nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. The month corresponds to the autumn (Sharada) season and falls in September–October of the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Kanya and begins with the Sun's entry into Virgo. It corresponds to Ashshin, the sixth month in the Bengali calendar. In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the seventh month of Aipasi, falling in the Gregorian months of October–November. In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the seventh month of Padmanabha.
Kārtika, Karttika or Kartik is the eighth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Kṛttikā nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. The month corresponds to the autumn season and falls in October–November of the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Tula and begins with the Sun's entry into Libra. It corresponds to Kartik, the seventh month in the Bengali calendar, and Kartika, the seventh month in Vikram Samvat. In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the eighth month of Karthigai, falling in the Gregorian months of November–December. In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the eighth month of Damodara.
Bhadrapada is the sixth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar. The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra (star) on the full moon day. The month corresponds to the monsoon (Varsha) seasonand falls in August–September of the Gregorian calendar.
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Simha and begins with the Sun's entry into Leo. It corresponds to Bhadro, the fifth month in the Bengali calendar. In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the sixth month of Purattasi, falling in the Gregorian months of September–October. In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the sixth month of Hrishikesha.