Chaitra: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia

 

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| image = Jaipur Chaitra month.jpg

| image = Jaipur Chaitra month.jpg

| alt =

| alt =

| caption = [[Krishna]] with his beloved in Chaitra, a [[Jaipur]] miniature painting from the [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]], [[Warsaw]]

| caption = [[Krishna]] with his beloved in Chaitra, a [[Jaipur]] miniature painting from the [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]], [[Warsaw]]

| native_name = {{Native name|sa|चैत्र}}

| native_name = {{Native name|sa|चैत्र}}

| calendar = [[Hindu calendar]]

| calendar = [[Hindu calendar]]

| num = 1

| num = 1

| days = 31

| days =

| season = [[Spring (season)|Spring]]

| season = [[ (season)|Spring]]

| gregorian = [[March]]–[[April]]

| gregorian = [[March]][[April]]

| holidays =

| holidays =

* [[Chaitra Navaratri]]

* [[Chaitra Navaratri]]

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| next_month = [[Vaisakha]]

| next_month = [[Vaisakha]]

}}

}}

{{Hinduism}}

”’Chaitra”’ ({{Langx|sa|चैत्र|translit=Caitra}}) is the first [[month]] of the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu]] [[lunar calendar]] and the [[Indian national calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Kenneth W. Morgan|title=The Religion Of The Hindus|year= 1987|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=978-8-120-80387-9|page=96}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiapost.com/significance-of-chaitra-first-month-in-hindu-calendar/|title=Significance of Chaitra – first month in Hindu calendar|work=IndiaPost News|access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> The name of the month is derived from the position of the [[Moon]] near the [[Chitra (nakshatra)|Chitra]] [[nakshatra]] (star) on the [[full moon]] day.<ref>{{cite book|title=Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures|author=Garima Garg|year=2022|isbn=978-9-354-92705-8|publisher=[[Penguin Random House]]|page=75}}</ref> It corresponds to March&ndash;April in the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Helene Henderson|year=2005|title=Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary|edition=Third|location=[[Detroit]]|publisher=Omnigraphics|page=xxix|isbn=978-0-780-80982-6}}</ref>

”’Chaitra”’ ({{Langx|sa|चैत्र|translit=Caitra}}) is the first [[month]] of the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu]] [[lunar calendar]] and the [[Indian national calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Kenneth W. Morgan|title=The Religion Of The Hindus|year= 1987|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=978-8-120-80387-9|page=96}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiapost.com/significance-of-chaitra-first-month-in-hindu-calendar/|title=Significance of Chaitra – first month in Hindu calendar|work=IndiaPost News|access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> The name of the month is derived from the position of the [[Moon]] near the [[Chitra (nakshatra)|Chitra]] [[nakshatra]] (star) on the [[full moon]] day.<ref>{{cite book|title=Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures|author=Garima Garg|year=2022|isbn=978-9-354-92705-8|publisher=[[Penguin Random House]]|page=75}}</ref> corresponds to March&ndash;April in the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Helene Henderson|year=2005|title=Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary|edition=Third|location=[[Detroit]]|publisher=Omnigraphics|page=xxix|isbn=978-0-780-80982-6}}</ref>

In the Hindu [[solar calendar]], it corresponds to the last month of [[Mina (month)|Mina]] and begins with the [[Sun]]’s entry into [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]].<ref name=”Siddhantha”>{{cite book|title=The Siddhantas and the Indian Calendar|author1=Robert Sewell|author2=John Faithful Fleet|year=1989|publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]]|page=334}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindunet.org/home/interfaith_relations/hirani/hindu_panchang.htm |title=Hindu Panchang|work=Hindu Net|access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> It corresponds to [[Choitro]], the last month in the [[Bengali calendar]], and Chait, the last month in the Nepali calendar ([[Vikram Samvat]]).<ref name=”Siddhantha”/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nepalidatetoday.co/pages/year/nepali-calendar-2081/chaitra/|title=Nepali Calendar 2081 Chaitra|work=Nepali Date Today|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> In the [[Tamil calendar]], it corresponds to the third month of [[Chittirai]], falling in the Gregorian months of April&ndash;May.<ref name=”Siddhantha”/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/tamil-calendar.html|title=Tamil Calendar – Months |work=Time and Date |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

In the Hindu [[solar calendar]], it corresponds to the last month of [[Mina (month)|Mina]] and begins with the [[Sun]]’s entry into [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]].<ref name=”Siddhantha”>{{cite book|title=The Siddhantas and the Indian Calendar|author1=Robert Sewell|author2=John Faithful Fleet|year=1989|publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]]|page=334}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindunet.org/home/interfaith_relations/hirani/hindu_panchang.htm |title=Hindu Panchang|work=Hindu Net|access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> It corresponds to [[Choitro]], the last month in the [[Bengali calendar]], and Chait, the last month in the Nepali calendar ([[Vikram Samvat]]).<ref name=”Siddhantha”/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nepalidatetoday.co/pages/year/nepali-calendar-2081/chaitra/|title=Nepali Calendar 2081 Chaitra|work=Nepali Date Today|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> In the [[Tamil calendar]], it corresponds to the third month of [[Chittirai]], falling in the Gregorian months of April&ndash;May.<ref name=”Siddhantha”/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/tamil-calendar.html|title=Tamil Calendar – Months |work=Time and Date |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

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 (Hinduism)|Jhulelal]], an incarnation of [[Vishnu]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thedailyjagran.com/spiritual/cheti-chand-2025-date-time-muhurat-significance-and-rituals-for-sidhi-new-year-10226689.html|title=Cheti Chand 2025: Date, Time, Muhurat, Significance And Rituals For Sindhi New Year |work=Daily Jagran|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> In the [[Vaishnav]] calendar, it corresponds to the first month of [[Visnu]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/aboutcalendar.htm|title=Vaisnava Calendar Reminder Services – About Calendar |work=Vaisnava Calendar |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.isvara.org/archive/on-the-calendar-by-srila-prabhupada/ |title=Something about the Vaisnava Calendar |work=ISVARA |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

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 (Hinduism)|Jhulelal]], an incarnation of [[Vishnu]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thedailyjagran.com/spiritual/cheti-chand-2025-date-time-muhurat-significance-and-rituals-for-sidhi-new-year-10226689.html|title=Cheti Chand 2025: Date, Time, Muhurat, Significance And Rituals For Sindhi New Year |work=Daily Jagran|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> In the [[Vaishnav]] calendar, it corresponds to the first month of [[Visnu]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/aboutcalendar.htm|title=Vaisnava Calendar Reminder Services – About Calendar |work=Vaisnava Calendar |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.isvara.org/archive/on-the-calendar-by-srila-prabhupada/ |title=Something about the Vaisnava Calendar |work=ISVARA |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

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 [[Hindu calendar#Amānta and Purnimānta systems|amanta]] and [[Hindu calendar#Amānta and Purnimānta systems|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iskconeducationalservices.org/HoH/practice/festivals/the-hindu-calendar/|title=Hindu calendar|work=[[ISKCON]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://aryasamajhouston.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=125|title=Hindu calendar|work=[[Arya Samaj]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

==Festivals==

==Festivals==

First month of the Hindu calendar

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]

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 Rama, is celebrated in the month.^[24]

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.^[25][26] Navadurga (nine forms of the goddess Durga) starts from Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.^[27]

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.^[28][29]