2. Introduction
In this calendar, you will find a regular calendar with the dates marked in English and in Devanagari. There are also fabulous
pictures and some “articles” written by the Elementary School kids!!! (With some help, support, and encouragement from the
parents) The articles tell you in more detail about some of the festivals in the Hindu culture. The calendar not only shows
festivals but also when full moon is and when new moon is for each month.
The purpose of this calendar that the kids worked so hard on is to let the kids learn and understand about the Hindu festivals and
the calendaring system.
The Shukla paksha or Shuddha Paksha Calendar
There are many calendaring systems in India but the one the kids will be using is called the Shukla paksha calendaring system.
The Shukla paksha calendaring system is a system that began long ago, 2067 years ago to be precise. It was started by a king
named Shukla paksha. The calendar is moon based. There are 14-15 days when the moon is waxing. This group of days is
called Shuddha paksha or Shukla paksha. Then, there are 14-15 days when the moon is waning. This group of days is called
Krishna paksha. The calendar starts on Nava Varsha Din. It is named in many ways such as Ugadhi, Gudhi Padava, Ishu.
Everybody has put a lot of effort into this project. We hope you will enjoy this Calendar (and its convenience) as we all did.
Words to Note
Krishna paksha
Shuddha paksha/Shukla paksha
Waning: A time when the moon gets smaller.
Waxing: A time when the moon gets bigger.
3.
4. चैत्र शक १९३३ Chaitra Shake 1933
े April - May 2011
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068 Vasant Rutu
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
२ ३ ४ ५ ६ ७
१ 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ugadhi/Gudhi
Padava
८ 11 ९ 12 १० 13 ११ 14 १२ 15 १३ 16 १४ 17
Ram Navami Tamil New Year/
Varusha Paruppu
१५/१ 18 २ 19 ३ 20 ४ 21 ५ 22 ६ 23 ७ 24
८ 25 ९ 26 १० 27 ११ 28 १२ 29 १३ 30 १३ 1
१४ 2 ३० 3
5.
6. वैशाख शक १९३३
े May-June 2011
Vaishakh Shake 1933 Vasant
Vikram Sambat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 4 २ 5 ३ 6 ४ 7 ५ 8
Akshay Tritiya Adi Shankara
Jayanti
६ 9 ७ 10 ८ 11 ९ 12 १०/११ 13 १२ 14 १३ 15
१४ 16 १५ 17 १ 18 २ 19 ३ 20 ४ 21 ५ 22
Buddha Purnima
६ 23 ७ 24 ८ 25 ९ 26 १० 27 ११ 28 १२ 29
१३ 30 १४ 31 ३० 1
7. Guru Poornima
For Hindus around the world, Guru Poornima is considered a very special day. Guru Poornima occurs once a
year, during the first full moon in July. This year, in 2011, it comes on Sunday, July 15th.
What is Guru Poornima?
It is believed that this date originally celebrated the birth of Veda Vyasa, Vyasa was a great saint who lived more
than 5,000 years ago, composing the famous Bhagavad Gita and other seminal works still widely in use today. As
time went on, Guru Poornima became a day to honor not only Vyasa, but every Guru.
What is the meaning of Guru Poornima?
In Sanskrit, ‘Gu’ means “ignorance” and Ru means “remover of”. Thus, a Guru is someone who removes our
ignorance. Poornima indicates a full moon. Guru Poornima is a celebration of the fullness of the Guru, the person
who removes ignorance. It is symbolic that it is celebrated in July, when the moon shines brightly and the
summer season is at its height.
The imagery of the full moon at night illuminating the landscape in summer’s fullness is symbolic of the Guru
removing the devotee’s ignorance with the light of his or her wisdom.
How is Guru Poornima Celebrated?
On the day of Guru Poornima, people go to the temples and offer worships to the respective Gurus. After the
worship, the prasad is distributed among the people. People also exchange gifts and greetings between family
members, relatives, and friends. Women dress themselves in traditional sarees and decorate themselves with
traditional jewelry. Men also wear new clothes. Traditional dances and music are performed to pay homepage to
the gurus. People cook mouthwatering delicacies and have meals together.
8. ज्मेष्ठ शक १९३३
े June–July 2011
Jyeshtha Shake 1933 Greeshma Rutu
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 2 २ 3 ३ 4 ४ 5
५ 6 ६ 7 ७ 8 ८ 9 ९ 10 १० 11 ११ 12
१२/१३ 13 १४ 14 १५ 15 १ 16 २ 17 ३ 18 ४ 19
Shivaji coronation
Hindu Sangathan
Divas
५ 20 ६ 21 ७ 22 ८ 23 ८ 24 ९ 25 १० 26
११ 27 १२ 28 १३ 29 १४ 30 ३० 1
9.
10. आषाढ शक १९३३
े July 2011 Guru Purnima is a special day celebrated on the full moon
Aashaadh shake 1933 Greeshma (purnima) day of the month of Aashaadh, to pay homage to all
Vikram Sambat 2067-2068 teachers (Guru's) - July 15th (Aashaadh 30th)
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 2 २ 3
३ 4 ४/५ 5 ६ 6 ७ 7 ८ 8 ९ 9 १० 10
Independence Day
११ १२ १३ १४ १ २
11 12 13 14
१५ 15 16 17
Guru
Purnima
३ 18 ४ 19 ५ 20 ६ 21 ७ 22 ८ 23 ९ 24
१० 25 ११ 26 १२ 27 १३ 28 १४ 29 ३० 30
Amavasai
11.
12. .
Krishna
This is the story of Krishna. He has pale blue skin and he has a peacock
feather in his crown. He always carries a flute and loves butter. With
lots of boys, he made a prymaid to get butter that was high above the
ground! His first mother was Devaki and father was Vasudev. Krishna's
father took him to Yashoda and Nand dev. When Krishna was young, he
was very naughty. When ladies carried milk on their heads, Krishna shot
the pot with a rock! Krishna's best friend was Bal Ram. One day, his
friend was crying. His cows drank poisonous water. Krishna went into
the water to fight the snake who poisoned the water. A big crowd came...
only to find Krishna dancing on the snake's head! When he grew older,
he fought the evil king, Kamsa. Krishna is a great god.
13.
14. Shravana Shudha 1933 - 2011 July 2011 – August 2011
Varsha Rutu
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 31
२ 1 ३ 2 ४ 3 ५ 4 ६/७ 5 ८ 6 ९ 7
Naag Panchami
१० ११ १२ १३ १४ १
8 9 10 11 12
१५ 13 14
Poornima O
Raksha Bandhan
२ 15 ३ 16 ४ 17 ४ 18 ५ 19 ६ 20 ७ 21
India Independence Janmashtami
day
८ 22 ९ 23 १० 24 ११ 25 १२ 26 १३ 27 १४ 28
३० 29
Amavasya ●
15.
16. बाद्रऩद शक १९३३
े August - September 2011
Bhhadrapada Shake 1933 Varsha Rutu
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
३०/१ 29 २ 30 ३ 31 ४ 1 ५ 2 ६ 3 ७ 4
गणेश चतथी
ु
८ 5 ९ 6 १० 7 ११ 8 १२ 9 १३ 10 १४ 11
अनंत चतददशी, गणेश
ु
ववसर्दन
१५ 12 १ 13 २ 14 ३ 15 ४ 16 ५ 17 ६ 18
७ 19 ८ 20 ९ 21 १० 22 ११ 23 १२ 24 १३ 25
१४ 26 ३० 27
17.
18. Aashvin Shake 2011 September 2011 – October 2011
1933 Sharad Rutu
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 28 २/३ 29 ४ 30 ५ 1 ६ 2
Navaratra Day 1 Gandhi Jayanti
७ 3 ८ 4 ९ 5
१० 6 ११ 7 १२ 8 १३ 9
Vijaya Dashami,
Budha Jayanti
१४ 10 १५ 11 १५ 12 १ 13 २ 14 ३ 15 ४ 16
Kojagiri Purnima Ashwin Purnima
५ 17 ६ 18 ७ 19 ८ 20 ९ 21 १० 22 ११ 23
१२ 24 १३/१४ 25 ३० 26
Dhana Trayodashi Diwali Day 1 and 2
Narak Chaturdashi,
Laxmi pooja
19. The Pandavas are the five brave and famous sons of king Pandu, by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira,
Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva.
Yudhishthira was very wise and honest, Bheema was exceptionally strong and a good cook, Arjuna was very brave and skilled at
archery, Nakula and Sahadeva are always very helpful and obedient, Nakula was very good in Astronomy, these are five
expectionally talented brothers whose good nature made their kaurava cousins very jealous. Things only got worse when
Duryodhana found that everyone wanted Yudhishthira as king. Duryodhana harboured intense hatred for the five brothers
throughout his childhood and youth, and following the vile advice of his maternal uncle Shakuni, often plotted to get rid of them
to clear his path to be the king of Hastinapur.
Shakuni and Duryodhana gave money to some workers to construct a palace in Varnavata, which was built by incorporating
flammable materials and sealing wax (lakha ghray). Duryodhana then successfully convinced this father Dhritarashtra to send
Yudhisthira to represent the royal family in Varnavata during the celebrations of Shiva Mahotsava. The plan was to set the palace
on fire during the night while Yudhisthira would likely be asleep. As Yudhisthira left for Varnavata, accompanied by his four
brothers and mother Kunti, fortunately for the Pandavas, the plan was discovered by their uncle Vidura, who was very loyal to
them and an extraordinarily wise man. Vidura arranged for a tunnel to be secretly built for the Pandavs to safely escape the wax
palace as it was set afire. After their flee from the wax palace, the five brothers lived in the forests for some time, in the disguise
of Brahmins where Bheema killed the bad demon Bakasura who was creating havoc among the kingdom of Ekachakra. Bakasura
forced the Raja of the place to send him daily a large quantity of food, which he devoured along with the men who carried the
food. Bhima volunteered to take the food for Bakasura and when he reached their for the delivery by not seeing the demon he
started eating rice when Bakasura saw him eating his food he got mad and they broke into a big fight in which Bhima killed him.
When Dhritarashtra heard that the five brothers were alive, he invited them back to the kingdom, however in their absence,
Duryodhana had succeeded in being made the crown prince. Upon the return of the Pandavas, the issue of returning
Yudhisthira's crown to him was raised. Dhritarashtra led the subsequent discussions and agreed to a partition of the kingdom "to
do justice to both crown princes". He kept Hastinapura for himself and Duryodhana, and gave the barren and hostile lands of
Khandavaprastha to the Pandavas. The Pandavas successfully developed their land and built a great and lavish/grand city which
was considered comparable to the heavens, and known as Indraprastha.
20. Reeling under the loss of half the lands of his future kingdom, Duryodhana's jealousy and rage were further fueled by
the Pandavas' success and prosperity at Indraprastha. Eventually, Shakuni made plan and invited Pandavas over for a
game of dice (gambling). Shakuni was a master at gambling and owned a pair of dice which magically did his bidding and
produced numbers desired by him, the terms of which were that the loser would be condemned to 12 years of exile into
forests, and a 13th year to be spent incognito, and if the cover be blown during the 13th year, another cycle of 13 years
would start. Obeying their uncle's orders, the Pandavas played the round, and again lost to Shakuni's cheating. During
the 12 years of exile in the forest, they prepared for war. Arjuna performed penance and won the entire gamut of
celestial weapons (Divyasatras) as boons from the Gods. The 13th year was spent masquerading as peasants in the royal
family of Virata, the king of Matsya, where Bhima acted as cook, Draupadi was queens maid, Arjuna was an dance
teacher to royal princess, nakul and sahadev were stable guards and Yudhisthira was royal adviser of the king. Queen’s
brother (Keechaka) was a bad person who was bothering Draupadi, Bhima got mad at his behavior and killed him. When
Duryodhana came to know about this he raised war against Virata in which Pandavas helped Virata win the battle.
Upon completion of the terms of the last bet, the Pandavas returned and demand their kingdom to be rightfully
returned to them. Duryodhana refused to turn Indraprastha over. For the sake of peace, and to avert a disastrous war,
Krishna proposed that if the king agrees to give the Pandavas only five villages, they would be satisfied and would make
no more demands. Duryodhana refused to part even with land as much as the point of a needle. Thus they declared a
war against Pandavas and their supporters, for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all.
It was their courage and skill that helped the Pandavas princes survive several evil plans of their cousins and their uncle
Shakuni, together, the brothers fought and won in a great war against their cousins the Kauravas, which came to be
known as the battle of Kurukshetra, where Lord Krishna recited Geeta.
21.
22. कानतदक शक १९३३
े October- November 2011
Kartik Shake 1933 Sharad Rutu
Vikram Sambat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
1 27 २ 28 ३ 29 ४ 30
Diwali 3 – Bali
Diwali 4 - Dooj
pratipada, paadava
५ 31 ६ 1 ७ 2 ८ 3 ९ 4 १० 5 ११ 6
१२ 7 १३ 8 १४ 9 १५ 10 १ 11 २ 12 ३ 13
Guru Nanak
Jayanti
४ 14 ५ 15 ६ 16 ७ 17 ८ 18 ९ 19 १० 20
११ 21 १२ 22 १३ 23 १४ 24 ३० 25
23.
24. भागदशीषद शक १९३३
े November 2011 – December 2011
Maargasheer Shake 1933 Sharad Rutu
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१/२ 26 ३ 27
४ 28 ५ 29 ६ 30 ७ 1 ८ 2 ९ 3 १० 4
१० 5 ११ 6 १२ 7 १३ 8 १४ 9 १५ 10 १ 11
Geeta Jayanti
२ 12 ३ 13 ४ 14 ५ 15 ६ 16 ७ 17 ८ 18
९ 19 १० 20 ११ 21 १२/१३ 22 १४ 23 ३० 24
25.
26. ऩौष शक १९३३ Poush Shake 1933
े December 2011 – January 2012 Makar Sankrant or Pongal is a major harvest festival. Makar
Sankrant, or Pongal, marks the transition of the Sun
Vikram Sambat 2067-2068 Hemant Rutu
into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path.
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 25
२ 26 ३ 27 ४ 28 ५ 29 ६ 30 ७ 31 ८ 1
९ 2 १० 3 ११ 4 १२ 5 १३ 6 १४ 7 १५ 8
१ 9 २ 10 ३ 11 ४ 12 ५ 13 ६ 14 ७ 15
Makar
Sankrant/Pongal
८ 16 ९ 17 १० 18 ११ 19 १२ 20 १३ 21 १४ 22
३० 23
27.
28. भाघ शक १९३३ Maagh Shake 1933
े January 2012 – February 2012 Mahashivratri is the festival in which people honor Shiva, the god of
Shishir Rutu destruction. The festival is mainly celebrated by offering citrus tree
Vikram Sambat 2067-2068 leaves to Lord Shiva, all day fasting and practically no sleep during
the night.
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 24 २ 25 ३ 26 ४ 27 ५ 28 ६ 29
७ 30 ८ 31 ९ 1 १० 2 ११ 3 १२ 4 १३ 5
१४ 6 १ 7 2 8 ३ 9 ४ 10 ५ 11 ६ 12
Mahashivratri
७ 13 ८ 14 ९ 15 १० 16 ११ 17 १२ 18 १३ 19
१४ 20 ३० 21
29.
30. पाल्गन शक १९३३ Faalgun Shake 1933
ु े February 2012 – March 2012 Holi is the festival of colors and marks the end of winter. This was
Shishir Rutu the day demoness Holika was burnt to death by Pralhad with the
Vikram Samvat 2067-2068 help of God Bramha. She was the sister of King HiRaNyaKaShyaPu.
सोभवाय Monday भंगळवाय Tuesday फुधवाय Wednesday गरुवाय Thursday
ु शुक्रवाय Friday शननवाय Saturday यवववाय Sunday
१ 22 २ 23 ३ 24 ४ 25 ५ 26 ६ 27
७ 28 ८ 1 ९ 2 १० 3 ११ 4 १२ 5 १३ 6
१४ 7 १५ 8 १ 9 २/३ 10 ४ 11 ५ 12 ६ 13
Holi
७ 14 ८ 15 ९ 16 १० 17 ११ 18 १२ 19 १३ 20
१४ 21 ३० 22