Indian National Calendar

Indian National Calendar

भारतीय शक संवत्

Saka Samvat — Government of India's official calendar

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About Indian National Calendar

The Indian National Calendar (Saka Samvat) was adopted by the Government of India on March 22, 1957. It is a tropical solar calendar with the Saka era (78 CE epoch) — current Saka year = Gregorian year − 78.

Its 12 months bear the traditional Hindu names — Chaitra to Phalguna — but each month begins with the Sun's tropical entry into a sign. Months are 30 or 31 days. New Year falls on Chaitra 1 (March 22, or March 21 in leap years).

Used in government gazettes, All India Radio, and Doordarshan alongside the Gregorian calendar. Unlike the Vedic and regional calendars, this is secular and pan-Indian.

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Type

Tropical solar — based on Sun's tropical motion

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Era / Samvat

Saka Samvat (epoch 78 CE)

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New Year

Chaitra 1 — March 22 (March 21 in leap years)

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The 12 Months

1
चैत्रचैत्र(Chaitra)

📅 Mar 22 – Apr 20

Year begins

2
वैशाखवैशाख(Vaishakha)

📅 Apr 21 – May 21

Buddha Purnima

3
ज्येष्ठज्येष्ठ(Jyeshtha)

📅 May 22 – Jun 21

4
आषाढ़आषाढ़(Ashadha)

📅 Jun 22 – Jul 22

Guru Purnima

5
श्रावणश्रावण(Shravana)

📅 Jul 23 – Aug 22

Raksha Bandhan

6
भाद्रभाद्रपद(Bhadra)

📅 Aug 23 – Sep 22

Ganesh Chaturthi

7
आश्विनआश्विन(Ashwin)

📅 Sep 23 – Oct 22

Navratri

8
कार्तिककार्तिक(Kartika)

📅 Oct 23 – Nov 21

Diwali

9
अग्रहायणअग्रहायण(Agrahayana)

📅 Nov 22 – Dec 21

10
पौषपौष(Pausha)

📅 Dec 22 – Jan 20

11
माघमाघ(Magha)

📅 Jan 21 – Feb 19

Makar Sankranti

12
फाल्गुनफाल्गुन(Phalguna)

📅 Feb 20 – Mar 21

Holi