Question 1

Why is Akshaya Tritiya considered auspicious at any hour?

Accepted Answer

"Akshaya" means undiminishing. The tradition holds that whatever is begun, given or acquired on this Tithi does not decay, and the day is counted among the three and a half Abujha (self-evident) Muhurats — along with Gudi Padwa, Vijayadashami and the half-Muhurat of Bali Pratipada — for which no separate Muhurat calculation is required. That said, most families still check the Panchang for Rahu Kaal and avoid it even on this day.

Question 2

Is Vaisakha the same as the Baisakhi harvest festival?

Accepted Answer

They are related but not identical. Baisakhi is a solar observance, fixed to the Sun's entry into Mesha (Aries) around 13-14 April, and marks the harvest in Punjab and the founding of the Khalsa. The lunar month Vaisakha usually overlaps it but begins on a New Moon or Full Moon and therefore shifts against the Gregorian date each year. The shared name comes from the same Vishakha Nakshatra.

Question 3

Which Avatars are remembered in Vaisakha?

Accepted Answer

Three, unusually close together. Parashurama Jayanti falls on Shukla Tritiya (the same day as Akshaya Tritiya), Narasimha Jayanti on Shukla Chaturdashi at twilight — the hour named in the Narasimha story — and Kurma Jayanti on the Full Moon. Sita Navami on Shukla Navami is counted alongside them in many almanacs.

Question 4

How long does the month of Vaisakha last?

Accepted Answer

A lunar month runs about 29.5 days — the time the Moon takes to return to the same phase relative to the Sun. Because that figure is not a whole number of days and the Moon's speed varies, Vaisakha does not begin at the same clock time each year, and its length can differ by several hours from one year to the next. The begin and end timestamps listed above are computed for your own location rather than quoted from a fixed table.

Question 5

Why do the Amanta and Purnimanta dates for Vaisakha differ?

Accepted Answer

They are two different conventions for where a month starts. An Amanta month runs New Moon to New Moon and is the standard across South and West India — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Gujarat. A Purnimanta month runs Full Moon to Full Moon and is standard across North India. The Purnimanta Vaisakha therefore begins about a fortnight earlier and its dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) comes first, while in the Amanta reckoning the bright fortnight comes first. The two systems agree on which Tithi a given day is; they disagree only on which month to file it under. Use the toggle above to switch between them.

Question 6

Can Vaisakha occur twice in one year?

Accepted Answer

Yes, though rarely. Twelve lunar months fall about eleven days short of a solar year, so roughly every 32 or 33 months an extra month — Adhika Maas, also called Mala Maas or Purushottama Maas — is inserted to keep the lunar calendar aligned with the seasons. The extra month takes the name of the month that follows it, so an Adhika Vaisakha is followed by a Nija (true) Vaisakha. Rites of passage such as weddings, sacred-thread ceremonies and house-warmings are traditionally deferred out of the Adhika month, while recitation, charity and pilgrimage are held to be especially meritorious in it.

2026 Vaisakha

About the month of Vaisakha

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