Telugu Calendar 12 Months
The Telugu Calendar is a traditional lunisolar calendar used by the Telugu-speaking people, primarily in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India. It is deeply tied to Hindu religious customs and is used to determine important dates for festivals, religious observances, and agricultural activities.
Telugu Months (Masalu)
Masalu: The Telugu Calendar consists of 12 lunar months, with each month beginning with a new moon. Each month is named after a star or Nakshatra. The months are:
- Chaitramu (చైత్రము) – March/April
- Vaisakhamu (వైశాఖము) – April/May
- Jyeshthamu (జ్యేష్ఠము) – May/June
- Asadhamu (ఆషాఢము) – June/July
- Sravaṇamu (శ్రావణము) – July/August
- Bhadrapadamu (భాద్రపదము) – August/September
- Asvayujamu (ఆశ్వయుజము) – September/October
- Kartikamu (కార్తికము) – October/November
- Margasirsamu (మార్గశిరము) – November/December
- Pusyamu (పుష్యము) – December/January
- Maghamu (మాఘము) – January/February
- Phalgunamu (ఫాల్గుణము) – February/March
Telugu Panchangam
The Telugu calendar follows the Panchangam, which is an almanac detailing five key elements:
- Tithi (తిథి) – Lunar day
- Varam (వారం) – Weekday
- Nakshatramu (నక్షత్రం) – Lunar mansion or constellation
- Yogamu (యోగం) – A special time period or yoga
- Karaṇamu (కరణం) – Half of a tithi
Telugu Years 60
Telugu Years follow a 60-year cycle, with each year having a unique name. These names repeat after 60 years. The current year is based on the lunisolar cycle and has a specific name in the sequence.
Important Telugu Festivals
Many Hindu festivals are observed according to the Telugu Calendar. Some important festivals include:
- Ugadi (ఉగాది) – Telugu New Year
- Sri Rama Navami (శ్రీ రామ నవమి) – a festival celebrating Lord Rama’s birth
- Vinayaka Chavithi (వినాయక చవితి) – Ganesh Chaturthi
- Dasara (దసరా) – Vijayadashami
- Deepavali (దీపావళి) – Festival of Lights
- Karthika Masam (కార్తీక మాసం) – Holy month of Karthika
- Sankranti (సంక్రాంతి) – Harvest festival
Adhika Masam
Leap Month (Adhika Masa): Since the Telugu calendar is a lunisolar system, a leap month, called Adhika Masa, is added approximately every three years to synchronize the lunar and solar calendars.