Introduction — why panchanga still matters
Marathi Panchanga (मराठी पंचांग) is the traditional Hindu almanac followed in Maharashtra and by Marathi-speaking communities worldwide. The word panchanga literally means “five limbs” (पंच + अंग): five astronomical elements that together describe the quality of each day for religious and social life. Unlike the English (Gregorian) calendar, which is purely solar, panchanga is lunisolar — it tracks the Moon’s phases (tithi) while also aligning with the solar year through months like Chaitra, Vaishakha, and Ashadha.
In Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, or Mumbai flats, you will still hear: “आज कोणती तिथी आहे?”, “एकादशी कधी?”, “राहू काळ कधी?” Printed panchanga booklets from Kalnirnay-style publishers remain popular, but phone-friendly references — like our 2026 calendar — help NRIs and younger family members who think in English dates but celebrate in Marathi tradition.
This guide explains the concepts behind the numbers. For festival dates see All Festivals 2026; for daily inauspicious windows see Rahu Kaal Explained; for the Amanta vs North Indian calendar difference see Amanta vs Purnimanta.
The five limbs of panchanga (पंचांगाचे पाच अंग)
Classical panchanga lists five elements for each day. Think of them as layers: some change quickly (karana), others define the whole day’s ritual mood (tithi, nakshatra).
- Tithi (तिथी) — lunar day, 1 to 30 in a month (Shukla paksha waxing, Krishna paksha waning).
- Vaar (वार) — weekday (Ravivar to Shanivar), linked to planetary lords.
- Nakshatra (नक्षत्र) — Moon’s position among 27 lunar mansions (e.g. Rohini, Mrigashira).
- Yoga (योग) — combined Sun–Moon angular relationship; 27 yogas cycle.
- Karana (करण) — half of a tithi; 11 karanas repeat across the month.
Traditional priests and astrologers read all five before fixing a muhurat (मुहूर्त — auspicious moment). Household use often focuses on tithi (Ekadashi? Amavasya?), vaar (Rahu Kaal table), and major festival labels. Our site prioritises what most families ask first, while longer guides like Marriage Muhurat Guide go deeper into nakshatra and yoga rules.
Tithi — the lunar day (तिथी)
A tithi is not midnight-to-midnight. It ends when the Moon has traveled a certain angular distance from the Sun — roughly 12° per tithi. That is why Ekadashi vrat might begin on one English evening and end the next afternoon. Maharashtra households learn early: “तिथी संपेपर्यंत व्रत” — fast until the tithi ends, not until you wake up on the English date.
Shukla and Krishna paksha
Each lunar month has two halves:
- Shukla paksha (शुक्ल पक्ष) — bright fortnight from Amavasya toward Pournima (full moon).
- Krishna paksha (कृष्ण पक्ष) — dark fortnight from Pournima toward Amavasya.
Pratipada (प्रतिपदा) is day 1; Pournima is full moon day; Amavasya (अमावस्या) is new moon — important for pitru rites, many vrats, and month boundaries in Amanta reckoning.
Named tithis you will see on this site
- Ekadashi — 11th tithi, twice monthly; see Ekadashi 2026 Guide.
- Chaturthi — Ganesh Chaturthi, Sankashti.
- Ashtami / Navami — Durga Puja season, Rama Navami.
- Trayodashi — Pradosha vrata evenings.
On our festivals page, each row is the observance date in Mumbai IST according to commonly followed Marathi panchanga references — e.g. Gudi Padwa 2026 on 19 March (Thursday) as Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Details in Gudi Padwa 2026 Guide.
Vaar, nakshatra, yoga, and karana
Vaar (वार) — weekday
Seven days from Ravivar (Sunday) to Shanivar (Saturday). In daily life, vaar drives the Rahu Kaal table: each weekday has a fixed slot (for standard Mumbai sunrise/sunset approximations) when starting important new work is avoided. Monday’s Rahu Kaal differs from Friday’s — see our Rahu Kaal guide and the home page calendar strip.
Nakshatra (नक्षत्र)
The Moon moves through 27 nakshatras (sometimes 28 with Abhijit counted separately in muhurat work). Wedding muhurat lists heavily filter by nakshatra — some are explicitly avoided (certain combinations with the bride/groom birth stars). Marriage planning on this site is indicative only; read Marriage Muhurat 2026 and how selection works.
Yoga (योग)
27 yogas such as Vishkumbha, Preeti, Ayushman cycle daily. Muhurat selection often rejects inauspicious yogas (e.g. Vyatipata, Vaidhriti) for weddings and griha pravesh. Households rarely memorise yoga names; pandits check them on full panchanga sheets.
Karana (करण)
Each tithi has two karanas (half-tithis). Karana mainly matters for precise muhurat and some sankalp wording — less for routine festival marking.
Amanta system — Maharashtra’s lunar month (अमांत / चांद्रमान)
Maharashtra follows Amanta: the lunar month ends on Amavasya, and the new month begins the next day (usually Shukla Pratipada). Chaitra month therefore starts after Chaitra Amavasya — which is why Gudi Padwa (Chaitra Shukla 1) comes right after the dark moon, not after Pournima.
North Indian calendars often use Purnimanta, where the month ends on Pournima. The same festival name can fall on different English dates or even different tithi labels when traditions disagree. Our site uses Amanta throughout; see the full comparison in Amanta vs Purnimanta.
Month names you will see on marathipanchanga.in: Chaitra, Vaishakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravan, Bhadrapada, Ashwin, Kartik, Margashirsha, Paush, Magha, Phalguna — each with Marathi spellings on month pages like March 2026 (Phalguna–Chaitra transition) and April 2026 (Chaitra–Vaishakha).
How Marathi families use panchanga in daily life
Panchanga is not only for pandits. Typical uses in Maharashtra homes:
Morning check before leaving home
Elderly members or WhatsApp family groups share: today’s tithi, any vrat, and Rahu Kaal time. Before a property registration, vehicle delivery, or starting a new shop account, someone asks: “राहू काळ संपला का?” If travel is urgent, people may use Choghadiya to pick a Shubh or Labh slot — explained in Choghadiya vs Rahu Kaal.
Festival and leave planning
Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali Padwa, Pola, Dasara — office leave and travel tickets align with our festival list and month calendars. Public holidays (Republic Day, Maharashtra Day) are marked separately on Holidays — subject to gazette.
Vrat and upvas
Ekadashi, Mahashivratri, Shravan Somvar — tithi end time matters for parana (breaking fast). Younger members use the site date; elders may still verify with a local panchanga booklet.
Wedding season
After Devshayani Ekadashi (Chaturmas closed period) through Margashirsha, halls fill quickly. Families cross-check listed muhurat dates with a jyotishi for lagna and kundali matching — never book on a list alone.
Brief history — panchanga in Maharashtra
Long before smartphone apps, Marathi villages relied on the village astrologer, temple notice boards, and almanac publishers in Pune and Solapur. The Shalivahan Shaka calendar era appears on many Marathi documents alongside Gregorian years — Gudi Padwa marks the cultural new year even when the fiscal year follows April–March. Warkari pilgrims planning Pandharpur yatra still ask tithi for Ashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi; farmers in Vidarbha note Akshaya Tritiya for seed symbolism; urban Mumbai families sync Ganesh Chaturthi visarjan with Anant Chaturdashi from the same panchanga stream.
Printed panchangas include far more data than our site — planetary positions, hora tables, muhurta for tonsure, detailed eclipse maps. marathipanchanga.in deliberately focuses on high-frequency questions: festival date, Ekadashi, Rahu Kaal, marriage month availability, and bilingual clarity for children who read English first. When you need granular lagna calculation, use a full almanac or pandit; when you need “Is tomorrow Ekadashi?” our festivals page answers in seconds.
NRIs in the US or UK often maintain “India date” for vrata while living on local time — a known split. This site’s dates are India/Mumbai observance unless you explicitly convert with your temple’s guidance.
How to read a day on marathipanchanga.in
Our design mirrors what a wall calendar in a Pune kitchen might show — bilingual, mobile-first, Mumbai IST.
Home page calendar
On Home, pick a month or scroll the year grid. Each day cell highlights festivals (colour badges), and selecting a date shows that day’s summary: tithi context, Rahu Kaal for that weekday, and Abhijit muhurat reminder (~midday auspicious window, site reference 12:05 PM – 12:55 PM IST for Mumbai approximations).
Month pages
Pages like June or November give a full month table — useful when planning a whole wedding season or school holidays around Diwali.
Festival index
All Festivals 2026 is searchable — filter Ekadashi/vrat, moon days, or major festivals. Add rows to Google Calendar from the table.
Specialty pages
- Choghadiya — eight daytime slots by weekday.
- Marriage Muhurat — month-wise indicative shubh dates.
- Guides — longer explanations (this page and others).
We compile for Mumbai / IST. If you are in Nagpur, London, or Dubai, festival dates usually match India; muhurat clock times need local sunrise adjustment. See About for methodology and Disclaimer.
Common beginner mistakes
- Assuming English midnight starts tithi — it does not.
- Using US calendar date for India Ekadashi when family observes IST.
- Confusing Purnimanta month header on Hindi news with Amanta month on Marathi calendar — see comparison guide.
- Applying Rahu Kaal at night — daytime table only for classic Rahukalam.
- Booking wedding hall from a blog list without lagna from pandit — see marriage guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five parts of panchanga?
Tithi, vaar, nakshatra, yoga, and karana — together describing the day for rituals and muhurat.
Does Maharashtra use Amanta or Purnimanta?
Amanta (month ends on Amavasya). This site follows that convention for all festival dates.
Why does my North Indian friend celebrate the same festival on a different date?
Often Purnimanta month naming or different tithi end times. Read Amanta vs Purnimanta.
Is Rahu Kaal part of the five limbs?
No — it is a derived inauspicious period from weekday division of daylight, popular in daily planning. See Rahu Kaal Explained.
Can I rely on this site for my wedding lagna?
No — use it for shortlisting only. Confirm lagna, nakshatra, and dosha checks with a qualified local astrologer.
Where is Gudi Padwa 2026 on this calendar?
19 March 2026, Thursday — full Gudi Padwa guide and March calendar.
How do I learn more?
Browse all guides, or email corrections via Contact.
How does yoga affect a festival day?
Yoga changes daily; most public festival dates on this site are driven by tithi, not yoga name. Yoga becomes critical for muhurat-grade decisions — weddings, bhoomi pujan — where pandits reject Vyatipata or Vaidhriti even on otherwise “good” tithi. Households marking Diwali or Ganesh Chaturthi rarely look up yoga unless the priest mentions it.
What is karana in one line?
Half of a tithi — eleven karanas cycle. Vishti (Bhadra) is the one most people hear about for avoiding starts; full panchanga prints karana under the date number in small type.