Use this calendar to check Hindu festivals and Vratas for San Jose. Festival observance is not based on the civil date alone: sunrise, Tithi, Nakshatra, lunar month, and location can all affect the selected day. The astronomical positions are calculated with Swiss Ephemeris, while the observance rules follow traditional Panchanga practice.
How to use this festival calendar
- Select the place carefully: Sunrise and Tithi boundaries differ by location, so the listed date can change between cities or countries.
- Read the timings: When a Tithi spans two civil dates, the applicable sunrise, midday, moonrise, or Pradosha rule may decide the observance day.
- Respect your tradition: Smarta, Vaishnava, regional, family, and temple traditions may apply different rules. Use the calendar as a detailed reference and follow your established custom where required.
Find Festivals by Month
Select a month and year to see the major festivals and Vratas.
Hindu Festivals & Vratas in January 2016
Festival and vrata dates for San Jose in January 2016:
- Kalashtami✓ — Friday, 1 January 2016.
- Sarvesham Saphala Ekadashi (Margashirsha Krishna)✓ Completed — Tuesday, 5 January 2016.
- Guru Pradosham (Margashirsha Maasa)✓ — Thursday, 7 January 2016.
- Masik Shivaratri (Margashirsha Maasa)✓ — Thursday, 7 January 2016.
- Krishna Trayodashi Upavasa — Thursday, 7 January 2016.
- Darsha Shraddha✓ — Saturday, 9 January 2016.
- Pausha Masarambh✓ — Sunday, 10 January 2016.
- Masik Vinayaka Chaturthi✓ — Tuesday, 12 January 2016.
- Bhogi✓ — Wednesday, 13 January 2016.
- Lohri✓ — Wednesday, 13 January 2016.
- Makara Sankranti (Uttarayana Punyakal)✓ — Thursday, 14 January 2016. — Marks the Sun's transit into Capricorn, heralding longer days. This harvest festival is celebrated with kite flying and traditional sweets.
- Pongal✓ — Thursday, 14 January 2016.
- Magh Bihu✓ — Thursday, 14 January 2016.
- Makara Sankramana (11:57 AM) — Thursday, 14 January 2016.
- Masik Shashti Vratam✓ — Thursday, 14 January 2016.
- Kanuma✓ — Friday, 15 January 2016.
- Mattu Pongal✓ — Friday, 15 January 2016.
- Mukkanuma✓ — Saturday, 16 January 2016.
- Kaanum Pongal✓ — Saturday, 16 January 2016.
- Masik Durgashtami (Pausha Maasa)✓ — Saturday, 16 January 2016.
- Sarvesham Putrada Ekadashi (Pushya Shukla)✓ Completed — Tuesday, 19 January 2016.
- Krittika Vratam✓ — Tuesday, 19 January 2016.
- Shukla Trayodashi Upavasa — Wednesday, 20 January 2016.
- Rohini Vratam✓ — Wednesday, 20 January 2016.
- Guru Pradosham (Pausha Maasa)✓ — Thursday, 21 January 2016.
- Satyanarayana Swamy Vratam✓ — Friday, 22 January 2016.
- Purnima Vrat✓ — Saturday, 23 January 2016.
- Thai Poosam✓ — Saturday, 23 January 2016.
- Sankashti Chaturthi — Wednesday, 27 January 2016.
- Kalashtami✓ — Sunday, 31 January 2016.
Hindu Festivals and Important Days
January 2016
| 01JanuaryFriday | Krishna Saptami (till 8:08 AM) 🔔Kalashtami✓ Completed |
| 05JanuaryTuesday | Krishna Ekadashi (till 5:24 PM) 🔔Sarvesham Saphala Ekadashi (Margashirsha Krishna)✓ Completed — Parana (Breaking the fast): Wednesday, 06 January 2016 07:26 AM - 10:11 AM✓ Completed |
| 07JanuaryThursday | Krishna Trayodashi (till 6:43 PM) 🔔Guru Pradosham (Margashirsha Maasa)✓ Completed 🔔Masik Shivaratri (Margashirsha Maasa)✓ Completed 🔔Krishna Trayodashi Upavasa — Upavasa: Thursday, 07 January 2016 07:26 AM - Friday, 08 January 2016 07:26 AM✓ Completed — Parana (Breaking the fast): ≥ Friday, 08 January 2016 07:26 AM |
| 09JanuarySaturday | Amavasya (till 5:30 PM) 🔔Darsha Shraddha✓ Completed |
| 10JanuarySunday | Shukla Pratipada (till 4:10 PM) 🔔Pausha Masarambh✓ Completed |
| 12JanuaryTuesday | Shukla Tritiya (till 12:36 PM) 🔔Masik Vinayaka Chaturthi✓ Completed |
| 13JanuaryWednesday | Shukla Chaturthi (till 10:35 AM) 🔔Bhogi✓ Completed 🔔Lohri✓ Completed |
| 14JanuaryThursday | Shukla Panchami (till 8:31 AM) 🔔Makara Sankranti (Uttarayana Punyakal)✓ CompletedMarks the Sun's transit into Capricorn, heralding longer days. This harvest festival is celebrated with kite flying and traditional sweets. 🔔Pongal✓ Completed 🔔Magh Bihu✓ Completed 🔔Makara Sankramana (11:57 AM) — Punyakala: 11:57 AM - 05:07 PM✓ Completed 🔔Masik Shashti Vratam✓ Completed |
| 15JanuaryFriday | Shukla Saptami (till (16th) 4:25 AM) 🔔Kanuma✓ Completed 🔔Mattu Pongal✓ Completed |
| 16JanuarySaturday | Shukla Ashtami (till (17th) 2:28 AM) 🔔Mukkanuma✓ Completed 🔔Kaanum Pongal✓ Completed 🔔Masik Durgashtami (Pausha Maasa)✓ Completed |
| 19JanuaryTuesday | Shukla Ekadashi (till 9:13 PM) 🔔Sarvesham Putrada Ekadashi (Pushya Shukla)✓ Completed — Parana (Breaking the fast): Wednesday, 20 January 2016 07:23 AM - 10:30 AM✓ Completed 🔔Krittika Vratam✓ Completed |
| 20JanuaryWednesday | Shukla Dvadashi (till 7:50 PM) 🔔Shukla Trayodashi Upavasa — Upavasa: Wednesday, 20 January 2016 07:23 AM - Thursday, 21 January 2016 06:44 PM✓ Completed — Parana (Breaking the fast): ≥ Thursday, 21 January 2016 06:44 PM 🔔Rohini Vratam✓ Completed |
| 21JanuaryThursday | Shukla Trayodashi (till 6:44 PM) 🔔Guru Pradosham (Pausha Maasa)✓ Completed |
| 22JanuaryFriday | Shukla Chaturdashi (till 6:01 PM) 🔔Satyanarayana Swamy Vratam✓ Completed |
| 23JanuarySaturday | Shukla Purnima (till 5:45 PM) 🔔Purnima Vrat✓ Completed 🔔Thai Poosam✓ Completed |
| 27JanuaryWednesday | Krishna Chaturthi (till 10:27 PM) 🔔Sankashti Chaturthi — Moonrise: 09:16 PM✓ Completed |
| 31JanuarySunday | Krishna Ashtami (till (1st) 8:35 AM) 🔔Kalashtami✓ Completed |
This calendar of festivals and important days has been prepared based on the rules given in Hindu scriptures like Nirnaya Sindhu, Dharma Sindhu, etc. It has been created for the benefit of all followers of Hinduism worldwide. If you find any mistake in this calendar regarding any festival or any important day, or if any festival related to your region is not included, please inform me by emailing admin@onlinejyotish.com. Thank you for your cooperation.
Glossary: Understanding Hindu Calendar Terms
These terms help explain why a festival date may differ from a printed calendar or a nearby temple:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Tithi | A lunar day. It is the time taken by the Moon to move 12 degrees away from the Sun. |
| Nakshatra | One of the 27 divisions along the Moon’s path. Some festivals and Vratas require a particular Nakshatra. |
| Purnimant / Amavasyant | Purnimant months end on Full Moon (North India). Amavasyant months end on No Moon (South India). |
| Smarta vs Vaishnava | Smarta and Vaishnava observances can fall on different dates because their sunrise and Tithi-purity rules are not identical. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Festival dates depend on location, sunrise, the duration of the Tithi, and the rule used for that observance. A temple may also follow a regional Panchanga, a traditional school, or its own established custom. A different date does not automatically mean that either calendar is wrong.
Smarta and Vaishnava traditions apply different sunrise and Dashami-overlap rules. This can place the fast on consecutive dates. Follow the tradition observed by your family, Guru, or temple.
An eclipse can affect worship, fasting, temple schedules, and Sutak observance. The effect depends on visibility at the selected location and on the tradition being followed, so local guidance may still be necessary.
How the dates are prepared: Astronomical positions are calculated with Swiss Ephemeris. Festival-selection rules are maintained from traditional Panchanga references under the guidance of Sri Santhosh Kumar Sharma. Regional and sectarian practice can still differ.
City · Year
San Jose
2016 · January
America/Los_Angeles
