Phagun (Sanskrit: फाल्गुन, romanizedPhālgun) is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Phalguna is the twelfth month of the year and corresponds with February/March in the Gregorian calendar.[1]

Phalguna
"Celebration of Spring by Krishna and Radha", 18th-century Mughal miniature; in the Guimet Museum, Paris.
Native nameफाल्गुन (Sanskrit)
CalendarHindu calendar
Month number12
Number of days30
SeasonSpring
Gregorian equivalentFebruary-March
Significant days
← Magha
Chaitra →

In Luni-Solar calendars, Phaguna may begin on either the new moon or the full moon around the same time of year and is the twelfth month of the year. However, in Gujarat, Kartika is the first month of the year, and so Phaguna follows as the fifth month for Gujaratis. The holidays of Holi (15 Phaguna in Amanta System/30 Phaguna In Purnimanta System) and Maha Shivaratri (14th Phaguna in Purnimanta System) are observed in this month.[citation needed]

In the Vikram Samvat calendar, Phaguna is the year's eleventh month.

In solar religious calendars, Pha guna begins with the Sun's entry into Pisces and is the twelfth month of the solar year.[citation needed]

In the Vaishnava calendar, Govinda governs this month. Gaura-purnima celebrating the birth of the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) also falls in this month.

Festivals

edit

Most parts of North India see the early celebration of the famous Hindu festival Holi in this month. Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (Phalguna Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March.[citation needed]

The Hindu festival of Shigmo is also celebrated in Goa and Konkan in the month of Phalguna. Celebrations can stretch over a month and may last even after the Hindu Luni-Solar New Year begins. Another popular fair is Phalguna Mela in Khatushyamji in Rajasthan.[citation needed]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary Third edition. Electronic edition. Detroit: Omnigraphics, p. xxix. ISBN 0-7808-0982-3