 |  | Festivals celebrate the passage of time and are generally marked by the apparent movement of the Sun and/or the Moon.
All dates are shown using the Gregorian (Western) calendar for the western hemisphere.
While this calendar format is accurate, variations in time zones and use of lunar calendars, that might make some dates vary by local region and tradition. |
December 2011
Wednesday December 21: Hanukkah (Jewish )
Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabee’s restoration of the temple in 164 BCE.
Thursday December 22: Winter Solstice (Tropical)
This is the time of the winter solstice where the seasonal Sun rises and sets to the furthest to the traditionally darker regions of the South where the “negative forces” dwell. In many traditions, this festival celebrates the re-birth of the Sun, when the shortest day and longest night are past (it’s always darkest before the dawn!) and life experiences a new year of vitality and opportunity. The Sun is renewed and journeys now to the North and to the regions of light where the “Devas” live.
Sunday December 25: Christmas Day (Christian )
Christians of the Western traditions celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on this day.
Full Moon: December 10 at 06:37am PST (Total Lunar Eclipse)
New Moon on December 24 at 10:07am PST
January 2012
Saturday January 14: Makara Sankranti (Sidereal)
Makara Sankranti is an important Hindu festival which marks the Sun's journey into the northern hemisphere (sidereally for regions located above the equator). In the realm of the Devas or the Gods, a human year constitutes a single day. The brighter half of the year (Uttarayanam) makes up the day time hours of the Devas while the darker half (Dakshinayanam) makes up the night time hours.
Saturday January 28: Vasant Panchami
This day is dedicated to Saraswati, the Vedic goddess of learning and music. In some regions of India, Vasant Panchami marks the beginning of Spring.
Full Moon on January 8 at 11:31am PST
New Moon on January 22 at 11:40pm PST
February 2012
Monday February 20: Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri is a Hindu festival dedicated to Shiva, one of the deities of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma (creation), Vishnu (maintenance), and Shiva (dissolution).
Full Moon on February 7 at 1:54pm PST
New Moon on February 21 at 2:35pm PST
March 2012
Thursday March 8: Holi
The Hindu festival of Spring. Hindus celebrate by splashing each other with colorful powders.
Friday March 23: Ugadi (Yugadi)
Ugadi ('the start of an era') is the Lunar New Year festival for southern India (e.g. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka). Ugadi is celebrated each year on the first day of the lunar month of Chaitra. In the Indian civil calendar, it coincides with the northern spring equinox. In lunar religious calendars, Chaitra begins with the new moon in March/April and is the first month of the year. The first of Chaitra – is celebrated as New Year's Day in many regions of India.
Full Moon on March 8 at 01:40am PST
New Moon on March 22 at 7:38am PST
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