The Telugu year has twelve lunar months, from Chaitra to Phalguna. Every two months make one ruthuvu (season), so there are six ruthuvulu: Vasanta, Grishma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemanta and Shishira. The new year begins with Chaitra on Ugadi.
How are Telugu months counted?
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana mostly follow the chandramana (lunar) panchangam. Each month begins on Padyami, the day after Amavasya, and ends on the next Amavasya. This is called the amavasyant system. The first half, from Padyami to Pournami, is Shukla Paksha; the second half, after Pournami up to Amavasya, is Bahula (Krishna) Paksha.
The month names come from the nakshatra the Moon occupies on that month's Pournami: Chitra gives Chaitra, Vishakha gives Vaishakha, Krittika gives Karthika, and so on. Parts of North India use the purnimant system, so their month name runs about fifteen days ahead of ours during Bahula Paksha, but the festival tithis are the same.
The 12 Telugu months and their main festivals
The table lists the major festivals that usually fall in each month. A few festivals follow the solar calendar and may occasionally shift into the neighbouring month.
| No. | Month | Main festivals and vratams |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaitra | Ugadi, Sri Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti (in some regions) |
| 2 | Vaishakha | Akshaya Tritiya, Narasimha Jayanti |
| 3 | Jyeshtha | Jyeshtha Pournami, Eruvaka Pournami |
| 4 | Ashadha | Tholi Ekadashi, Guru Pournami, Bonalu (Telangana) |
| 5 | Shravana | Varalakshmi Vratam, Mangala Gowri Vratam, Rakhi Pournami, Krishnashtami |
| 6 | Bhadrapada | Vinayaka Chavithi, Ananta Chaturdashi, Mahalaya Paksha |
| 7 | Ashwayuja | Devi Navaratri, Bathukamma, Dasara, Naraka Chaturdashi, Deepavali |
| 8 | Karthika | Nagula Chavithi, Ksheerabdhi Dwadashi, Karthika Pournami, Karthika Somavarams |
| 9 | Margashira | Gita Jayanti, Vaikuntha Ekadashi (often), start of Dhanurmasam |
| 10 | Pushya | Bhogi, Makara Sankranti, Kanuma |
| 11 | Magha | Ratha Saptami, Bhishma Ekadashi, Maha Shivaratri |
| 12 | Phalguna | Holi (Phalguna Pournami) |
What are the six ruthuvulu?
- Vasanta (spring) – Chaitra, Vaishakha: fresh leaves, mango blossoms, Ugadi pachadi.
- Grishma (summer) – Jyeshtha, Ashadha: peak heat, first rains towards Ashadha.
- Varsha (monsoon) – Shravana, Bhadrapada: rains, greenery, the season of vratams.
- Sharad (autumn) – Ashwayuja, Karthika: clear skies, bright moonlight, Dasara and Deepavali.
- Hemanta (pre-winter) – Margashira, Pushya: dew, cool mornings, Dhanurmasam worship.
- Shishira (late winter) – Magha, Phalguna: falling leaves before spring returns.
This is the lunar-month reckoning. A solar reckoning of seasons also exists, so some panchangams show the change of ruthuvu on slightly different days.
Each month at a glance
Chaitra to Ashadha
Chaitra Shukla Padyami is Ugadi, when the new year's panchanga shravanam is heard. Vaishakha is known for charity, especially offering water to travellers. Farmers celebrate Eruvaka in Jyeshtha. Ashadha is generally avoided for weddings, and Chaturmasya begins from Tholi Ekadashi.
Shravana to Karthika
Shravana is a favourite month for women's vratams and family functions. Bhadrapada brings Vinayaka Chavithi, and its Bahula Paksha is Mahalaya Paksha for remembering ancestors. Ashwayuja holds Devi Navaratri and ends with Deepavali on Amavasya; the next day the lamp-filled Karthika month begins.
Margashira to Phalguna
Margashira is celebrated because Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that among months he is Margashirsha. Dhanurmasam brings Tiruppavai recitation and muggulu. Pushya hosts Sankranti, the harvest festival. Magha is known for holy dips, Ratha Saptami and Maha Shivaratri. Phalguna Pournami (Holi) closes the year, and after the following Amavasya comes Ugadi again.
What is Adhika Masam?
A lunar year has about 354 days while a solar year has about 365. To keep the two aligned, an extra month is added roughly once every two and a half to three years. This is Adhika Masam.
When the Sun moves from one rashi to the next, it is called a sankramanam. A lunar month in which no sankramanam happens becomes the Adhika month, and the following month with the same name is the Nija (regular) month, for example Adhika Shravana followed by Nija Shravana. Very rarely a month is dropped (Kshaya Masam).
What do families do in Adhika Masam?
- Weddings, griha pravesham and similar functions are usually avoided; festivals are celebrated in the Nija month.
- It is also called Purushottama Masam and is considered good for japa, parayanam and charity.
- How to fix dates for ceremonies such as the annual tithi for ancestors varies by family; ask your family purohit.
How to read the month in a panchangam
- Look for the line listing samvatsaram, ayanam, ruthuvu, masam, paksham and tithi.
- Note the month name and whether it is Shukla or Bahula Paksha.
- Whether a festival tithi holds at sunrise is decided by the panchangam; follow your local one when in doubt.
- The same order is used when reciting the sankalpam in puja.
Key points
- Twelve months: Chaitra, Vaishakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwayuja, Karthika, Margashira, Pushya, Magha, Phalguna.
- A month runs from Padyami after Amavasya to the next Amavasya.
- Two months make one ruthuvu; there are six ruthuvulu.
- A month without a sankramanam is Adhika Masam, coming roughly every 32–33 months.
- Always check your regional panchangam for exact festival days.