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The Mithila calendar is the traditional almanac of the Maithil Brahmin and broader Maithili-speaking communities of Mithilanchal – a cultural region spanning northern Bihar, parts of Jharkhand, and the Terai of Nepal. Unlike the reformed Bengali or Tamil calendars, the Mithila Panchang retains the classical lunisolar system (Purnimant) where months end on the full moon. The calendar governs all religious observances, marriages, Upanayana (sacred thread) ceremonies, and agricultural cycles in the region. Maithili culture, one of the oldest literary traditions in India (the Maithili language has its own script – Tirhuta/Mithilakshara), preserves unique festivals not found elsewhere in India. Over 35 million Maithili speakers use this calendar.
The Mithila calendar follows the Purnimant (full-moon-ending) system, where each month concludes on Purnima. This is the same system used in most of North India, but the Maithili names preserve distinct local pronunciation. The months align with the standard Hindu lunisolar months but carry the cultural weight of Mithila's unique festival cycle. Chaitra marks the beginning of the year, coinciding with Vasant (spring) and the preparation for Ramnavami.
| # | Month | Maithili | Gregorian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaitra | चैत | Mar–Apr |
| 2 | Vaishakh | बैसाख | Apr–May |
| 3 | Jyeshtha | जेठ | May–Jun |
| 4 | Ashadh | आषाढ़ | Jun–Jul |
| 5 | Shravan | सावन | Jul–Aug |
| 6 | Bhadra | भादो | Aug–Sep |
| 7 | Ashwin | आश्विन | Sep–Oct |
| 8 | Kartik | कातिक | Oct–Nov |
| 9 | Margashirsha | अगहन | Nov–Dec |
| 10 | Paush | पूस | Dec–Jan |
| 11 | Magh | माघ | Jan–Feb |
| 12 | Phalgun | फागुन | Feb–Mar |
Chhath Puja (Kartik Shukla Shashthi) is the most significant festival of Mithilanchal and the broader Bhojpuri-Maithili belt. Dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Usha, the consort of the Sun), it is one of the few Vedic festivals that survived without Puranic overlay. The 4-day observance – Nahay Khay (day 1: ritual bathing and eating lauki-chana dal), Kharna/Lohanda (day 2: 36-hour nirjala fast begins after eating kheer), Sandhya Arghya (day 3: standing waist-deep in water to offer arghya to the setting sun), and Usha Arghya (day 4: offering to the rising sun, then breaking fast with prasad) – demands extraordinary discipline. Devotees prepare traditional offerings called "thekua" (wheat-jaggery cookies) and "kasar" in "daura" (bamboo baskets). Rivers, ponds, and specially built "chhath ghats" overflow with devotees. The festival is remarkable for being entirely priest-less – the "vrati" (faster) performs all rituals themselves, making it one of the most egalitarian Hindu festivals.
Mithila's calendar is inseparable from Madhubani (Mithila) painting – one of India's most recognized folk art traditions. The calendar marks when walls of homes must be painted anew: Kohbar (bridal chamber) paintings are created for weddings, Aripan (floor paintings similar to Kolam/Rangoli) are drawn for festivals and auspicious occasions, and specific deities are painted for their respective festivals. The art uses natural pigments – turmeric yellow, indigo blue, lamp soot black, rice paste white – and follows an unbroken matrilineal tradition where mothers teach daughters. UNESCO recognized Madhubani art as a GI (Geographical Indication) product. The calendar's festival cycle thus drives an entire artistic tradition that has gained global recognition.
Ramnavami (birth of Lord Rama – special significance in Mithila as Sita's homeland), Chaiti Chhath (spring Chhath Puja – same 4-day ritual as Kartik Chhath)
Akshaya Tritiya (beginning of agricultural year – seed sowing), Sita Navami (Sita's appearance day – uniquely celebrated in Mithila with Sita worship)
Batsavitri/Vat Savitri (Jyeshtha Purnima – married women fast under banyan trees for their husbands' longevity, re-enacting the Savitri-Satyavan legend)
Rath Yatra, Guru Purnima, beginning of Chaturmas (four-month monsoon period of heightened worship)
Madhushravani (month-long observance for newly-married women – daily worship, storytelling, and folk songs), Nag Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, Kajari Teej
Janmashtami (Krishna's birth – Dahi Handi celebrations), Hartalika Teej (women's fast for marital bliss), Ganesh Chaturthi, Vishwakarma Puja
Jitiya/Jivitputrika (Ashwin Krishna Ashtami – mothers' 3-day nirjala fast for children's long life – strictest fast), Navaratri & Durga Puja (Mithila celebrates with Maithili Durga songs), Dussehra, Kojagara Purnima
Chhath Puja (Kartik Shukla Shashthi – THE defining festival of Mithila: 4-day Sun worship), Diwali & Govardhan Puja, Sama-Chakeva (Kartik Purnima–Saptami – unique brother-sister clay bird festival), Bhai Dooj
Vivah Panchami (anniversary of Rama-Sita wedding at Janakpur – immense celebrations in Mithilanchal), Mokshada Ekadashi
Makar Sankranti / Tusu Puja (harvest festival – tilkut and lai-chura distribution), Pausha Purnima
Saraswati Puja / Vasant Panchami (worship of learning – students place books at Saraswati's feet), Maghi Purnima
Maha Shivaratri, Holi / Phaguwa (celebrated with Maithili folk songs called "phag" – unique musical tradition), Holika Dahan
Exact dates for all major Mithila festivals in 2026 with tithi (lunar day), computed for Darbhanga/Madhubani. Includes all 4 days of Chhath Puja, Jitiya, Sama-Chakeva, Vivah Panchami, and other distinctive Maithil observances. Plan your vrat and puja with these verified dates.
| Festival | Date | Tithi |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti (Tilkut distribution) | Wed, 14 Jan 2026 | Paush Krishna Pratipada |
| Saraswati Puja / Vasant Panchami | Mon, 23 Feb 2026 | Magha Shukla Panchami |
| Holi / Phaguwa (Holika Dahan) | Tue, 3 Mar 2026 | Phalguna Purnima |
| Chaiti Chhath (Nahay Khay) | Sun, 29 Mar 2026 | Chaitra Shukla Chaturthi |
| Chaiti Chhath (Usha Arghya) | Wed, 1 Apr 2026 | Chaitra Shukla Shashthi |
| Ramnavami | Sat, 4 Apr 2026 | Chaitra Shukla Navami |
| Madhushravani begins (Shravan) | Mon, 20 Jul 2026 | Shravan Shukla Chaturthi (approx.) |
| Jitiya / Jivitputrika Vrat | Fri, 25 Sep 2026 | Ashwin Krishna Ashtami |
| Navaratri begins (Ghatasthapana) | Thu, 8 Oct 2026 | Ashwin Shukla Pratipada |
| Dussehra / Vijayadashami | Sat, 17 Oct 2026 | Ashwin Shukla Dashami |
| Sama-Chakeva begins (Kojagara Purnima) | Sat, 24 Oct 2026 | Ashwin Purnima |
| Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Sun, 8 Nov 2026 | Kartik Krishna Amavasya |
| Chhath Puja – Nahay Khay (Day 1) | Sun, 8 Nov 2026 | Kartik Shukla Chaturthi |
| Chhath Puja – Kharna/Lohanda (Day 2) | Mon, 9 Nov 2026 | Kartik Shukla Panchami |
| Chhath Puja – Sandhya Arghya (Day 3) | Tue, 10 Nov 2026 | Kartik Shukla Shashthi |
| Chhath Puja – Usha Arghya (Day 4) | Wed, 11 Nov 2026 | Kartik Shukla Saptami |
| Vivah Panchami (Rama-Sita wedding anniversary) | Sun, 6 Dec 2026 | Margashirsha Shukla Panchami |
Major Mithila festival dates for 2027. All dates computed for Darbhanga/Madhubani reference with tithi from the Mithila Panchang. Includes Chhath Puja (all 4 days), Jitiya, Sama-Chakeva, Madhushravani, Vivah Panchami, and Phaguwa/Holi.
| Festival | Date | Tithi |
|---|---|---|
| Makar Sankranti (Tilkut distribution) | Thu, 14 Jan 2027 | Paush Shukla Dashami |
| Saraswati Puja / Vasant Panchami | Thu, 11 Feb 2027 | Magha Shukla Panchami |
| Holi / Phaguwa (Holika Dahan) | Sun, 22 Mar 2027 | Phalguna Purnima |
| Chaiti Chhath (Usha Arghya) | Sun, 21 Mar 2027 | Chaitra Shukla Shashthi |
| Ramnavami | Thu, 25 Mar 2027 | Chaitra Shukla Navami |
| Madhushravani begins (Shravan) | Fri, 9 Jul 2027 | Shravan Shukla Chaturthi (approx.) |
| Jitiya / Jivitputrika Vrat | Tue, 14 Sep 2027 | Ashwin Krishna Ashtami |
| Navaratri begins (Ghatasthapana) | Mon, 27 Sep 2027 | Ashwin Shukla Pratipada |
| Dussehra / Vijayadashami | Wed, 6 Oct 2027 | Ashwin Shukla Dashami |
| Sama-Chakeva begins (Kojagara Purnima) | Wed, 13 Oct 2027 | Ashwin Purnima |
| Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Thu, 28 Oct 2027 | Kartik Krishna Amavasya |
| Chhath Puja – Nahay Khay (Day 1) | Fri, 29 Oct 2027 | Kartik Shukla Chaturthi |
| Chhath Puja – Kharna/Lohanda (Day 2) | Sat, 30 Oct 2027 | Kartik Shukla Panchami |
| Chhath Puja – Sandhya Arghya (Day 3) | Sun, 31 Oct 2027 | Kartik Shukla Shashthi |
| Chhath Puja – Usha Arghya (Day 4) | Mon, 1 Nov 2027 | Kartik Shukla Saptami |
| Vivah Panchami (Rama-Sita wedding anniversary) | Thu, 25 Nov 2027 | Margashirsha Shukla Panchami |
The Mithila calendar traces its roots to the Vedic period. Mithilanchal – also known as the Videha Kingdom – was the realm of King Janak described in the Upanishads, renowned for philosophical discourse and Vedantic wisdom. Sages like Yajnavalkya, Gargi, and Maitreyi hailed from this region. This intellectual tradition endowed the Mithila Panchang with particular rigour and classical purity. Mithila's astronomers relied on classical treatises such as the Surya Siddhanta and Siddhanta Shiromani for their panchang computations, maintaining an unbroken tradition of astronomical observation in the region.
A distinctive feature of the Mithila Panchang is its unwavering retention of the Purnimant system. While Gujarat and Maharashtra adopted the Amant system and Bengal and Tamil Nadu reformed their calendars into solar systems, Mithila preserved the classical lunisolar framework. The panchang computes tithi (lunar day), nakshatra (lunar mansion), yoga (Sun-Moon angular relationship), karana (half-tithi), and vara (weekday) for each day – these five elements (panch-anga) give the almanac its name. Mithila's pandits traditionally prepared handwritten panchangs (patra/patri), and even today many families rely on printed patris alongside digital tools for determining auspicious timings for weddings, Upanayana, and other samskaras.
The marriage tradition of Mithilanchal is entirely dependent on the panchang. The "Paini" (Panji Prabandh) system – a genealogical record dating from the 14th century – determines marriage eligibility, and the muhurta is derived from the panchang. This system is one of the oldest social record-keeping systems in the world, predating European parish registers by centuries. Madhubani painting, which is inseparable from the calendar cycle, received its GI (Geographical Indication) tag in 2003 and has gained international recognition through exhibitions at the Smithsonian, the British Museum, and museums across Europe and Japan.
The Mithila calendar and culture are inseparable from Sita (Janaki). According to the Ramayana, Sita was the daughter of King Janak of Mithila, and her marriage to Prince Rama of Ayodhya took place at Janakpur – an event commemorated annually on Vivah Panchami (Margashirsha Shukla Panchami). Sita Navami (Vaishakh Shukla Navami) celebrates Sita's appearance day – a festival observed almost exclusively in Mithila. The grand Janaki Temple at Janakpur (Nepal) is a living symbol of this connection. Mithila's identity as Sita's homeland gives the region a unique place in Hindu cultural geography and infuses the calendar with festivals and observances that foreground feminine divinity.