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The Kannada Panchangam is a lunisolar calendar used by approximately 45 million Kannada speakers in Karnataka. Like the Telugu calendar, it follows the Chandramana (lunar) tradition — months run from one New Moon to the next in the Amanta system, and the year begins on Ugadi (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada), the same day as the Telugu New Year. The Kannada calendar uses the same 12 Sanskrit lunar month names as the Telugu and North Indian systems. What distinguishes Karnataka's calendar culture is the regional emphasis on Dasara (Mysore Dasara being one of India's greatest royal festivals) and Varamahalakshmi Vratam, a women's festival that holds special prominence in Karnataka.
Kannada months use the same Sanskrit lunar month names as the broader South Indian Panchangam tradition. Each month runs from the day after Amavasya (New Moon) to the following Amavasya. An intercalary Adhika Masa is added approximately every 33 months to synchronise the lunar year with the solar cycle.
| # | Month | Kannada | Rashi (Zodiac) | Gregorian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaitra | ಚೈತ್ರ | Mesha–Vrishabha | Mar – Apr |
| 2 | Vaishakha | ವೈಶಾಖ | Vrishabha–Mithuna | Apr – May |
| 3 | Jyeshtha | ಜ್ಯೇಷ್ಠ | Mithuna–Kataka | May – Jun |
| 4 | Ashadha | ಆಷಾಢ | Kataka–Simha | Jun – Jul |
| 5 | Shravana | ಶ್ರಾವಣ | Simha–Kanya | Jul – Aug |
| 6 | Bhadrapada | ಭಾದ್ರಪದ | Kanya–Tula | Aug – Sep |
| 7 | Ashvija | ಆಶ್ವಯುಜ | Tula–Vrischika | Sep – Oct |
| 8 | Kartika | ಕಾರ್ತಿಕ | Vrischika–Dhanus | Oct – Nov |
| 9 | Margashira | ಮಾರ್ಗಶಿರ | Dhanus–Makara | Nov – Dec |
| 10 | Pushya | ಪುಷ್ಯ | Makara–Kumbha | Dec – Jan |
| 11 | Magha | ಮಾಘ | Kumbha–Meena | Jan – Feb |
| 12 | Phalguna | ಫಾಲ್ಗುಣ | Meena–Mesha | Feb – Mar |
Ugadi (Kannada–Telugu New Year, Chaitra Shukla Pratipada — Ugadi Pachadi, Panchangam Shravanam)
Varamahalakshmi Vratam (Friday before Shravana Purnima — Karnataka's most important women's festival; decorated kalasha worship of Goddess Lakshmi)
Ganesha Chaturthi (Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi — 10-day festival with clay idols, immersion on Ananta Chaturdashi)
Mysore Dasara / Navaratri (9-night celebration culminating in Vijayadashami — Mysore Palace illumination, Jumboo Savari elephant procession, Karnataka's state festival)
Deepavali (Kartika Amavasya), Kartika Deepotsava (lamp festivals at Shaiva temples, especially Dharmasthala)
Ugadi is celebrated identically in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, both marking Chaitra Shukla Pratipada as the new year. In Karnataka, the day begins with an oil bath, prayers, and the preparation of Ugadi Pachadi — the six-taste chutney of raw mango, jaggery, neem flowers, tamarind, green chilli, and salt. The Panchangam Shravanam (new year almanac recitation) is performed at temples and homes, where priests predict the year's outcomes based on the reigning Samvatsara (one of 60 named years in the Jovian cycle), the ruling planet's influence, rainfall, and agricultural prospects. Kannada Ugadi celebrations are known for their emphasis on literary and cultural programs — poetry readings, Kannada drama performances, and concerts — reflecting Karnataka's deep literary tradition (the state has produced more Jnanpith Award winners than any other Indian state).
The Mysore Dasara is one of India's most spectacular festivals, celebrated over 10 days culminating on Vijayadashami (Ashvija Shukla Dashami — September/October). It commemorates the goddess Chamundeshwari's (Durga's) victory over the demon Mahishasura, for whom Mysore (Mahishuru) is named. The Mysore Palace is illuminated with 100,000 light bulbs every evening for 10 nights. The Jumboo Savari procession on the final day is the centrepiece: a magnificently decorated elephant carries the golden howdah (Ambari) bearing the image of Goddess Chamundeshwari through the streets of Mysore, accompanied by caparisoned elephants, cavalry, marching bands, tableaux from all districts of Karnataka, and a torchlight parade at night. The Karnataka government organises a 10-day cultural programme called "Dasara Exhibitions" with folk arts, classical music, dance performances, and the Dasara Kavi Sammelana (poets' gathering). Dasara weekend draws over a million visitors to Mysore.
The Kannada Chandramana Panchangam is lunisolar: months are lunar (Amanta system, New Moon to New Moon), recalibrated with the solar cycle via Adhika Masa every ~33 months. Karnataka uses the same 60-year Jovian cycle as the rest of South India (Prabhava through Akshaya), and each year's character is assessed at Ugadi based on the ruling planet. The Kannada Panchangam is used for muhurta determination, tithi-based vrats, and the agricultural calendar of the Deccan. A notable feature of Karnataka's calendar tradition is the "Varamahalakshmi Vratam" — observed on the Friday before Shravana Purnima, when women worship Goddess Lakshmi by installing a decorated kalasha and performing elaborate puja. Unlike Maharashtra where Ganapati Utsav dominates, and unlike Tamil Nadu where the Murugan tradition is paramount, Karnataka's religious calendar is characterised by the balance of Shaiva (Shiva worship), Vaishnava (particularly the Madhva Brahmin tradition of Udupi), and Shakta (Chamundeshwari, Renuka Devi) traditions.