Paksha

 ( Hindu Calendar ) 

Paksha () refers to a fortnight or a lunar phase in a month of the Hindu calendar.

Ashwini Kumar (2025). 9788120725690, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. . ISBN 9788120725690

Literally meaning "side",Monnier-Williams, M: (1851) Sanskrit Dictionary ISBN (none) a paksa is the period either side of the purnima (Full Moon day). A lunar month in the Hindu calendar has two fortnights, and begins with the amavasya (new moon). The lunar days are called ; each month has 30 tithis, which may vary from 20 – 27 hours. A paksha has 15 tithis, which are calculated by a 12 degree motion of the moon. The first fortnight between the new moon day and the full moon day is called the Gaura Paksha or Shukla Paksha (), the period of the brightening moon (waxing moon), and the second fortnight of the month is called the Vadhya Paksha or Krishna Paksha (), the period of the fading moon (waning moon). Hindu calendar The Neemuch calendar begin a new lunar month from first day of Krishna Paksha, while the Gujarat calendar begins a new lunar month from the first day of Shukla Paksha.

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Days of Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha

1. Prathama	1. Prathama
2. Dwitiya	2. Dvitiya
3. Tritiya	3. Tritiya
4. Chaturthi	4. Chaturthi
5. Panchami	5. Panchami
6. Shashti	6. Shashti
7. Saptami	7. Saptami
8. Ashtami	8. Ashtami
9. Navami	9. Navami
10. Dashami	10. Dashami
11. Ekadashi	11. Ekadashi
12. Dwadashi	12. Dwadashi
13. Thrayodashi	13. Thrayodashi
14. Chaturdashi	14. Chaturdashi
15. Purnima	15. Amavasya, Ausi

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Shukla Paksha Shukla Paksha refers to the bright lunar fortnight or waxing moon in the Hindu calendar. Shukla () is a Sanskrit word for "white" or "bright". The Shukla Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins after the amavasya (new moon) day and culminating on purnima (full moon) day and is considered auspicious.

Robin Rinehart (2004). 9781576079065, Bloomsbury Publishing USA. . ISBN 9781576079065

Numerous festivals are held during this period, including the Navratri festivals, most importantly Chaitra Navaratri and Ashvin Navaratri.

1st day	Pratipada	Gudi Padwa, Ugadi	Chaitra
1st day	Pratipada	Bali Pratipada, Govardhan Puja	Kartika
2nd day	Dvitiya	Bhaibeej	Kartika
3rd day	Tritiya	Teej	Bhadrapad
3rd day	Tritiya	Akshaya Tritiya	Vaishakha
4th day	Chaturthi	Ganesh Chaturthi	Bhadrapada
4th day	Chaturthi	Ganesh Jayanti	Magha
5th day	Panchami	Nuakhai	Bhadrapad
5th day	Panchami	Vivaha Panchami	Margashirsha
5th day	Panchami	Basant Panchami	Magha
6th day	Shasthi	Sitalsasthi	Jyestha
8th day	Ashtami	Radhashtami	Bhadrapada
9th day	Navami	Rama Navami	Chaitra
10th day	Dashami	Vijayadashami	Ashvin
11th day	Ekadashi	Shayani Ekadashi	Asadha
11th day	Ekadashi	Vaikuntha Ekadashi	Margashirsha
14th day	Chaturdashi	Samvatsari	Bhadrapada
15th day (full moon)	Purnima	Guru Purnima	Ashada

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Krishna Paksha Krishna Paksha refers to the dark lunar fortnight or waning moon in the Hindu calendar. Krishna () is a Sanskrit word for "dark". Krishna Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins after purnima day (full moon), culminating on the amavasya (new moon). Krishna Paksha is considered inauspicious,

N. P. Subramania Iyer (1991). 9788120602526, Asian Educational Services. . ISBN 9788120602526

as the moon loses light during this period.

Festivals during the Krishna Paksha are:

4th day	Chaturthi	Karva Chauth	Kartika
8th day	Ashtami	Krishna Janmashtami	Bhadrapada
13th day	Thrayodashi	Dhanteras	Kartika
13th day	Thrayodashi	Pradosha	Maagha
14th day	Chaturdashi	Maha Shivaratri	Maagha
14th day	Chaturdashi	Naraka Chaturdashi (Diwali)	Kartika
15th day (no moon)	Amavasya	Lakshmi Pujan (Diwali)	Kartika

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Other usages In Vedic astrology when a person does a Vedic astrology (a question chart) and the planet Venus indicates the time period, the event referred to in the answer will happen in a pakṣa ( fortnight) from the time the question was asked.

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See also

• Pitru Paksha

• K. V. Sarma (2008), "Paksa", Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures (2nd edition) edited by Helaine Selin, Springer, .

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External links

• Ahargana - The Astronomy of the Hindu Calendar: Maana, Krishna Pksha, Shukla Paksha and Chandra Masa Explains Krishna paksha and Shukla paksha by means of astronomical simulations created using Stellarium.
• Hindu Festivals Calendar 2010
• Introduction to the Hindu Calendar (pdf)

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