The fifteen tithis of each paksha
- 1 Pratipada
- 2 Dwitiya
- 3 Tritiya (Teej, Akshaya Tritiya)
- 4 Chaturthi (Ganesha — Sankashti, Vinayaka)
- 5 Panchami (Vasant, Nag, Rishi Panchami)
- 6 Shashthi (Skanda, Chhath)
- 7 Saptami (Ratha Saptami)
- 8 Ashtami (Durga Ashtami, Janmashtami)
- 9 Navami (Ram Navami, Maha Navami)
- 10 Dashami (Vijayadashami, Ganga Dussehra)
- 11 Ekadashi (Vishnu — fasting day)
- 12 Dwadashi (parana, breaking the Ekadashi fast)
- 13 Trayodashi (Pradosh — Shiva)
- 14 Chaturdashi (Maha Shivratri, Narak Chaturdashi)
- 15 Purnima (full moon) in Shukla paksha / Amavasya (new moon) in Krishna paksha
The five groups
- Nanda (joyful) — 1, 6, 11
- Bhadra (auspicious) — 2, 7, 12
- Jaya (victorious) — 3, 8, 13
- Rikta (empty; avoided for new work) — 4, 9, 14
- Purna (full) — 5, 10, 15
How the festival tithi is chosen
A tithi rarely matches a calendar day exactly. Traditionally the tithi prevailing at sunrise names the day, but for each festival the Dharmashastras specify the key time: Janmashtami at midnight, Ram Navami at midday, Diwali Lakshmi Puja in the evening (pradosh), Ekadashi at sunrise. That is why a festival can fall on different days in different places, or on two days.
The Panchang on The Hindu Book is calculated for daily reference (Lahiri ayanamsa). For muhurats for weddings, griha pravesh and other major events, consult a learned priest or jyotishi.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tithi?
A lunar day — each 12° of the Moon's movement away from the Sun; there are 30 in a lunar month.
Why can a tithi be "skipped" or "repeated"?
Because tithis vary in length; one may begin and end between two sunrises (kshaya) or cover two sunrises (vriddhi).