Punjabi calendar

The Punjabi calendar (Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਜੰਤਰੀ, پنجابی جنتری) is a luni-solar calendar used by the Punjabi people in Punjab and around the world, but varies by religions. Historically, the Punjabi Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus have used the ancient Bikrami (Vikrami) calendar.^[1]^[2] Punjabi Muslims use the Arabic Hijri calendar alongside the Punjabi Calendar.^[3] Some festivals in Punjab, Pakistan are determined by the Punjabi calendar,^[4] such as Muharram which is observed twice, once according to the Muslim year and again on the 10th of harh/18th of jeth.^[5] The Punjabi calendar is the one the rural (agrarian) population follows in Punjab, Pakistan.^[6]^{[note 1]}

In Punjab though the solar calendar is generally followed, the lunar calendar used is purṇimānta, or calculated from the ending moment of the full moon: the beginning of the dark fortnight.^[8]^[9] Chait is considered to be the first month of the lunar year.^[10] The lunar year begins on Chet Sudi: the first day after the new moon in Chet.^[11] This means that the first half of the purṇimānta month of Chaitra goes to the previous year, while the second half belongs to the new Lunar year.^[9]

The Punjabi solar new year starts on the first of Vaisakh.^[12] The day is considered from sunrise to next sunrise and for the first day of the solar months, the Orissa rule is observed: day 1 of the month occurs on the day of the transition of monthly constellations, or sangrānd in Punjabi.^[13]^[14]

Months (solar)

No.	Name	Punjabi Gurmukhi	Punjabi Shahmukhi	Western months
1	Chet	ਚੇਤ	چیت	Mid March – Mid April
2	Vaisakh	ਵਿਸਾਖ	وساکھ	Mid April – Mid May
3	Jeth	ਜੇਠ	جیٹھ	Mid May – Mid June
4	Harh	ਹਾੜ੍ਹ	ہاڑھ	Mid June – Mid July
5	Sawan	ਸਾਓਣ	ساؤݨ	Mid July – Mid August
6	Bhadon	ਭਾਦੋਂ	بھادوں	Mid August – Mid September
7	Assu	ਅੱਸੂ	اسو	Mid September – Mid October
8	Kattak	ਕੱਤਕ	کتک	Mid October – Mid November
9	Magghar	ਮੱਘਰ	مگھر	Mid November – Mid December
10	Poh	ਪੋਹ	پوہ	Mid December – Mid January
11	Magh	ਮਾਘ	ماگھ	Mid January – Mid February
12	Phaggan	ਫੱਗਣ	پھگݨ	Mid February – Mid March

Notes

^ The Punjabi periodicals published in Pakistan print Punjabi calendar figures.^[7]

References

^ McLeod, W. H. (24 July 2009). The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-8108-6344-6. Until recently Sikhs followed the Sammat or Bikrami system like Hindus
^ Nesbitt, Eleanor M. (2016). Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-19-874557-0. Sikhs' religious calendar consists of annual gurpurabs (anniversaries of the Gurus) and melas (other festival celebrations). Until 2003, this calendar was based on the Hindus' Vikrami (in Punjabi, Bikrami) calendar.
^ Tej Bhatia (2013). Punjabi. Routledge. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-136-89460-2.
^ Pakistan Pictorial, Volume 10 (1986) Pakistan Publications
^ Jacobsen, Knut A. (ed) (2008) South Asian Religions on Display: Religious Processions in South Asia and in the Diaspora. Routledge [1]
^ Mirzā, Shafqat Tanvīr (1992) Resistance Themes in Punjabi Literature. Sang-e-Meel Publications s [2]
^ Organiser, Volume 46 (1994) Bharat Prakashan
^ Krishnamurthi Ramasubramanian, M. S. Sriram (2011) Tantrasaṅgraha of Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī. Springer Science & Business Media [3]
^ ^a ^b S. Balachandra Rao (2000) Indian Astronomy: An Introduction. Universities Press [4]
^ Salvadori, Cynthia (1989) Through open doors: a view of Asian cultures in Kenya. Kenway Publications [5]
^ Singh, Gursharan (1996) Page 262 Punjab history conference. Punjabi University [6]
^ World Encyclopaedia of Interfaith Studies: World religions (2009) Jnanada Prakashan [7]
^ Dilagīra, Harajindara Siṅgha (1997) The Sikh Reference Book. Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark [8]
^ Journal of Religious Studies, Volume 34 (2003) Punjabi University