Phalguna

For the month in the Bangla Calendar and Nepali calendar, see Falgun.

Phalguna or Phālguna (Hindi: फागुन phaagun, Tamil: பங்குனி panguni) is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Phaalgun is the twelfth month of the year, beginning on 20 March and ending on 21 April (or 20 April during leap years).

In lunar religious calendars, Phaalgun may begin on either the new moon or the full moon around the same time of year, and is usually the twelfth month of the year. However, in Gujarat, Kartika is the first month of the year, and so Phalgun follows as the fifth month for Gujaratis.The holidays of Holi (15 Phalgun) and Maha Shivaratri (14 Phalgun) are observed in this month.

In solar religious calendars, Phaalgun begins with the Sun's entry into Aquarius, and is usually the eleventh month of the year.

In the Vaishnava calendar, Govinda governs this month.

Hindu saint Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami was born on Phalguna Sukla Navami in 1595 AD who advocated Sri Madhvacharya's Dvaita philosophy.

Festivals

Most parts of North India see early celebration of the famous Hindu festival Holi in this month. Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March.

The Hindu festival of Shigmo is also celebrated in Goa and Konkan in the month of Phalugun. Celebrations can stretch over a month and may last even after the Hindu Lunar New Year begins.

See also

• Hindu units of measurement
• Hindu astronomy
• Jyotish