Two Maasas (months) make a Rithu (season). Three Rithus make one Aayana. There are two Aayanas, Uttarayana & Dakshinayana.

AAYANA (Sun's Position): Uttarayana (When the Sun begins its Nothward movement a day after Winter Solstice, around December 22), Dakshinayana (When the Sun begins its Southward movement a day after Summer Solstice, around June 21 – dates vary)

RITHU & MAASA (Season & Month): Vasanta – Chaitra, Vaishakha; Grishma – Jyeshta, Ashadha; Varsha – Shravana, Bhadrapada; Sharad – Ashwin, Karthik; Hemanth – Margashirsha, Pausha; Shishira – Magha, Phalgun.

WARA (Weekday): Raviwar, Somwar, Mangalwar, Budhwar, Guruwar, Shukrawar, Shaniwar

PAKSHA (Lunar cycle): One Maasa equals to two Pakshas, each consisting of 15 tithis. Shukla Paksha (Shuddha) or the waxing of the moon from Pratipada to Poornima (Full Moon day), Krishna Paksha (Vadya) or waning of the moon from Pratipada to Amavasya (New Moon day).

TITHI (Date): Pratipada (Padya), Dwitiya (Bidige), Tritiya (Tadige), Chaturthi (Chowthi), Panchami, Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dashami, Ekadashi, Dwadashi, Trayodashi, Chaturdashi, Poornima (in Shukla Paksha)/Amavasya (in Krishna Paksha). These days are also referred to as:

NAKSHATRA (Stars): Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashirsha, Aardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Aslesha, Magha, Poorva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Poorva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha, Poorva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati

RASHI (Zodiac Signs): Mesha (Aries), Vrishabha (Taurus), Mithuna (Gemini), Karkata (Cancer), Simha (Leo), Kanya (Virgo), Tula (Libra), Vrishchika (Scorpio), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius), Meena (Pisces).

* It is important to know your Rashi and Nakshatra while fixing a date for auspicious events like thread ceremony, marriage, house warming, and so on. Rashi & Nakshatra is also used in selecting the name of a baby.

* In our Panchang, we refer to MyPanchang.com, with Udupi as the base. While we recommend MyPanchang, for information required for performing poojas or other rituals, your personal horoscope may be required. Hence, please contact your local priest/astrologer for the same.

* Please note that we do not have any control over any external sites and we are not responsible for their contents nor do we vouch for the authenticity of their content. We accept no liability for any issues arising out of such content.

* The terminologies we use are commonly used and understood. As such we don't have any particular preference for these.