{{Short description|Seventh month of the Hindu calendar}} {{redirect|Ashwin}} {{Infobox month | image = The_Rangoli_of_Lights.jpg | alt = | caption = Diwali, the major Hindu festival of lights is celebrated during the month | native_name = {{Native name|sa|आश्विन}} | calendar = Hindu calendar | num = 7 | days = 29 or 30 | season = Sharada (autumn) | gregorian = September–October | holidays = {{ubl |Diwali{{efn|name=Amanta|As per Amanta tradition, which is officially followed by the Indian national calendar. The Hindu calendar follows two various systems:Amanta and Purnimanta. As per the amānta tradition, the lunar month ends on the new moon day and as per the purnimānta tradition, it ends on the full moon day. As a consequence, in the amanta tradition, Shukla paksha (waning moon) precedes Krishna paksha (waxing moon) in every lunar month, whereas the reverse happens in purnimānta tradition. Hence, Shukla paksha will always belong to the same month in both traditions, whereas Krishna paksha will always be associated with different but succeeding months in each tradition.<ref>{{cite book|author=V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar|title=The Gupta Polity|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|year=1993|isbn=978-81-208-1024-2|pages=24–35}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Amānta and Pūrṇimānta – Decoding Hindu Lunar Months |url=https://divinehindu.com/hinduism/amanta-and-purnimanta-decoding-hindu-lunar-months/|work=Divine Hindu |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lunar months – Pūrṇimānta and Amānta system |url=https://www.ekohumm.com/article/lunar-months-purnimanta-and-amanta-system|work=Ekohumm |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref>}} |Durga Puja |Kali Puja{{efn|name=Amanta}} |Karwa Chauth{{efn|name=Amanta}} |Navaratri |Sharad Purnima |Vijayadashami}} | prev_month = Bhadrapada / Bhadro | next_month = Kartika }} {{Hinduism}} '''Ashvin''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|'|ʃ|w|ɪ|n}}; {{langx|sa|आश्विन}}; <!--Do not use any Indic and South East Asian script for this introduction section without Sanskrit, because this Sanskrit based month name use almost 100+ South and Southeast Asian languages. So it's can create confusions--> Malay/Indonesian: ''Aswin''; Thai: ''Asawin''), or '''Ashwin''', also known as '''Aswayuja''', is the seventh month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Kenneth W. Morgan|title=The Religion Of The Hindus|year= 1987|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-8-120-80387-9|page=96}}</ref> The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Ashvini nakshatra (star) on the full moon day.<ref name="Ety">{{cite book|title=Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures|author=Garima Garg|year=2022|isbn=978-9-354-92705-8|publisher=Penguin Random House|page=75}}</ref> The month corresponds to the autumn (Sharada) season and falls in September–October of the Gregorian calendar.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Helene Henderson|year=2005|title=Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary|edition=Third|location=Detroit|publisher=Omnigraphics|page=xxix|isbn=978-0-780-80982-6}}</ref>
In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Kanya and begins with the Sun's entry into Virgo.<ref name="Siddhantha">{{cite book|title=The Siddhantas and the Indian Calendar|author1=Robert Sewell|author2=John Faithful Fleet|year=1989|publisher=Asian Educational Services|page=334}}</ref> It corresponds to Ashshin, the sixth month in the Bengali calendar.<ref name="Siddhantha"/> In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the seventh month of Aipasi, falling in the Gregorian months of October–November.<ref name="Siddhantha"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/tamil-calendar.html|title=Tamil Calendar – Months |work=Time and Date |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the seventh month of Padmanabha.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/aboutcalendar.htm|title=Vaisnava Calendar Reminder Services – About Calendar |work=Vaisnava Calendar |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.isvara.org/archive/on-the-calendar-by-srila-prabhupada/ |title=Something about the Vaisnava Calendar |work=ISVARA |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>
In the Hindu lunar calendar, each month has 29 or 30 days. The month begins on the next day after Amavasya (new moon) or Purnima (full moon) as per the amanta and purnimanta systems, respectively. A month consists of two cycles of 15 days each, Shukla Paksha (waning moon) and Krishna Paksha (waxing moon). Days in each cycle is labeled as a thithi, with each thithi repeating twice in a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iskconeducationalservices.org/HoH/practice/festivals/the-hindu-calendar/|title=Hindu calendar|work=ISKCON|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://aryasamajhouston.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=125|title=Hindu calendar|work=Arya Samaj|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> In the Bengali calendar, it earlier consisted of 30 days before being revised to 31 days in Bangladesh in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ashshin in 31 days in revised Bangla calendar |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/191106/ashshin-in-31-days-in-revised-bangla-calendar|work=Dhaka Tribune |date=22 October 2019 |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Govt revises Bangla calendar to match national days with West |url=https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/govt-revises-bangla-calendar-to-match-national-days-with-west-1571292255|work=The Financial Express |date=17 October 2019 |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> Diwali, the festival of lights, and Navaratri are major Hindu festivals celebrated in the month.
==Etymology== The name of the month is derived from Ashvini, which is the first of the 27 nakshatras (star). It is based on the position of the Moon near the star on the full moon day.<ref name="Ety"/> In Indian astrology, it is the head of the constellation Aries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nakshatra Ashwini – Vedic Astrology |url=https://vedicfeed.com/ashwini-nakshatra/|work=Vedic Feed |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> In Hindu mythology, Ashvins are divine twin horsemen, who are associated with healing and are considered the bringers of dawn.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ashvins – The Hindu Gods of Healing and Medicine |url=https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/aswins.asp|work=HinduWebsite |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ashvins: Divine Twin Gods – Hindu Temple Talk |url=https://hindutempletalk.org/2024/08/25/ashvini-kumaras-hindu-twin-gods-of-medicine-dawn-and-healing/|work=Hindu Temple Talk |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> In Thai, Aswin means a warrior or knight, and are described as representing the "blending of light and darkness" during twilight.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jah |first=J.C |title=The Hindu Festival of Divali in the Caribbean |publisher=Mona, Jamaica: Routledge |year=1976 |pages=53}}</ref>
==Festivals== === Diwali === Diwali is a five‑day Hindu festival of lights marking the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deepavali |url=https://www.itslife.in/festivals/deepavali|work=Its Life |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Mead |first=Jean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJyZKOtHWg4C&dq=deepavali+hinduism&pg=PA5 |title=How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali? |date=February 2008 |publisher=Evans Brothers |isbn=978-0-237-53412-7 |access-date=5 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111150755/https://books.google.com/books?id=QJyZKOtHWg4C&dq=deepavali+hinduism&pg=PA5#v=onepage&q=deepavali%20hinduism&f=false |archive-date=11 November 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Vasudha Narayanan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rdTJJEQsDHoC&pg=PA31 |title=Celebrate Diwali |last2=Deborah Heiligman |publisher=National Geographic Society |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4263-0291-6 |page=31 |access-date=14 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102023011/https://books.google.com/books?id=rdTJJEQsDHoC&pg=PA31 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Dhanteras marks the first day of the festival and is celebrated on Trayodashi (thirteenth lunar day) of Krishna Paksha (waxing moon) of the month. It is dedicated to the worship of goddess Lakshmi, lord Kubera and lord Dhanvantari.<ref>{{cite book |last= Hope-Murray |first= Angela |date= 2013 |title= Ayurveda For Dummies |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DHfCCAAAQBAJ&q=dhanvantari&pg=PA10 |publisher= John Wiley & Sons |page= 10|isbn= 978-1-118-30670-3 }}</ref> Naraka Chaturdasi is celebrated on the next day (Chaturdashi) and commemorates the defeat of Narakasura by god Krishna.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=to_U9I6Ol9wC&q=narakasur+kali&pg=PA89 | title=Prataparudradeva, the Last Great Suryavamshi King of Orissa (A.D. 1497 to A.D. 1540) | publisher=Northern Book Centre | author=Ray, Dipti | year=2007 | pages=89 | isbn=978-8-172-11195-3 |access-date=22 October 2014}}</ref> Lakshmi Puja is celebrated on the Amavasya (new moon, and marks the main night of festivities. It is dedicated to welcoming prosperity by worshipping Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. People light lamps (diyas), burst crackers, and do pujas.<ref name="NDTV">{{cite web |title=Happy Diwali: Deepavali, Kali Puja, Naraka Chaturdasi, Ramayana, The Legends Linked To Diwali |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/happy-diwali-deepavali-kali-puja-naraka-chaturdasi-ramayana-legends-linked-to-diwali-2120984|work=NDTV |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
The festivities and traditions vary across regions and commemorate other Hindu gods and goddesses.<ref>{{cite book|author=Suzanne Barchers |year=2013 |title=The Big Book of Holidays and Cultural Celebrations |publisher=Shell Education |isbn=978-1-4258-1048-1}}</ref> Kali Puja is celebrated in parts of India during the new moon day, and is dedicated to goddess Kali.<ref name="NDTV"/> While primarily a Hindu festival, variations of Diwali are also celebrated by adherents of other faiths. For Jains, own Diwali marks the final liberation of Mahavira.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Sharma |first1=S.P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wPPr9HdmnHcC&q=diwali+mahavira+527&pg=PA79 |title=Fairs and Festivals of India |last2=Gupta |first2=Seema |publisher=Pustak Mahal |year=2006 |isbn=978-81-223-0951-5 |page=79 |access-date=10 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126200725/https://books.google.com/books?id=wPPr9HdmnHcC&q=diwali+mahavira+527&pg=PA79 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Upadhye |first=A.N. |date=Jan–Mar 1982 |editor-last=Cohen |editor-first=Richard J. |title=Mahavira and His Teachings |journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society |volume=102 |issue=1 |pages=231–232 |doi=10.2307/601199 |issn=0003-0279 |jstor=601199}}</ref> Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from Mughal imprisonment.<ref>{{cite book |last=Geoff Teece |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kJO1WIABhPQC&pg=PA23 |title=Sikhism |publisher=Smart Apple Media |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-58340-469-0 |page=23 |access-date=14 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102024403/https://books.google.com/books?id=kJO1WIABhPQC&pg=PA23 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Newar Buddhists also celebrate Diwali.<ref>{{cite book |last=Todd T. Lewis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=whZ5kAPSwl8C&pg=PA118 |title=Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism |date=7 September 2000 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=978-0-791-49243-7 |pages=118–119 |access-date=14 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102030235/https://books.google.com/books?id=whZ5kAPSwl8C&pg=PA118 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Prem Saran |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5-DfCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA175 |title=Yoga, Bhoga and Ardhanariswara: Individuality, Wellbeing and Gender in Tantra |publisher=Routledge |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-136-51648-1 |page=175 |access-date=14 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102021020/https://books.google.com/books?id=5-DfCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA175 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Navaratri === [[File:Durga puja in Dhakeshwari temple.jpg|thumb|Durga Puja is a major festival in Bengal region]]
Navaratri is a nine‑day festival dedicated to various Hindu goddesses.<ref name="Festival">{{cite book |editor=Caleb Simmons, Moumita Sen, Hillary P. Rodrigues |title=Nine Nights of the Goddess: The Navarātri Festival in South Asia |year=2018 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=978-1-438-47069-6 |pages=1, 15, 30}}</ref> It starts from the Prathama (first lunar day) thithi after Amavasya (new moon), and ends on the Navami thithi on the ninth day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Navaratri – A Guide to Religious Observances |url=https://www.brandeis.edu/spiritual-life/resources/guide-to-observances/navaratri.html|work=Brandeis University – Center for Spiritual Life |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> The festival involves fasting, special pujas, and various cultural activities.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Navaratri: A Deep Dive into Ancient Wisdom |journal=Ayudhasara |date=25 July 2025 |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=277‑282}}</ref>
Saraswati Puja or Ayutha Puja is celebrated on the ninth day of Navaratri. This day involves the worship of various tools, instruments, and books, and is dedicated to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ayudha Puja – History, Meaning and Significance |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2021/10/15/ayudha-puja-history-meaning-and-significance-of-this-navratri-day/|work=Hinduism Today |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> In households and institutions, materials and implements are cleaned and decorated, with special pujas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ayudha Puja Rituals Explained |url=https://www.indianpanorama.in/festivals/ayudha-puja-explained.php|work=Indian Panorama |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> Vijayadashami or Dussehra is celebrated on Dashami (tenth day) thithi, and marks the end of Navaratri festivities. It commemorates god Rama's victory over Ravana.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bhalla |first=Kartar Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WORYY5Vl0ygC&dq=dussehra&pg=PA15 |title=Let's Know Festivals of India |date=February 2005 |publisher=Star Publications |isbn=978-8-176-50165-1}}</ref>
Durga Puja is major festival in Eastern India and Bengal celebrated during the Navaratri period, and commemorates goddess Durga's victory the asura Mahishasura.<ref name="Festival"/> Pujas are performed in homes and public spaces at temporary structures known as ''pandals'', along with religious recitations, cultural performances, feasting, and processions.<ref>{{cite book |first=James G |last=Lochtefeld |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch |url-access=registration |year=2002 |publisher=Rosen Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-823-93179-8|page=208}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/whose-goddess-is-it-anyway-119021201344_1.html |author=Arundhuti Dasgupta |title=Whose goddess is it, anyway? |work=Business Standard |date=12 February 2019|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
=== Karwa Chauth === Karwa Chauth is a one‑day fast observed by married Hindu women for the longevity and well‑being of their husbands. Women break the fast at night when the moon is sighted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Karwa Chauth – Married Women’s Fast for Spouse’s Longevity |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/hindu-married-women-celebrate-karwa-chauth-across-india-2025‑10‑10/|work=Reuters |date=10 October 2025 |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref> Rituals includes wearing traditional attires, communal gatherings, and offering prayers to the moon.<ref>{{cite web |title=Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/astro/religion-rituals/festivals-and-fasts/karwa-chauth-vrat-katha-in-hindi-karwa-chauth-ki-pauranik-kahani/articleshow/124408828.cms|work=Navbharat Times |access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref>
=== Sharad Poornima === Sharad Poornima is observed on the Purnima (full moon day) of the month of Ashvin. It marks the end of monsoon season. During the festival, various Hindu gods are worshipped along with Chandra, the moon deity, and are offered flowers and sweets.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sharad Purnima – Celebration, Vrat and Divine Story |url=https://samarthgurudhara.org/festival-significance/sharad-purnima-celebration-vrat-and-divine-story/ |work=Samarthguru Dhara |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sharad Purnima Ki Katha: The Divine Moonlight Story |url=https://hindumirror.com/sharad-purnima-ki-katha/|work=Hindu Mirror |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar * Hindu astrology * Hindu calendar * Indian astronomy * Indian units of measurement
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Hinduism}}
{{Hindu calendar}} {{Indian astronomy}} {{Bengali calendar}}
*07 Category:Months of the Bengali calendar