# Paksha > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paksha > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paksha.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paksha > Source revision: 1346019537 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{See also|Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar}} {{about|the lunar phase in the Hindu calendar|the Slavic festive dish|paskha}} {{distinguish|Paska (disambiguation){{!}}Paska}} {{short description|Fortnight or a lunar phase in a month of the Hindu lunar calendar}} [[File:Moon_Phase_Diagram_for_Simple_English_Wikipedia.GIF|thumb|Phases of the [Moon](/source/Moon)]] '''Paksha '''({{langx|sa|पक्ष|translit=pakṣa}}) refers to a [fortnight](/source/fortnight) period consisting of various [lunar phase](/source/lunar_phase)s in a month of the [Hindu](/source/Hindu_calendar) [lunar calendar](/source/lunar_calendar).{{cite book| last = Defouw| first = Hart| author2 = Robert Svoboda| title = Light on Life: An Introduction to the Astrology of India| url = https://archive.org/details/lightonlife00hart| url-access = registration| date = 2003| publisher = Lotus Press| isbn = 0-940985-69-1| page = [https://archive.org/details/lightonlife00hart/page/186 186] }}{{cite book| last = Kumar| first = Ashwini| title = Vaastu: The Art And Science Of Living| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=PwlmRgLt7WkC&pg=PA50| date = 2005| publisher = Sterling Publishers | isbn = 81-207-2569-7| page = 50 }} Literally meaning "side" in [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit),Monnier-Williams, M: (1851) ''Sanskrit Dictionary'' ISBN (none) it refers to the periods between [amavasya](/source/amavasya) ([new moon](/source/new_moon)) and [purnima](/source/purnima) ([full moon](/source/full_moon)), and vice versa.[K. V. Sarma](/source/K._V._Sarma) (2008), "Paksa", [Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures](/source/Encyclopaedia_of_the_History_of_Science%2C_Technology%2C_and_Medicine_in_Non-Western_Cultures) (2nd edition) edited by [Helaine Selin](/source/Helaine_Selin), Springer, {{ISBN|978-1-4020-4559-2}} A [lunar month](/source/lunar_month) in the Hindu calendar has two fortnights, with each fortnight subdivided into lunar days called [tithi](/source/tithi)s. A paksha consists of 15 such tithis, each of which correspond to a 12-degree angular motion of the [Moon](/source/Moon). The fortnight between amavasya and purnima is called as Shukla Paksha (bright side) or Gaura Paksha, which corresponds to the period of the [waxing moon](/source/waxing_moon). The second fortnight is called Krishna Paksha (dark side) or Vadhya Paksha' and corresponds to the period of the [waning moon](/source/waning_moon).{{cite web|url=https://iskconeducationalservices.org/HoH/practice/festivals/the-hindu-calendar/|title=Hindu calendar|work=[ISKCON](/source/ISKCON)|access-date=1 June 2025}}{{cite book|author=Most, Glenn W. |title=Hesiod Volume 1: Theogony Works and Days|publisher=[Harvard University Press](/source/Harvard_University_Press)|year=2006}} Amavasya corresponds to the period when the [Moon](/source/Moon) is within 12 degrees of angular distance from the Sun before their [conjunction](/source/syzygy_(astronomy)).{{cite journal|author=Cole, Freedom|title=Amāvásya and Pratipad|journal=Jyotish Digest|volume=XI|issue=2|date=April–September 2014}} A lunar month begins on the next day after amavasya in the [amanta](/source/Hindu_calendar) tradition and on the next day after purnima in the [purnimanta](/source/Hindu_calendar) system. The amanta system is followed majorly in the [South India](/source/South_India) and the purnimanta system in [North India](/source/North_India).{{cite web|url=https://aryasamajhouston.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=125|title=Hindu calendar|work=[Arya Samaj](/source/Arya_Samaj)|access-date=1 June 2025}} ==Shukla Paksha== Shukla Paksha refers to the bright lunar fortnight in the [Hindu calendar](/source/Hindu_calendar), corresponding to the [waxing moon](/source/waxing_moon). ''Shukla'' is the [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit) word for "white" or "bright". The Shukla Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins after the [amavasya](/source/amavasya) ([new moon](/source/new_moon) day) and culminating on [purnima](/source/purnima) ([full moon](/source/full_moon) day) and is considered auspicious.{{Cite book |last=Rinehart |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7abOEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA125 |title=Contemporary Hinduism: Ritual, Culture, and Practice |date=2004-07-21 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-57607-906-5 |pages=125 |language=en}} Numerous festivals are held during this period, including the [Navaratri](/source/Navratri) festivals, most importantly [Chaitra](/source/Chaitra) Navaratri and [Ashvin](/source/Ashvin) Navaratri. {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Day !Tithi !class=unsortable|Festival !Month |- |1st day |Pratipada |[Gudi Padwa](/source/Gudi_Padwa), [Ugadi](/source/Ugadi) |[Chaitra](/source/Chaitra) |- |1st day |Pratipada |[Bali Pratipada](/source/Bali_Pratipada), [Govardhan Puja](/source/Govardhan_Puja) |[Kartika](/source/Kartik_(month)) |- |2nd day |Dvitiya |[Bhaibeej](/source/Bhaibeej) |[Kartika](/source/Kartik_(month)) |- |3rd day |Tritiya |[Teej](/source/Teej) |[Bhadrapada](/source/Bhadrapad) |- |3rd day |Tritiya |[Akshaya Tritiya](/source/Akshaya_Tritiya) |[Vaishakha](/source/Vaishakha) |- |4th day |Chaturthi |[Ganesh Chaturthi](/source/Ganesh_Chaturthi) |[Bhadrapada](/source/Bhadrapada) |- |4th day |Chaturthi |[Ganesh Jayanti](/source/Ganesh_Jayanti) |[Magha](/source/Magha_(month)) |- |5th day |Panchami |[Nuakhai](/source/Nuakhai) |[Bhadrapada](/source/Bhadrapad) |- |5th day |Panchami |[Vivaha Panchami](/source/Vivaha_Panchami) |[Margashirsha](/source/Margashirsha) |- |5th day |Panchami |[Vasanta Panchami](/source/Basant_Panchami) |[Magha](/source/Magha_(month)) |- |6th day |Shasthi |[Sitalsasthi](/source/Sitalsasthi) |[Jyestha](/source/Jyestha) |- |8th day |Ashtami |[Radhashtami](/source/Radhashtami) |[Bhadrapada](/source/Bhadrapada) |- |9th day | Navami | [Rama Navami](/source/Rama_Navami) |[Chaitra](/source/Chaitra) |- |10th day | Dashami |[Vijayadashami](/source/Vijayadashami) |[Ashvin](/source/Ashvin) |- |11th day |Ekadashi |[Shayani Ekadashi](/source/Shayani_Ekadashi) |[Ashadha](/source/Asadha) |- |11th day |Ekadashi |[Vaikuntha Ekadashi](/source/Vaikunta_Ekadashi) |[Margashirsha](/source/Margashirsha) |- |- |14th day |Chaturdashi |[Samvatsari](/source/Samvatsari) |[Bhadrapada](/source/Bhadrapada) |- |15th day (full moon) |Purnima |[Guru Purnima](/source/Guru_Purnima) |[Ashada](/source/Ashada) |} ==Krishna Paksha== Krishna Paksha refers to the dark lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar, corresponding to the [waning moon](/source/waning_moon). ''Krishna'' means "dark" in Sanskrit. Krishna Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins after the purnima day (full moon), and ends on the amavasya (new moon) day. The period is considered inauspicious, as the moon loses light during this period.{{Cite book |last=Iyer |first=N. P. Subramania |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e_8MaBfTncgC&pg=PA79 |title=Kalaprakasika |date=1991 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0252-6 |pages=79 |language=en}} Festivals during the Krishna Paksha are: {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Day !Tithi !class=unsortable|Festival !Month |- |4th day |Chaturthi |[Karva Chauth](/source/Karva_Chauth) | [Kartika](/source/Kartik_(month)) |- |8th day |Ashtami |[Krishna Janmashtami](/source/Krishna_Janmashtami) |[Śrāvaṇa](/source/%C5%9Ar%C4%81va%E1%B9%87a) |- |- |13th day |Thrayodashi |[Dhanteras](/source/Dhanteras) |[Kartika](/source/Kartika_(month)) |- |13th day |Thrayodashi |[Pradosha](/source/Pradosha) |[Magha](/source/Maagha) |- |14th day |Chaturdashi |[Maha Shivaratri](/source/Maha_Shivaratri) |[Magha](/source/Maagha) |- |14th day |Chaturdashi |[Naraka Chaturdashi](/source/Naraka_Chaturdashi) ([Diwali](/source/Diwali)) |[Kartika](/source/Kartik_(month)) |- |15th day (no moon) |Amavasya |[Lakshmi Puja](/source/Lakshmi_Pujan) ([Diwali](/source/Diwali)) |[Kartika](/source/Kartik_(month)) |} == Thithis or days == {| class="wikitable" |- ! Shukla Paksha ! Krishna Paksha |- | 1. [Prathama](/source/Prathama_(day)) | 1. Prathama |- | 2. [Dvitiya](/source/Dwitiya) | 2. Dvitiya |- | 3. [Tritiya](/source/Tritiya) | 3. Tritiya |- | 4. [Chaturthi](/source/Chaturthi) | 4. Chaturthi |- | 5. [Panchami](/source/Panchami) | 5. Panchami |- | 6. [Shashti](/source/Shashti) | 6. Shashti |- | 7. [Saptami](/source/Saptami) | 7. Saptami |- | 8. [Ashtami](/source/Ashtami) | 8. Ashtami |- | 9. [Navami](/source/Navami) | 9. Navami |- | 10. [Dashami](/source/Dashami) | 10. Dashami |- | 11. [Ekadashi](/source/Ekadashi) | 11. Ekadashi |- | 12. [Dwadashi](/source/Dwadashi) | 12. Dwadashi |- | 13. [Trayodashi](/source/Trayodashi) | 13. Trayodashi |- | 14. [Chaturdashi](/source/Chaturdashi) | 14. Chaturdashi |- | 15. [Purnima](/source/Purnima) | 15. [Amavasya](/source/Amavasya) |} ==See also== * [Hindu astronomy](/source/Hindu_astronomy) * [Hindu units of measurement](/source/Hindu_units_of_measurement) * [Pitru Paksha](/source/Pitru_Paksha) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROzCT3pHCjM&list=PLYNax2xNHwV2r5_Ca4JeJM2zFhvwTHRry&index=14 Ahargana - The Astronomy of the Hindu Calendar: Maana, Krishna Pksha, Shukla Paksha and Chandra Masa] Explains Krishna paksha and Shukla paksha by means of astronomical simulations created using [Stellarium](/source/Stellarium_(software)). * [http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/hindu_calendar.htm Hindu Festivals Calendar 2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206150554/http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/hindu_calendar.htm |date=2016-12-06 }} * [http://himalayanacademy.com/resources/panchangam/pancha_intro.PDF Introduction to the Hindu Calendar (pdf)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711170536/http://himalayanacademy.com/resources/panchangam/pancha_intro.PDF |date=2011-07-11 }} {{Tithi}} {{Time measurement and standards}} Category:Hindu calendar Category:Phases of the Moon --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paksha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paksha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paksha?action=history)). 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