Pausha

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox month Template:Hinduism Pausha (Template:IAST), or Pushya is the tenth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and the Indian national calendar.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The name of the month is derived from the position of the Moon near the Pushya nakshatra (star) on the full moon day.<ref name="Ety">Template:Cite book</ref> The month corresponds to the pre-winter (Hemanta) season and falls in December–January of the Gregorian calendar.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=sewell5>Template:Cite book</ref>

In the Hindu solar calendar, it corresponds to the month of Dhanu and begins with the Sun's entry into Sagittarius.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Siddhantha">Template:Cite book</ref> It corresponds to Poush, the ninth month in the Bengali calendar.<ref name="Siddhantha"/> In the Tamil calendar, it corresponds to the tenth month of Thai, falling in the Gregorian months of January–February.<ref name="Siddhantha"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the Vaishnav calendar, it corresponds to the tenth month of Narayana.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Festivals

Lohri

Lohri is a harvest festival that marks the end of the pre-winter season. It is observed on the night before the next month, and marks the end of the winter crop season.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> During the festivities, people perform various folk rituals around a bonfire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Pongal

Pongal is a multi-day harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. The festival is celebrated over three or four consecutive days, which are named Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. Thai Pongal is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil calendar month of Thai.<ref name="Robinson">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and the festival is traditionally an occasion for decorating with kolam artworks, preparing the pongal dish, celebrating cattle, offering prayers, and getting together with family and friends.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a Tamil festival celebrated on the purnima (full moon day) in the Tamil month of Thai on the confluence of star Pusam.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of god Murugan over the asuras, and includes ritualistic practices of fasting and Kavadi Aattam.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Shakambhari Purnima

Shakambhari Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Pausha, and marks the culmination of the nine-day Shakambhari Navaratri.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The festival marks the descent of the goddess Shakambhari, a form of goddess Durga.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Vaikunta Ekadashi

Vaikunta Ekadashi is observed on the Ekadashi (eleventh lunar day) thithi of the Krishna Paksha (waxing moon) of the month as per amanta tradition.Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Vaikuntha Dvaram (gate to Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) is opened in Vishnu temples on the only this day of the year. Special prayers, and chanting of mantras are accompanies with pujas, and yagnas.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> According to the Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 ekadashis of the year, and is said to give people passage to Vaikuntha after the earthly life.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Others

The Amavasya day of the month is celebrated in various temples in Southern India. During the day, the idols of gods are taken for a procession for Theppotsavam (float festival) at temple tanks (pushkarni).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar
• Hindu astrology
• Hindu calendar
• Indian astronomy
• Indian units of measurement