Nepal Patro Calendar System: Tithi, Public Holidays & Festive Panchang Rules
The official Nepal Patro published annually in the Nepal Gazette by the Ministry of Home Affairs combines the civic solar Bikram Sambat calendar with the traditional lunar Panchang. Religious festivals such as Dashain, Tihar, Buddha Jayanti, and Maha Shivaratri are determined by lunar Tithis, explaining why festive dates shift on the solar calendar each year.
- A lunar month consists of 30 Tithis divided into Shukla Paksha (waxing bright half) and Krishna Paksha (waning dark half).
- Because a lunar day (Tithi) averages 23 hours and 37 minutes, a Tithi can skip or repeat across civil calendar sunrises.
- Major national public holidays include Dashain (5 continuous days) and Tihar (3 continuous days).
- Provincial governments declare up to 6 additional local public holidays tailored to regional cultural celebrations.
How Cultural Holidays Are Scheduled by Tithi
Major cultural holidays in Nepal follow precise lunar phase definitions:
| Celebration / Festival | Governing Lunar Tithi | Seasonal Month Window | Typical Holiday Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghatasthapana (घटस्थापना) | Ashwin Shukla Pratipada | September / October | 1 Day Public Holiday |
| Vijaya Dashami (विजया दशमी) | Ashwin Shukla Dashami | October | 5 Continuous Days |
| Laxmi Puja (लक्ष्मी पूजा) | Kartik Krishna Amavasya | October / November | 3 Days across Tihar |
| Chhath Parva (छठ पर्व) | Kartik Shukla Shashthi | November | 1 Day (Terai & National) |
| Maha Shivaratri (महाशिवरात्रि) | Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi | February / March | 1 Day Public Holiday |
| Buddha Jayanti (बुद्ध जयन्ती) | Baisakh Shukla Purnima | May | 1 Day Public Holiday |
The Five Limbs of the Vedic Panchanga
Traditional Nepali Patro documents five astronomical parameters daily: Tithi (lunar day), Vara (weekday), Nakshatra (lunar constellation), Yoga (solar-lunar angular relationship), and Karana (half-tithi interval), used by astrologers to schedule auspicious marriage and housewarming (Griha Pravesh) ceremonies.
Final Thoughts
Keeping track of official national holidays and cultural timings ensures seamless corporate project planning. Browse real-time festival dates and gazetted holidays using our interactive Nepal Calendar.
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