Ashwin Month in 2008 in Traditional Hindu Hindi Calendar

Ashwin Month is the seventh month Vikram Samvat Calendar, the traditional calendar followed by Hindus in North India. This calendar is followed mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Shradh rituals, Navratri, Durga Puja and Dasara (Vijaya Dashami) are the important festivals in Ashwin month. In 2008, Ashwin month begins on September 16 and ends on October 14.

The first fortnight of Ashwin month is dedicated to Shradh or Tarpan rituals. It ends with Mahalaya Shradh on September 29. The Amavasi in Ashwin month in 2008 is Somvati Amavasya, which falls on September 29.

Navratri rituals begin on September 30. It is known as Sharadiya Navrati Vrat. Devi puja begins on the day with Ghada Sthapan – a pot symbolizing Mother Goddess. Durga Ashtami is on October 7 and Mahanavami is on October 8. Vijaya Dashami is on October 9.

In the calendars followed in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Ashwin Month begins on September 30.