Amavasya – Hindu New Moon

The new moon day is called Amavasya (अमावस्या) and is observed as a day of fasting in many Hindu households. Since the Hindu calendar is organized according to the lunar month, Amavasya is the beginning of the new lunar month which last 29 days. Many festivals, the most famous being Diwali (the festival of lights) are observed on this day.

The importance of Amavasya is that it is a day of new beginnings. It is a time to discard the old (habits, thought processes, failures and negative influences) and embrace the promise of new ‘light’ that the new moon brings to us. The ‘dark’ side of the moon is revealed on this day as the moon completes its waning cycle of fourteen days. The ancients considered this day with a lot of fear and trepidation because they thought that the moon had been swallowed by the sun. The first day of the waning cycle is actually the full moon day, also called purnima. (पूर्णिमा)

The current phase of the moon can help us determine whether we are approaching amavasya or purnima.Amavasya and Purnima Dates for 2018 (all times are in Universal Time – add 5.5 hours for IST)

Date and Time (Universal Time)
New Moon Full Moon Month
2018 Jan 02 02:24 (Mauna)
2018 Jan 17 02:17 2018 Jan 31 13:27 (Magha)
2018 Feb 15 21:05 2018 Mar 02 00:51 (Phalgun)
2018 Mar 17 13:12 2018 Mar 31 12:37 (Chaitra)
2018 Apr 16 01:57 2018 Apr 30 00:58 (Vaishakha)
2018 May 15 11:48 2018 May 29 14:19 (Jyeshta)
2018 Jun 13 19:43 2018 Jun 28 04:53 (Ashadha)
2018 Jul 13 02:48 2018 Jul 27 20:20 (Shravana)
2018 Aug 11 09:58 2018 Aug 26 11:56 (Mahalaya)
2018 Sep 09 18:01 2018 Sep 25 02:52 (Aswayuja)
2018 Oct 09 03:47 2018 Oct 24 16:45 (Karthika)
2018 Nov 07 16:02 2018 Nov 23 05:39 (Vakula)
2018 Dec 07 07:20 2018 Dec 22 17:49

moon-phase5.gif

(image from https://www.salatshots.com/moon.php)

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11 Responses to Amavasya – Hindu New Moon

  1. […] than a lunar event. In 2010, it so happens that this solar event coincides with the lunar event of amavasaya and a grand solar eclipse! This grand astronomical event is being celebrated in the form of a maha […]

  2. […] are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month (starting from the day after Amavasya) of Aswayuja/Asvina in the Indian lunar calendar (usually in end of September or early October). […]

  3. […] Pitra Paksha is known as “Mahalaya Amavasya” – the great night of the new moon or Amavasya. It is perhaps the most significant day of this fortnight as the ceremonies conducted on this day […]

  4. […] Chaturthi (23rd August 2009) is celebrated on the fourth (chaturth-) day after the new moon (amavasya) in the Hindu month of “Bhadrapada” (usually in August-September). It is a culmination […]

  5. […] which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the full moon (poornima) of the month of Shraavan. Raksha bandhan, the festival to celebrate the immaculate love between […]

  6. […] 13th (or 14th) night of the Krishna paksha (dark half or waning phase) of the moon (night before Amavasya) in the month of Phalgun (Feb-March) by almost all sects within Hinduism. It is a day of fasting […]

  7. […] belonging to a lunar month. Vaikuntha Ekadasi is the 11th day in the lunar calendar after the new moon in Dhanurmasa (December 15 – January 15). It is considered to be the day on which the doors of […]

  8. maliga reddy says:

    hi thank you for your website it is the best i am enjoying every bit it give me good learning skils i am a spiritaul person but dont know lots of things on kamar and what prayer to do for the moon and other gods and goddess but i am learning from your web i am a shiva beliver and pray alot to him.thank you once again for your website.have a good day lots of love maliga reddy south africa.

  9. […] Tulsi vivah is conducted on the day after Kartik Ekadashi (the eleventh bright day of the new moon, Amavasya. According to Hindu mythology, Tulsi is ceremonially married to Lord Vishnu on this day. The […]

  10. shilpa says:

    do send me intimations on amavasya’s and timings for 2008-09

  11. […] are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month (starting from the day after Amavasaya) of Aswayuja/Asvina in the Indian lunar calendar (usually in end of September or early October). […]