Magha Month Calendar (January-February) 2025

The Hindu calendar month of Magha is a lunar month that corresponds to approximately January and February in the Gregorian calendar. Hinduism refers to Magha as a month for significant events for various reasons.

Basanta Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the waxing (Shukla Paksha) moon in the month of Magha. Basanta Panchami is linked with the worship of Goddess Saraswati, whose name translates into “the flow of knowledge” through art, music, and language. In the state of Odisha, this festival is also referred to as Sri Panchami and Saraswati Puja. Puja and Homa (fire sacrifice) ceremonies are done in schools and colleges throughout the state, with students observing Saraswati Puja with sincerity and devotion.

Magha Saptami is a festival in Odisha celebrated on the seventh day (Saptami) in the brighter part of the Hindu month of Magha (Shukla Paksha). It is an auspicious day and is dedicated to the Sun God. The festival is a famed and colourful festival at Chandrabhaga, which marks a grand gathering of pilgrims from many countries. The pilgrims prepare themselves by taking a holy dip at Chandrabhaga Tirtha near the sea and praying to the rising sun. It is held that dipat Chandrabhaga on the day of Magha Saptami will relieve all illness, and the pilgrimage (spiritual merit) will be similar to that of taking a dip in the holy Ganga.

Makara Sankranti falls within the month of Magha. This festival is dedicated to the Sun God Surya. The Makara Sankranti festival celebrates the Sun’s transit into Makara Rashi (Capricorn). Beginning today, the days become longer and warmer, allowing the chill of winter to ease. On this day, the people of Odisha make ‘Makara Chaula’ and offer it to the gods and goddesses. Makara chaula is unboiled, newly harvested rice mixed with banana, coconut, jaggery, sesame, rasagola, and Khai/Lia. At the Jagannath Temple at Puri, this festival is observed as the Uttarayana Yatra of Lord Jagannath, and devotees offer makara chaula to the presiding Deities.

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated on the Chaturdashi Tithi in Magha month during Krishna Paksha. On this day, devotees perform fasts, Rudra Abhishek and pray to Lord Shiva to receive Lord Shiva’s Blessings. In Odisha, Maha Shivaratri is known as ‘Jagara’ as well. Devotees of Lord Shiva fast the whole day for their wishes, and eat food after Mahadeepa (the great diya) rises at the top of Shiva temples – which is usually at midnight. The night of Shivaratri (aka) is celebrated as the anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is also celebrated as the day Lord Shiva saved the universe from the pot of poison. Furthermore, it is believed, those people who’ve done puja, fasted, and offered prayers to Lord Shiva are blessed with good luck.

Below we provide the Odia calendar for the month of January and how to February, with Sunrise and Sunset,time and dates of Purima and Amavasya, all important marriage dates, thread ceremony dates and other festival dates.