View source for Ashadha

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox month
| image       = Bahuda_Jatra,_Nabakalebara_2015.jpg
| alt         = 
| caption     = [[Rath Yatra]] in [[Puri]]
| native_name = {{Native name|sa|आषाढ}}
| calendar    = [[Hindu calendar]]
| num         = 4
| days        = 29 or 30
| season      = [[Grishma]] ([[summer]])
| gregorian   = [[June]]&ndash;[[July]]
| holidays    = {{ubl|Aadi Amavasai |[[Guru Purnima]] ||[[Ratha Yatra]] |[[Shayani Ekadashi]]}}
| prev_month  = [[Jyeshtha (month)|Jyestha]]
| next_month  = [[Shravana (month)|Shravana]]
}}
{{Hinduism}}
'''Ashadha''' is the fourth [[month]] of the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu]] [[lunar calendar]] and the [[Indian national calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Kenneth W. Morgan|title=The Religion Of The Hindus|year= 1987|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]]|isbn=978-8-120-80387-9|page=96}}</ref> The name of the month is derived from the position of the [[Moon]] near the [[Purva Ashadha]] [[nakshatra]] (star) on the [[full moon]] day.<ref>{{cite book|title=Heavens and Earth: The Story of Astrology Through Ages and Cultures|author=Garima Garg|year=2022|isbn=978-9-354-92705-8|publisher=[[Penguin Random House]]|page=75}}</ref> The month corresponds to the end of the [[summer]] ([[Grishma]]) [[Ritu (Indian season)|season]] and falls in [[June]]&ndash;[[July]] of the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Helene Henderson|year=2005|title=Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary|edition=Third|location=[[Detroit]]|publisher=Omnigraphics|page=xxix|isbn=978-0-780-80982-6}}</ref>

In the Hindu [[solar calendar]], it corresponds to the month of [[Mithuna (month)|Mithuna]] and begins with the [[Sun]]'s entry into [[Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]].<ref name="Siddhantha">{{cite book|title=The Siddhantas and the Indian Calendar|author1=Robert Sewell|author2=John Faithful Fleet|year=1989|publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]]|page=334}}</ref> It corresponds to [[Asharh]], the third month in the [[Bengali calendar]].<ref name="Siddhantha"/> In the [[Tamil calendar]], it corresponds to the fourth month of [[Aadi (month)|Aadi]], falling in the Gregorian months of July&ndash;August.<ref name="Siddhantha"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/tamil-calendar.html|title=Tamil Calendar – Months |work=Time and Date |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref> In the [[Vaishnav]] calendar, it corresponds to the fourth month of [[Vamana]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/aboutcalendar.htm|title=Vaisnava Calendar Reminder Services – About Calendar |work=Vaisnava Calendar |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.isvara.org/archive/on-the-calendar-by-srila-prabhupada/ |title=Something about the Vaisnava Calendar |work=ISVARA |access-date=1 October 2025}}</ref>

In the Hindu lunar calendar, each month has 29 or 30 days. The month begins on the next day after the [[Amavasya]] ([[new moon]]) or [[Purnima]] ([[full moon]]) as per [[Hindu calendar#Amānta and Purnimānta systems|amanta]] and [[Hindu calendar#Amānta and Purnimānta systems|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>{{cite web|url=https://iskconeducationalservices.org/HoH/practice/festivals/the-hindu-calendar/|title=Hindu calendar|work=[[ISKCON]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://aryasamajhouston.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166&Itemid=125|title=Hindu calendar|work=[[Arya Samaj]]|access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

==Festivals==
[[Guru Purnima]], a festival dedicated to honoring the [[guru]]s (teachers), is celebrated on the [[Purnima]] ([[full moon]]) day of the month.<ref>{{cite news |title=Guru Purnima 2025: Date, Timings, History and Significance |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/guru-purnima-2025-date-timings-history-significance-10113442/ |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=10 July 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> [[Rath Yatra]] is an annual public [[temple car]] procession dedicated to [[Jagannath]] held in [[Puri]] during the month.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rath Yatra 2025: Lord Jagannath's Annual Chariot Festival in Puri |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/rath-yatra-2025-lord-jagannath-puri-10088041/
|work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=26 June 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025: Date, Time, Puja, Rituals and Significance |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/festivals/jagannath-puri-rath-yatra-2025-date-time-puja-rituals-and-significance/articleshow/122089323.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=24 June 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> [[Shayani Ekadashi]], dedicated to Hindu god [[Vishnu]], is observed on the [[Ekadashi]] (eleventh lunar day) [[thithi]] of [[Shukla Paksha]] ([[waning moon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Devshayani Ekadashi 2025: When is Devshayani Ekadashi? Know Date and Time |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/devshayani-ekadashi-2025-when-is-dev-shayani-ekadashi-know-exact-date-and-time/articleshow/122200575.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=4 July 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref>

The month is dedicated to [[Mariamman]] amongst the [[Tamils]], and Aadi Amavasai, celebrated on [[Amavasya]] ([[new moon]]) of the month is an important festival.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aadi Amavasai 2025: Date, Time, Puja Rituals and Significance |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/aadi-amavasai-2025-date-time-puja-rituals-and-significance/articleshow/122856786.cms
|work=[[The Times of India]] |date=23 July 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aadi Amavasai 2024: Importance and Rituals in Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in/festivals/aadi-amavasai |work=Tamil Nadu Tourism |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> In [[Gujarat]], [[Dashama Vrata]], dedicated to [[Momai]], is observed on the Amavasya of the month.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dashama Vrata |url=https://www.bharattemples.com/dashama-vrata/
|work=Bharat Temples |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dashama Vrat 2025: Date, Puja Vidhi and Significance |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/dashama-vrat-2025-date-puja-vidhi-and-significance/articleshow/122967832.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=25 July 2025 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> The [[Kakkada]] month in Kodava calendar, which corresponds to Ashadha, is considered one of the significant and auspicious months by the [[Tuluvas]]. Various delicacies such as aati soppu, and kakkada paayasa are prepared to commemorate the same.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kakkada Padinett – Kodava Month of Kakkada |url=https://kodavaclan.com/kodaguheritage/kakkada-padnett/ |work=Kodava Clan Heritage Portal |date=2 August 2018 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref> 

The end of summer and impending arrival of the [[monsoon]] marks the time for cultivating [[Paddy (unmilled rice)|paddy]] in various regions of the [[Indian subcontinent]]. In Nepal, the occasion is marked by the Ropain festivel, welcoming the monsoon season. The festival includes planting the first seedlings, followed by celebrating by throwing mud at each other and people sharing dahi chiura (beaten rice with curds) with each other.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Paddy Day 2024: Nepal Celebrates Ropain Festival |url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/national-paddy-day-nepal-celebrates-ropain-festival/ |work=My Republica |date=29 June 2024 |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ropain Festival (Rice Planting Day) in Nepal |url=https://www.welcomenepal.com/plan-your-trip/ropain-festival.html |work=Nepal Tourism Board |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar]]
* [[Hindu astronomy]]
* [[Hindu units of measurement]]
* [[Jyotish]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Aashaadha}}
{{Portal|Hinduism}}

{{Hindu calendar}}
{{Indian astronomy}}

[[Category:Months of the Hindu calendar|*04]]