With special focus on Hindu and other significant dates.
We are happy to share the following Religious dates for year 2020. This calendar provides Hindu-specific dates as well as Guyana National Holidays and International Days.
JANUARY (Pausha-Maagha)
New Years Day Sun 1
Guru Gobind Jayanti Mon 2
Ekadashi Mon 6 & 20
Pradosh Vrat Tue 7 & 21
Kurma Dwadashi Jan 7
Purnima Thu 9
Ganesh Chaturthi Mon 13 & Tue 28
Makar Samkranti Tue 14
Shiva Chaturdashi Wed 22
Amaavasya Fri 24
India’s Republic Day Jan 26
Vasant Panchami (Plant Holika) Wed 29
Saraswati Puja Wed 29
Panchak 1 – 4 (00:35); 26 (8:09) – 31 (8:39)
Lagna 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 29, 30, 31
FEBRUARY (Magha-Phalguna)
World Cancer Day Tue 4
Ekadashi Wed 5 & Tues 18
Pradosh Vrat Thu 6 & 20
Purnima Sat 8
Ganesh Chaturthi Tue 11 & Thu. 27
Maharishi Dayanand Jayanti Tues 18
Valentines Day Fri 14
Maha Shiva Raatree Fri 21
Amavasya Sat 22
Guyana Republic Day Sun 23
Panchaka 22 (14:59) – 27 (15:38)
Lagna 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 25, 26, 27
MARCH (Phalguna-Chaitra)
Ekadashi Thu 5 & 19
Pradosh Vrat Sat 7 & 21
Purnima Sun 8
International Women’s Day Sun 8
Holika Dahan Sun 8
Holi/Phagwah Mon 9
Kharmas begins Mon 9
Ganesh Chaturthi Thu 12 & Sat 28
International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination Sat 21
Shiva Chaturdasi Sun 22
Amavasya Mon 23
Kharmas ends Mon 23
Hindu New Year (Pramathi) Tue 24
Chaitra Nava Raatree begins Tues 24
Panchaka 20 (20:50) – 25 (21:46)
Lagna 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 25, 29
APRIL (Chaitra – Vaishaakha)
Chaitra Nava Raatree ends Thu 2
Ram Navami Thu 2
Ekadashi Sat 4 & 18
Pradosh Vrat Sun 5 & 19
Purnima Tue 7
Hanuman Jayanti Tue 7
World Health Day Tue 7
Ganesh Chaturthi Fri 10 & Sun 26
Arya Samaj Foundation Day Fri 10
Good Friday Fri 10
Easter Monday Mon 13
Shiva Chaturdashi Mon 20
Amavasya Wed 22
Int Mother Earth Day Wed 22
Ramadan begins Sat 25
Panchaka 17 (02:48) – 22 (03:48)
Lagna 9, 11, 14, 15, 25, 26
MAY (Vaishaakha – Jyeshtha)
May Day (Labour Day) Fri 1
Sita Jayanti Fri 1
Ekadashi Sun 3 & 17
Pradosh Vrat Mon 4 & Tue 19
Indian Arrival Day Tue 5
Purnima Wed 6
Ganesh Chaturthi Sat 9 & Tue 26
Mothers’ Day Sun 10
Shiva Chaturdashi Wed 20
Amavasya Thu 21
Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) Sun 25
Guyana Independence Day Tue 26
Guru Purnima 40-days begins Tue 26
Ganga Dashami Sun 31
World No-Tobacco Day Sun 31
Panchaka 14 (09:52) – 19 (10:23)
Lagna 2, 3, 8, 10, 17, 18, 23, 24, 29
JUNE (Jyeshtha – Aashaarha)
Global day of Parents Mon 1
Ekadashi Mon 1 & Tue 16
Pradosh Vrat Wed 3 & Thu 18
Purnima Thu.4
World Environment Day Fri 5
World Oceans Day Mon 8
Ganesh Chaturthi Mon 8 & Wed 24
Shiva Chaturdashi Fri 19
Amavasya Sat 20
Fathers’ Day Sun 21
International Day of Yoga Sun 21
Panchaka 10 (18:11) – 15 (17:47)
Lagna 9, 13, 14, 15, 25, 26, 28
JULY (Aashaarha – Shravana)
Ekadashi Wed 1 & Thu 16 & 30
Pradosh Vrat Thu 2 & Fri 17 &31
Guru Purnima Sat 4
CARICOM Day Mon 6
Ganesh Chaturthi Wed 8 & Thu 23
Shiva Chaturdashi Sat 18
Amavasya Sun 19
Tulsidas Jayanti Sun 26
Eid al-Adha Fri 31
Panchaka 8 (03:01) – 13 (01:44)
Lagna 6, 11, 12, 17, 18, 25, 26, 31
AUGUST (Sravana – Bhadrapada)
Emancipation Day Sat 1
Purnima Mon 3
Raksha Bandhan Mon 3
Ganesh Chaturthi Thu 6
Krishna Janma Ashtami Tue 11
Ekadashi Fri 14 & 28
India Independence Day Sat 15
Pradosh Vrat Sun 16 & 30
Shiva Chaturdashi Mon 17
Amavasya Tues 18
Ganesh Jayanti Fri 21
Panchaka 4 (11:17) – 9 (09:36); 31 (18:18)
Lagna 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 23, 27, 29
SEPTEMBER (Bhaadrapada–Aashnina 1)
(Bhaadrapada – Aashnina 1)
Purnima Tue 1
Pitri Paksha begins Wed 2
Ganesh Chaturthi Sat 5 & Sun. 20
World Suicide Prevention Day Thu 10
Ekadashi Sun 13 & 27
Pradosh Vrat Mon 14 & 28
Shiva Chaturdashi Tues 15
Amavasya Wed 16
Pitri Paksha ends Wed 16
International Day of Peace Mon 21
Panchaka 1 – 5 (16:51); 28 (00:11) – 30
Lagna Nil (Adhik Maas starts Thu 17)
OCTOBER (Aashvina 2)
Purnima Thu 1
Ganesh Chaturthi Mon 5 & 19
World Teachers’ Day Mon 5
Ekadashi Mon 12 & 26
Pradosh Vrat Wed 14 & 28
Shiva Chaturdasi Wed 14
Amavasya Fri. 16
Nava Ratri Begins Sat 17
Durga Ashtami Fri 23
Maha Navami Sat 24
Vijaya Dashami Sun 25
Youman Nabi Thu 29
Purnima Fri 30
Panchaka 1 – 2 (23:20); 25(05:56) – 30 (05:27)
Lagna 17, 23, 28, 29
NOVEMBER (Kartika)
Karwa Chauth Tue 3
Ganesh Chaturthi Tues 3 & Wed 18
Ekadashi Wed 11 & 25
Dhanwantri Trayodasi Thu 12
Narak Chaturdashi Fri 13
Deepavali Sat 14
Govardhan Puja Sun 15
Bhaai Dooj Mon 16
Pradosh Vrat Fri 27
Kartik Purnima Sun 29
Panchaka 21 (12:56) – 26 (11:50)
Lagna 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 19, 25
DECEMBER (Maargasheersha)
Ganesh Chaturthi Thu. 3 & 17
Ekadashi Thu. 10 & Fri. 25
Pradosh Vrat Fri. 12 & Sun. 27
Shiva Chaturdashi Sun. 13
Amavasya Mon. 14
Gita Jayanti Fri. 25
Christmas Fri 25
Boxing Day Sat 26
Purnima Tue. 29
Panchaka 18 (21:46) – 23 (19:03)
Lagna 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 27
NOTES:
Reference notes to specific words used in the calendar above.
Ekadashi: means 11; refers to the 11th day of each half of the month of the Vedic Lunar Calendar. There are 2 Ekadashi days per month during which traditional partial fasting is observed that avoids consumption of beans and grains (instead we use fruits, vegetables, milk products). Fasting is from sunrise of the Ekadashi day up to sunset of the following day.
Kurma Dwadashi: Celebrates the Kurma Avatar of Lord Vishnu. The first Avatar.
Pradosh Vrat: Celebrates the act of Lord Shiva in imbibing the halahala poison that saved the entire world.
Panchak: literally means five. Refers to the period of time when the moon is transiting (from acquarius to pisces) at which time it passes through 5 constellations. Advisable to refrain from certain practices during this time. Regular spiritual observances is good as always, but traditionally advisable to avoid Mundan, Vivaah, engagement, new vrats/fasting, new businesses, new vehicles or acquisitions.
Amaavasyaa: New Moon (the moon is not visible during Amaavasyaa)
Purmina: Full Moon
Shukla paksha: the bright half of the moon phase (as the moon changes from New Moon to Full Moon)
Krishna Paksha: the dark half of the moon phase (as the moon changes from Full Moon to New Moon)
Lagna: auspicious dates and time for vivaah. These dates are based on the transiting of the moon with regards to various constellations. It is traditionally believed that the timing for marriage should be decided upon given the alignment of the stars so as to avoid negative energy flow to the important start of a new family.
Shiv Ratri: night of Shiva; celebrations to mark the remembrance of overcoming darkness and ignorance. It is observed by fasting, chanting, self-restraint, honesty, non-injury to self and others, forgiveness and focus on Shiva.
Acknowledgement:
Pt Ramdial Balbadhar (Guyana) provided Hindu dates that were calculated taking into account longitude/latitude of Guyana.
United Nations for the International Days
Guyana Government for Guyana Public Holidays
