What are the 12 Nepali months?

The 12 months of Bikram Sambat are: Baishakh, Jestha, Ashadh, Shrawan, Bhadra, Ashwin, Kartik, Mangsir, Poush, Magh, Falgun, and Chaitra.

Which Nepali month has the most days?

Jestha and Ashadh typically have 31-32 days, making them the longest Nepali months.

When does Nepali New Year start?

Nepali New Year (Navavarsha) begins on the first day of Baishakh, which usually falls in mid-April (around April 13 or 14 in Gregorian calendar).

📅 Bikram Sambat • 12 Months • Nepali Calendar

Nepali Months Guide: Complete List of 12 BS Months

Names in Nepali & English, day ranges, Gregorian equivalents, seasonal festivals, and cultural significance

Nepali months form the backbone of the Bikram Sambat (BS) calendar, the official lunisolar calendar of Nepal. Unlike the fixed 30/31-day months of the Gregorian system, each Nepali month name carries its own seasonal rhythm, ranging from 29 to 32 days. Whether you're planning a festival, understanding Nepali Patro, or converting BS to AD, knowing the 12 months is essential.

This guide covers every month — from Baishakh (the Nepali New Year) to Chaitra (the last month) — including typical weather, festivals like Dashain and Tihar, and helpful conversion tools.

📆 The 12 Nepali Months (Bikram Sambat)

Below is the complete list of Nepali months with their English transliteration, approximate Gregorian dates, typical day range, seasons, and major festivals.

#	Nepali Month (नेपाली महिना)	English Name	Gregorian (approx.)	Days	Season & Festivals
1	बैशाख	Baishakh	Mid-Apr to Mid-May	30–31	🌱 Nepali New Year (Navavarsha), Bisket Jatra, farming begins
2	जेठ	Jestha	Mid-May to Mid-Jun	31–32	☀️ Pre-monsoon heat, Rato Machhindranath chariot festival
3	असार	Ashadh	Mid-Jun to Mid-Jul	31–32	🌧️ Start of monsoon, rice planting (Ashadh 15 – Dahi Chiura)
4	श्रावण	Shrawan	Mid-Jul to Mid-Aug	31–32	🕉️ Holy month of Shiva, Janai Purnima, Nag Panchami, Teej begins
5	भाद्र	Bhadra	Mid-Aug to Mid-Sep	31–32	🙏 Gokarna Aunsi (Father's Day), Kushe Aunsi, Teej (late Bhadra)
6	असोज	Ashwin	Mid-Sep to Mid-Oct	30–31	🏹 Dashain (Bada Dashain) – the biggest Nepali festival, Fulpati, Maha Ashtami, Vijayadashami
7	कार्तिक	Kartik	Mid-Oct to Mid-Nov	29–30	🪔 Tihar (Deepawali), Bhai Tika, Chhath (in Terai), Nepal Sambat New Year
8	मंसिर	Mangsir	Mid-Nov to Mid-Dec	29–30	❄️ Harvest season (rice harvest), Udhauli festival (Kirat community)
9	पौष	Poush	Mid-Dec to Mid-Jan	29–30	🥶 Cold winter, Maghe Sankranti (late Poush), Ghode Jatra
10	माघ	Magh	Mid-Jan to Mid-Feb	29–30	🌸 Maghe Sankranti, Swasthani Brata Katha, start of longer days
11	फाल्गुन	Falgun	Mid-Feb to Mid-Mar	29–30	🎨 Holi (Fagu Purnima), Shivaratri, spring colors
12	चैत्र	Chaitra	Mid-Mar to Mid-Apr	30–31	🌾 End of fiscal year, Chaite Dashain, Ram Navami, preparation for New Year

💡 Fun fact: The Nepali calendar adds an extra month (Adhik Maas) approximately every 3 years to realign lunar cycles with seasons. That month is inserted between certain months.

🌿 Nepali Months and Seasonal Divisions (Ritu)

Nepal traditionally recognizes six seasons (Ritu), each spanning two Bikram Sambat months. This ancient classification is still used in astrology and farming.

Vasant (Spring): Chaitra – Baishakh (mid-Mar to mid-May) – Nepali New Year, flowers bloom
Grishma (Summer): Jestha – Ashadh (mid-May to mid-Jul) – pre-monsoon heat, monsoon start
Varsha (Monsoon): Shrawan – Bhadra (mid-Jul to mid-Sep) – heavy rains, festival of Teej
Sharad (Autumn): Ashwin – Kartik (mid-Sep to mid-Nov) – Dashain, Tihar, clear skies
Hemanta (Pre-winter): Mangsir – Poush (mid-Nov to mid-Jan) – harvest, cold starts
Shishir (Winter): Magh – Falgun (mid-Jan to mid-Mar) – coldest, then Holi signals end

📅 Why Do Nepali Months Have Variable Days?

The Bikram Sambat is a lunisolar calendar – months follow the moon’s phases (new moon to new moon), while the year stays aligned with the solar cycle. A lunar month is about 29.53 days, so BS months alternate between 29 and 32 days. To prevent seasonal drift, an intercalary month (Adhik Maas) is added every 32–33 months. This extra month (also called “Mala Maas”) does not have any festivals and is considered spiritually significant for donations and prayers.

For accurate date conversion between BS and AD, relying on a trusted tool is essential because of these complex adjustments.

🔄 Need to Convert Nepali Months to Gregorian Dates?

Whether you want to know your Nepali birthday in AD, or verify a festival date for travel, our free BS to AD Converter gives instant, accurate results. It's built on official Nepali calendar data and handles Adhik Maas automatically.

📆 Convert BS to AD Now →

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Nepali Months

How many months are in the Nepali calendar?

There are 12 standard months in Bikram Sambat, plus an occasional extra month (Adhik Maas) every 2–3 years.

Which Nepali month is Dashain in?

Dashain falls in Ashwin (also called Ashoj) – typically from late Ashwin to early Kartik.

What is the Nepali month for Tihar?

Tihar (Deepawali) is celebrated in Kartik, the seventh month of the BS calendar.

What is the first Nepali month?

Baishakh is the first month of Bikram Sambat. The Nepali New Year starts on Baishakh 1.

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