24 Sanatan Festivals

byKedi Ganapati -
24 Sanatan Festivals — True Dates and Meanings
24 Sanatan Festivals — True Dates & Meanings

24 Sanatan Festivals

Author Kedi Ganapati

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✦ Table of Contents ✦

The Law of Celebration & Gudi Padwa

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CHAPTER 01

Kedi: Which festival comes first at the beginning of the year?

Ganesh: The year begins with Gudi Padwa, which falls on the day after the new moon (Amavasya) of the month of Phalgun.

Kedi: Why so?

Ganesh: The year ends on the new moon (Amavasya) of the month of Phalgun, and the day after that — the first day of the month of Chaitra — is considered the first day of the New Year.

Kedi: But the New Year starts when the Sun transits into Ashwini Nakshatra. How is that?

Ganesh: Practically, the beginning of a new year depends on the Sun's transition. Emotionally, the beginning of New Year celebrations depends on the Moon's transition.

Kedi: Why is that?

Ganesh: Celebration is connected with emotions, and emotions are connected with the Moon's transitions. That is why all celebrations connected with emotional events should be celebrated according to the Moon's transition.

Kedi: What about the Sun's transitions?

Ganesh: All celebrations connected with practical events should be celebrated according to the Sun's transition.

Kedi: Is there a rule for celebration?

Ganesh: The celebration of the beginning of anything should always be done before the beginning, and the celebration of achievements should always be done after the achievement. This is the law of celebration.

Ganesh: To raise the flag of your new existence is called a Gudi. To welcome the new year, Marathi culture celebrates the Gudi Padwa festival by raising the flag of one's new existence and beginning the year. Every culture can celebrate the new year in its own way. It is not necessary for everyone to raise a Gudi; everyone can raise the flag of their own existence according to their culture.

Ram Jayanti & Hanuman Jayanti

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CHAPTER 02

Kedi: Which festival comes after Gudi Padwa?

Ganesh: After Gudi Padwa, on the full moon day of the month of Chaitra, Ram Jayanti and Hanuman Jayanti occur. On that day, Lord Ram and the immortal Hanuman were born.

Kedi: But Ram Jayanti is celebrated on the ninth tithi of Chaitra. Is that wrong?

Ganesh: Yes, the ninth tithi is wrong. The true Ram Jayanti is on Chaitra Purnima.

Kedi: On Chaitra Purnima, isn't it only Hanuman Jayanti?

Ganesh: Yes, on Chaitra Purnima, along with Ram Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti is also observed. On this day, all eight immortals were born along with Hanuman.

Kedi: I haven't heard about the birth celebrations of the other immortals. Why?

Ganesh: Among the eight immortals, only Hanuman is worshipped, so only Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated.

Ganapati Festival — Chaitra Amavasya

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CHAPTER 03

Kedi: Which festival comes after Ram Jayanti?

Ganesh: On Chaitra Amavasya, the Ganapati festival is observed. On that day, Parameshwar Uchchhishta Ganapati and Hiranyagarbha were born.

Kedi: But the Ganapati festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the month of Bhadrapada. Is that wrong?

Ganesh: After foreign invaders attacked India, the Ganapati festival was banned. It was later restarted in Maharashtra on an incorrect date, and even today it is celebrated on that wrong date. The true Ganapati festival is on Chaitra Amavasya.

Kedi: Are only the dates of Ram Jayanti and the Ganapati festival wrong, or are all Sanatan festival dates wrong?

Ganesh: Some festival dates are wrong. You just need to understand this: only the festivals that fall on Purnima and Amavasya are on the correct dates. Any festivals celebrated on other tithis are on incorrect dates.

Buddha Jayanti & Parashuram Jayanti

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CHAPTER 04

Kedi: Which festival is on Vaishakh Purnima?

Ganesh: On Vaishakh Purnima, Buddha Jayanti is observed. On that day, Lord Buddha was born.

Kedi: Which festival is on Vaishakh Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Vaishakh Amavasya, Parashuram Jayanti is observed. On that day, Lord Parashuram was born.

Vat Purnima & Ancestors' Shraddha

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CHAPTER 05

Kedi: Which festival is on Jyeshtha Purnima?

Ganesh: On Jyeshtha Purnima, the Vat Purnima festival is observed. On that day, trees were born and life began.

Kedi: What is the Vat Purnima festival?

Ganesh: In the Vat Purnima festival, trees are planted, trees are worshipped, and trees are given as gifts to loved ones. Humans receive air, materials, food, and fuel from trees, so the duty of caring for trees is performed as an expression of gratitude.

Kedi: Which festival is on Jyeshtha Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Jyeshtha Amavasya, the Ancestors' Shraddha festival is observed. On that day, ancestors are remembered, or one performs shraddha to let go of their memories.

Kedi: Does everyone need to perform shraddha for their ancestors?

Ganesh: No. Those who have already forgotten their ancestors do not need to perform shraddha. Only those who want to forget need to perform it so that they can let go of their ancestors' memories and live their present life in peace.

Guru Purnima & Kalki Jayanti

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CHAPTER 06

Kedi: Which festival is on Ashadha Purnima?

Ganesh: On Ashadha Purnima, Guru Purnima is observed. On that day, one should worship their guru, who shows the right path and prevents a person from going down the wrong path.

Kedi: I don't have a guru. Whom should I worship?

Ganesh: You are telling your guru that you have no guru. Think how bad I must have felt hearing that.

Kedi: Which festival is on Ashadha Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Ashadha Amavasya, Kalki Jayanti is observed. On that day, Lord Kalki was born.

Raksha Bandhan & Putra Bandhan

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CHAPTER 07

Kedi: Which festival is on Shravan Purnima?

Ganesh: On Shravan Purnima, the Raksha Bandhan festival is observed. On that day, the bond between brother and sister should be honoured.

Kedi: Which festival is on Shravan Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Shravan Amavasya, the Putra Bandhan festival is observed. On that day, the bond between parents should be honoured.

Kedi: What does 'honouring the bond between parents' mean?

Ganesh: All year long, parents try to fulfil their children's wishes. On that day, children should try to fulfil their parents' wishes.

Krishna Jayanti & Prem Bandhan

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CHAPTER 08

Kedi: Which festival is on Bhadrapada Purnima?

Ganesh: On Bhadrapada Purnima, Krishna Jayanti is observed. On that day, Lord Krishna was born.

Kedi: But Krishna Jayanti is celebrated on Bhadrapada Ashtami. Is that wrong?

Ganesh: Yes, Bhadrapada Ashtami is the wrong date. The true date of Krishna Jayanti is Bhadrapada Purnima.

Kedi: Which festival is on Bhadrapada Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Bhadrapada Amavasya, the Prem Bandhan festival is observed. On that day, Kamadeva and all the other gods were born.

Kedi: What is the Prem Bandhan festival?

Ganesh: Today it is called the Hartalika festival. In it, unmarried men and women ask their beloved for marriage. On that day, unmarried women worship Lord Shiva and pray for a good marriage. Unmarried couples express their love for each other.

Kedi: Can married couples not celebrate the Prem Bandhan festival?

Ganesh: Married couples express their love every night, so they have another festival for expressing love. Unmarried couples cannot express their love every day, so Prem Bandhan, or the Hartalika festival, is only for unmarried men and women.

Lakshmi Puja & Durga Puja / Navratri

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CHAPTER 09

Kedi: Which festival is on Ashwin Purnima?

Ganesh: On Ashwin Purnima, the Lakshmi Puja festival is observed. On that day, Goddess Lakshmi was born.

Kedi: Why is Ashwin Purnima called Kojagiri Purnima?

Ganesh: Kojagiri is a slogan meaning "Who is awake?" On the night of Lakshmi Puja, people take a vow to understand the 64 emotions given to humans by Goddess Lakshmi. One who understands their emotions is called awake, and one who does not is called asleep. That is why, after Lakshmi Puja on the night of Ashwin Purnima, people call out asking who is asleep and tell them to wake up and start understanding their emotions.

Kedi: Which festival is on Ashwin Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Ashwin Amavasya, Durga Puja and the Navratri festival are observed. On that day, Goddess Gauri was born, and she manifested herself as ten riddhis and nine siddhis. On the same day, Goddess Durga was also born.

Kedi: But during Navratri, people worship Durga, not riddhis and siddhis.

Ganesh: The nine siddhi forms of Goddess Gauri are called the Navadurga. The ten riddhi forms of Gauri are called the Dash Mahavidyas, which only tantric devotees worship in secret.

Kedi: Are Durga and Navadurga different?

Ganesh: Yes. Navadurga are the nine forms of Goddess Gauri, while Durga is a goddess. Goddess Durga controls only two dimensions, while Navadurga is the mother who generates all eight dimensions.

Kedi: On the tenth day of Navratri, there is Dussehra. What is that?

Ganesh: Dussehra is not a festival but a Sanatan religious carnival. On that day, carnivals are organised in all cities, and during the carnival, the 24 points of the Sanatan Dharma Chakra and the 24 points of the path to liberation are preached. That is why Dussehra is also called the Dharma Chakra Carnival.

Kedi: What is the difference between a festival and a carnival?

Ganesh: A festival is a celebration of a celestial divine event, while a carnival is a celebration of human and cultural existence.

Diwali — Kartik Purnima

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CHAPTER 10

Kedi: Which festival is on Kartik Purnima?

Ganesh: On Kartik Purnima, the Diwali festival is observed. On that day, Lord Ganapati and Goddess Gauri connected all eight dimensions within the Hiranyagarbha, and because the dimension of light became connected with all the other dimensions, light spread throughout the entire Hiranyagarbha. This event illuminated the whole Hiranyagarbha, which is called Diwali. To celebrate that Diwali, Gauri and Ganapati should be worshipped.

Kedi: Was there no light in the Hiranyagarbha before the Diwali event?

Ganesh: The dimension of light existed, but it was not connected to the seven dimensions of time, space, energy, power, chakra, vibration, and maya. That is why, even though light existed, there was darkness in the Hiranyagarbha.

Kedi: What are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj in Diwali?

Ganesh: There are many cultures and civilisations in the world. Each culture celebrates Diwali in different ways and adds many customs to it. All of these are rituals of different cultures.

Marriage Festival — Kartik Amavasya

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CHAPTER 11

Kedi: Which festival is on Kartik Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Kartik Amavasya, the Marriage Festival is observed, also called Karva Amavasya. On that day, married couples should worship their life partners and try to fulfil their wishes. The Marriage Festival brings prosperity and growth to married life.

Kedi: Are the Marriage Festival and Karva Chauth the same?

Ganesh: Yes, they are the same. But a custom of seeing the moon through a sieve caused the Amavasya festival to start being observed on the fourth tithi, which turned it into Karva Chauth.

Kedi: If the moon cannot be seen on Amavasya, then whom will a married woman look at to observe her fast?

Ganesh: The Marriage Festival should not be observed to see the moon but to fulfil the wishes of one's life partner, who changes like the moon, and to express gratitude to them. The practice of seeing the moon was added later.

Datta Jayanti & Brahma Festival

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CHAPTER 12

Kedi: Which festival is on Margashirsha Purnima?

Ganesh: On Margashirsha Purnima, the Datta Jayanti festival is observed. On that day, Lord Dattatreya was born.

Kedi: Which festival is on Margashirsha Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Margashirsha Amavasya, the Brahma Festival is observed. On that day, Lord Brahma was born.

Kali Puja & Lakshmi Narayan Puja

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CHAPTER 13

Kedi: Which festival is on Paush Purnima?

Ganesh: On Paush Purnima, the Kali Puja festival is observed. On that day, Goddess Kali was born.

Kedi: Some people also call it Shakambari Purnima. Why?

Ganesh: Goddess Kali uses the dimensions of time and vibration to place the life force in all beings. That is why Goddess Kali is also called Shakambari and Annapurna.

Kedi: Which festival is on Paush Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Paush Amavasya, the Lakshmi Narayan Puja and Haldi Kumkum festival are observed. On that day, Lord Vishnu was born.

Kedi: What is the Haldi Kumkum festival?

Ganesh: In all festivals, men and women dance joyfully. This is the only festival where men are supposed to relax, like Lord Vishnu in a resting posture, and women apply turmeric and vermilion to each other and sing and dance together. Unmarried women apply turmeric, and married women apply vermilion. The singing and dancing done by women in this festival is called Mangal Gaur.

Saraswati Puja & Maha Shivaratri

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CHAPTER 14

Kedi: Which festival is on Magha Purnima?

Ganesh: On Magha Purnima, the Saraswati Puja festival is observed. On that day, Goddess Saraswati was born.

Kedi: Which festival is on Magha Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Magha Amavasya, the Maha Shivaratri festival is observed. On that day, Lord Shiva and Lord Shankar were born.

Kedi: Why do some people call it Mauni Amavasya?

Ganesh: There are two types of devotees of Lord Shiva: the fierce ones who perform tandava and the calm ones who meditate. On this day, Shiva's beloved devotees remain silent all day and meditate on Shiva, so it is called Mauni Amavasya.

Holi & The New Year Cycle

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CHAPTER 15

Kedi: Which festival is on Phalguna Purnima?

Ganesh: On Phalguna Purnima, the Holi festival is observed. On that day, Goddess Gauri and Parmeshwar Ganapati controlled the dimensions within the Hiranyagarbha, causing nine different colours of light to spread. To celebrate that colourful event, the Holi festival is observed.

Kedi: But light spread on the day of the Diwali event, so how is Holi different?

Ganesh: On the day of Diwali, the dimensions were connected, which caused a single colour of white light to spread everywhere. On Phalguna Purnima, the dimensions were controlled, which caused the light to appear not just in one white colour, but in all nine colours.

Kedi: Which festival is on Phalguna Amavasya?

Ganesh: On Phalguna Amavasya, the current year ends and the new year begins. That is why the Gudi Padwa festival should be observed on this day.

Kedi: You did not talk about Makar Sankranti.

Ganesh: Makar Sankranti is not a Sanatan festival but a cultural festival of India.

Kedi: What is the difference between a Sanatan festival and a cultural festival?

Ganesh: A Sanatan festival applies to all humans in the world, while a cultural festival applies only to the people of that culture, not to all humans.

Kedi: For thousands of years, people have been celebrating all Sanatan festivals on the wrong dates. Does that make any difference?

Ganesh: When someone celebrates a festival on the right or wrong date, the feeling they receive from that celebration is true and real. Festivals are celebrated to experience that feeling. However, celebrating on the wrong date raises questions about the importance and existence of the festival. Those who have faith are not affected by celebrating on the wrong date, but those who lack faith are affected.

Kedi: Then why, for so many years, has no rishi or astrologer found the correct dates of Sanatan festivals in the Panchang? Why did God allow festivals to be celebrated on the wrong dates for thousands of years?

Ganesh: God has been inspiring all rishis and learnt scholars to change the dates in the Panchang and is still inspiring them today. No one listened. You not only listened, but you also set out to learn the entire Panchang in order to change those dates.

Complete Festival Table

Festival Event Month / Tithi
— Chaitra —
Ram Jayanti & Hanuman Jayanti Origin of Ram & Hanuman Chaitra Purnima
Ganapati Utsav Origin of Ganapati Chaitra Amavasya
— Vaishakha —
Buddha Jayanti Origin of Buddha Vaishakha Purnima
Parashuram Jayanti Origin of Parashuram Vaishakha Amavasya
— Jyeshtha —
Vata Purnima Origin of Life (Trees) Jyeshtha Purnima
Pitru Amavasya Ancestors Day Jyeshtha Amavasya
— Ashadha —
Guru Purnima Teacher Day Ashadha Purnima
Kalki Jayanti Origin of Kalki Ashadha Amavasya
— Shravana —
Raksha Bandhan Brother-Sister Day Shravana Purnima
Putra Bandhan Mother-Father Day Shravana Amavasya
— Bhadrapada —
Krishna Jayanti Origin of Krishna Bhadrapada Purnima
Prem Utsav (Hartalika) Origin of Kaamdev Bhadrapada Amavasya
— Ashwin —
Lakshmi Puja (Kojagiri) Origin of Lakshmi Ashwin Purnima
Gauri / Durga Puja (Navratri) Origin of Gauri / Durga Ashwin Amavasya
— Kartik —
Diwali Origin of Creation (Light) Kartik Purnima
Vivah Utsav (Karwa) Origin of Marriage Kartik Amavasya
— Margashirsha —
Datta Jayanti Origin of Dattatreya Margashirsha Purnima
Brahma Utsav (Chhath Puja) Origin of Brahma Margashirsha Amavasya
— Pausha —
Kaali Puja (Shakambari) Origin of Kaali Pausha Purnima
Narayan Puja (Haldi Kumkum) Origin of Vishnu Pausha Amavasya
— Magha —
Saraswati Puja Origin of Saraswati Magha Purnima
Mahashivratri Origin of Shiv / Shankar Magha Amavasya
— Phalguna —
Holi Unity of Dimensions (Nine Colours) Phalguna Purnima
Gudi Padwa New Year Beginning Phalguna Amavasya

Note: This content represents one half of a chapter from Kedi Purana, a 64-chapter work authored by Kedi Ganapati. Kedi Purana is a modern Purana of the present and final Kaliyuga.

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