Manvadi Tithis: The Fourteen Lunar Dates and Their Names

Quick answer: what are Manvadi tithis?

Manvadi tithis are fourteen named lunar dates associated in Hindu cosmology with the fourteen Manvantaras of a Kalpa. A calendar pairs each name with a lunar month, Paksha and tithi—for example, Brahma Savarni with Magha Shukla Saptami and Swayambhuva with Chaitra Shukla Tritiya.

The list describes traditional calendar observances, not fourteen fixed Gregorian dates. The tithis shift each year and their civil dates can vary by location because of time zone, local sunrise and calendar convention. For the current year’s dates, use a city-specific Panchang; for the meaning of the names and pairings, use the table below.

Manu and Manvantara in Hindu timekeeping

In Hindu cosmology, a Manvantara is an immense era associated with a Manu, a figure connected with the ordering and renewal of life in that cycle. Traditional accounts describe fourteen such periods within a Kalpa. A Manvadi tithi marks a lunar date associated with one of these cycles in a Panchang list.

Different texts and lineages give these names a wider theological setting. A practical calendar guide should not flatten that diversity into one complete story. It can explain the common date pairing while leaving room for families and scholars to discuss the narratives in their own textual context.

Manvadi is also distinct from Manvadi “days.” The tithi is the underlying lunar designation; the day is the local civil date on which a Panchang assigns its observance. This distinction answers why a tithi can be identical in two places while the displayed Gregorian date differs.

The fourteen Manvadi month and tithi pairings

The sequence above follows a commonly printed Panchang list. Transliteration varies: Savarni may appear as Sāvarṇi, while Ashwina may be written Ashvina. Some calendars use month systems whose names differ around the same lunar period. When using this table for a ritual, match its month convention to the local Panchang instead of treating the spellings as interchangeable in every calendar.

A local 2026 example: Goalpara, Assam

For the year 2026, the date of Brahma Savarni is January 25 in the 2026 lists for Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, and Washington, D.C. Other Manvadi dates can differ across those locations: Savarni is listed on March 3 in Pudukkottai and March 2 in Washington, D.C. This is why the month–Paksha–tithi pairing is more durable than the Gregorian date.

The sunrise time helps explain the local Panchang day, but it does not mean that every ritual must begin at sunrise. Follow the specific time rule for the practice your family observes.

Ritual meaning and respectful limits

Many families connect Manvadi tithis with Shraddha, Tarpana, prayer, charitable giving, ritual bathing or havan. The particular observance depends on regional and family custom. Ancestor rites have detailed procedures and eligibility rules; a list of tithis alone cannot tell a household which rite to perform, what offerings to use or when to complete it.

Some Panchang guides say to avoid beginning selected activities such as marriage, Upanayana, construction or travel on Manvadi tithis, while also describing devotional and charitable practices as suitable. Treat such advice as a convention of the calendar being followed, not as a universal law or a guarantee about outcomes. Ask a trusted local practitioner which rule applies to the event in question.

There is no need to feel fear or incur unnecessary expense because a tithi appears in a list. A family may acknowledge the date quietly or follow a ritual tradition within its means. Essential care, safety, work and responsibilities remain important.

How to read the list without mixing calendars

1. Start with the name. Identify which of the fourteen Manvadi observances is being discussed.
2. Check month, Paksha and tithi. Confirm the lunar pairing in a source that uses your calendar convention.
3. Set the local city and year. Use the place where the ritual or appointment will occur.
4. Read the sunrise note. A tithi may begin before or after midnight, while the observance date may follow a sunrise rule.
5. Ask about practice. Clarify whether your family marks the day with remembrance, charity, worship or a muhurta restriction.
6. Record the decision. Note the calendar, city, time zone and local date to avoid future confusion.

If you need the yearly date list rather than the lunar pairings, use the Manvadi days guide. The two pages answer related but different questions.

Common misunderstandings

• Assuming Manvadi tithis are fourteen fixed Gregorian dates.
• Confusing a tithi pairing with the city-specific day assigned by a Panchang.
• Mixing Amanta and Purnimanta lunar-month labels without checking which is in use.
• Treating Manvadi, Kalpadi and Yugadi as interchangeable calendar lists.
• Assuming every family performs the same Shraddha, fast or puja on each date.
• Interpreting a traditional muhurta caution as a forecast of inevitable harm.

Use the month–Paksha–tithi combination to identify the observance, then consult a local list to learn its Gregorian date. That two-step method keeps the traditional name and the practical date clear.

Frequently asked questions