Indian National Calendar

The National Calendar of India, on your phone.

Adopted in 1957 on the recommendation of the Calendar Reform Committee chaired by
Meghnad Saha, the Indian National Calendar (Saka Samvat) is the official civil
calendar of India. It is used alongside the Gregorian calendar by the Gazette of
India, in news broadcasts by All India Radio, and in calendars and communications
issued by the Government of India.

This app shows you today's National date, converts any date in either direction,
and explains how the calendar actually works.


WHAT YOU CAN DO

• See today at a glance — today's National date (e.g. 23 Saur Ashadha 1948)
together with the Gregorian date.

• Read the month either way — view a full month in the National calendar with
Gregorian dates inside each day, or flip to a Gregorian month with the National
dates inside. Nothing to convert in your head.

• Convert any date — pick a Date, Maah and Year (or a Gregorian date) and get the
matching date instantly. Step day by day with the arrows, or jump back to Today.

• Understand the year — an interactive orbit diagram shows where the Earth is in
its journey around the Sun: the twelve months, the six Ritus, both Ayans, and
the solstices and equinoxes. Tap any month to jump to it.

• Check the era — Shakabd and Yugabd, plus the current Ritu and Ayan.

• Use Vedic month names — switch to Madhu, Madhav, Shukra and the rest with one
toggle.

• Label the days that matter — save a label on any date and get a reminder the day
before, so you never miss an anniversary or observance.

• Add a widget — put today's National date on your home screen, or a full month
view.

• National days are marked — Republic Day, Shaheed Diwas, Ambedkar Jayanti,
Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.

• Read the background — a built-in explainer covers the leap-year rule, the month
lengths, and why they are what they are.


IN YOUR LANGUAGE

Available in English, हिंदी and मराठी. Pick a language inside the app, or let it
follow your phone's setting.


HOW THE CALENDAR WORKS

• It is a solar calendar based on the Sayana system, which tracks the movement of
the Vernal Equinox. It is not a Panchang — the traditional luni-solar calendar
shares the month names but is a different system.
• The year is 365.2422 days long, equal to a tropical year.
• The year begins at the Vernal Equinox, 22 March in the Gregorian calendar.
• It uses the Saka era. Subtract 78 from the Gregorian year to get the Saka year.
• Chaitra has 30 days (31 in a leap year). Vaisakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravana
and Bhadra have 31 days. Ashwin, Kartika, Agrahayana, Pausha, Magha and Phalguna
have 30 days. The uneven lengths follow Kepler's law — the Earth moves more
slowly in the first half of the year.
• The calendar began on 22 March 1957, as Saur Chaitra 01, 1879.


Made by Alok Mandavgane. With thanks to Sachin Kanade, Prashant Bhavsar and RDPM
(Rashtriya Dindarshika Prasar Manch), and to the organisers of the two-day
conference on the Indian National Calendar held in Ujjain.