Ashadha

Overview

Ashadha is the fourth month of the Hindu lunar calendar, typically falling in June or July and marking the start of the monsoon season across most of India. The month opens the Chaturmasya — the four-month period during which Lord Vishnu is traditionally said to enter cosmic sleep and many devotees observe extra spiritual disciplines.

Notable Festivals

The famous Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri, Odisha, falls on the second day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha. The Guru Purnima full moon honors all spiritual teachers and is one of the most widely observed days of the Hindu calendar. The Ekadashi of the bright fortnight (Devshayani Ekadashi) marks the beginning of Vishnu's cosmic sleep and the start of the four-month Chaturmasya observance.