Festivals in the Month of Bhādrapada

Hindus traditionally follow a lunar or lunisolar calendar, in which the year is divided into twelve lunar months:

Chaitra, Vaiśākha, Jyeṣṭha, Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapada, Āśvina, Kārtika, Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa, Māgha and Phālguna.

Twelve lunar months together comprise approximately 354 days, about 11 days shorter than the solar year. To keep the lunar months aligned with the seasons, an additional month called Adhika Māsa is inserted roughly once every 32–33 months, or about every three years.

Among these months, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapada, Āśvina and Kārtika form a particularly beautiful and spiritually vibrant period of the Hindu calendar. These months are filled with festivals, vrata, pūjā, remembrance of the Lord and opportunities for families and communities to come together.

Major Festivals of Bhādrapada

Bhādrapada, which generally falls during August–September, contains several important festivals and sacred observances.

Śrī Krishna Janmāṣṭamī celebrates the divine appearance of Lord Krishna. It reminds us of His assurance that whenever dharma declines, He manifests Himself for the protection of the righteous and the restoration of dharma.

Nandotsava, celebrated following Janmāṣṭamī, commemorates the joyous festivities in Gokula after the birth of Krishna.

Hartālikā Tīj, particularly observed by women in many parts of India, is associated with the devotion and austerities of Goddess Pārvatī and her union with Lord Shiva.

Gaṇeśa Chaturthī celebrates the appearance of Lord Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles and the deity of wisdom, auspicious beginnings and discrimination.

Ṛṣi Pañchamī is dedicated to remembering and honouring the great ṛṣis who preserved and transmitted spiritual knowledge through generations.

Rādhāṣṭamī celebrates the divine appearance of Śrī Rādhārāṇī, the embodiment of the highest devotion and the divine loving energy of Lord Krishna.

Ananta Chaturdaśī is associated with the worship of Lord Ananta, the eternal form of Lord Vishnu. In many places it also marks the conclusion of the Gaṇeśa festival with Gaṇeśa Visarjana.

Bhādrapada also leads us into Pitṛ Pakṣa, the sacred period during which we remember our departed ancestors with gratitude and offer prayers for them.

One Divine Reality, Many Manifestations

Festivals can keep us in good spirits and contribute to our emotional and social well-being when they are celebrated with devotion, faith, moderation and understanding.

Most of us believe in God, yet lack of knowledge or deeper understanding can sometimes create doubts. One common question is: “Why do Hindus have so many gods?”

The deeper Hindu understanding is not simply that there are many competing Gods. The scriptures present one Supreme Reality expressed and approached through many divine names and forms. The famous Vedic statement beautifully conveys this idea:

एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति।

Ekaṁ sad viprā bahudhā vadanti.

“Truth is One; the wise speak of it in many ways.”

The Divine may therefore be worshipped as Krishna, Rama, Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha and through many other sacred forms according to different traditions.

The Divine is also worshipped through Śakti, the divine energy, in forms such as Rādhā, Sītā, Lakṣmī, Durgā, Pārvatī and Sarasvatī.

A simple analogy may help. We may think of the sun and its sunshine. The sunshine cannot be separated from the sun; it is the sun’s energy spreading everywhere. Similarly, the Supreme and the Supreme’s divine energies are intimately connected. Different traditions explain this relationship in different philosophical ways, but all invite us to look beyond the external diversity towards the underlying Divine Reality.

The Beauty of Our Festivals

As I grow older, I increasingly appreciate the wisdom behind having so many festivals throughout the year.

Life inevitably brings responsibilities, pressures, disappointments and losses. Festivals periodically lift our minds above our daily concerns. They give us occasions to clean and decorate our homes, prepare special food, wear festive clothes, visit temples, sing and pray, meet relatives and friends, remember our traditions and, most importantly, remember God.

Every festival carries its own message. Janmāṣṭamī reminds us of divine love and dharma. Gaṇeśa Chaturthī reminds us to seek wisdom before beginning any undertaking. Rādhāṣṭamī teaches the beauty of pure devotion. Pitṛ Pakṣa awakens gratitude towards those who came before us.

Thus, festivals are much more than holidays or rituals. They create joy, camaraderie and bonding among families and friends while repeatedly reconnecting us with the Divine.

Perhaps that is their greatest beauty: amid the ordinary flow of life, they give us repeated opportunities to pause, celebrate, express gratitude and remember that life itself is a precious gift from God.