Anyone working with Nepali dates eventually needs to memorise the twelve months of the Bikram Sambat (BS) calendar in the right order. Whether you are reading a citizenship card, planning a trip around Dashain, looking up a fiscal-year deadline, or simply trying to keep up with your relatives in Kathmandu, the month names are the foundation on which everything else rests. This guide walks through all twelve in sequence, explains roughly how long each one is, what season it covers in the AD calendar, and which major festivals or civic events you can expect inside it.

Why the order matters

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, where January through December are fixed in name and length, the Bikram Sambat months follow a sidereal solar cycle. Their lengths shift slightly from year to year because they are tied to the sun's transit through the zodiac. The order, however, never changes. Once you internalise the sequence Baisakh, Jestha, Ashadh, Shrawan, Bhadra, Ashwin, Kartik, Mangsir, Poush, Magh, Falgun, Chaitra, the rest of the calendar starts to make sense — when the new year falls, when the fiscal year flips, when the monsoon hits, when Dashain arrives.

The twelve months in order

Baisakh (बैशाख) — Mid-April to mid-May, typically 30 or 31 days. The first month of the BS year. It opens with Nepali New Year on 1 Baisakh and contains Buddha Jayanti on Baisakh Purnima. Weather is warm and dry, with the first pre-monsoon showers in the hills.
Jestha (जेठ) — Mid-May to mid-June, usually 31 or 32 days. The hottest month in much of the country. Republic Day falls on 15 Jestha, and the federal budget is traditionally presented to parliament around the same time. Pre-monsoon storms become heavier toward the end.
Ashadh (असार) — Mid-June to mid-July, generally 31 or 32 days. The monsoon arrives in full force. Ashadh is the last month of the fiscal year, so government offices race to close projects and clear pending payments. Paddy planting begins in the hills and Terai.
Shrawan (साउन) — Mid-July to mid-August, often 31 or 32 days. The new fiscal year starts on 1 Shrawan. It is the holy month of Shiva — devotees fast on Mondays (somvar vrat), wear green bangles, and visit Pashupatinath and other Shiva temples in large numbers. Janai Purnima also falls during Shrawan.
Bhadra (भदौ) — Mid-August to mid-September, around 31 or 32 days. Heavy rain continues. The month contains Krishna Janmashtami, Gai Jatra (the Newar festival of cows), and Haritalika Teej — one of the most visible women's festivals in Nepal.
Ashwin (असोज) — Mid-September to mid-October, typically 30 or 31 days. The monsoon recedes, skies clear, and Constitution Day is observed on 3 Ashwin. Dashain — Nepal's longest festival — begins in Ashwin with Ghatasthapana and continues into Kartik.
Kartik (कार्तिक) — Mid-October to mid-November, usually 29 or 30 days. Dashain concludes early in Kartik with Vijaya Dashami, and Tihar (the festival of lights) follows about two weeks later. Weather turns crisp and clear.
Mangsir (मंसिर) — Mid-November to mid-December, around 29 or 30 days. Traditionally considered an auspicious month for weddings because the weather is dry and cool. Harvest is largely complete.
Poush (पुस) — Mid-December to mid-January, typically 29 or 30 days. The coldest month, particularly in the hills and high mountains. Many Newar communities observe Yomari Punhi in early Poush. Schools often take a winter break during Poush.
Magh (माघ) — Mid-January to mid-February, around 29 or 30 days. Magh begins with Maghe Sankranti on 1 Magh, when families gather for til ko laddu, chaku and sweet potato. Prajatantra Diwas falls on 26 Magh. Sonam and Gyalpo Lhosar are usually celebrated by Tibetan-Buddhist communities in this period.
Falgun (फाल्गुन) — Mid-February to mid-March, typically 29 or 30 days. Maha Shivaratri is observed on the dark fortnight of Falgun, with massive crowds gathering at Pashupatinath. Holi (Fagu Purnima) closes the month in the hill region; the Terai usually celebrates a day later.
Chaitra (चैत) — Mid-March to mid-April, around 30 or 31 days. The last month of the BS year, often warm and dry. Chaite Dashain and Ram Navami fall here. The annual patro for the next BS year is finalised and goes on sale before Chaitra ends.

How long is each month, really?

The simple Gregorian rhyme "thirty days hath September" does not work for BS. Each month can be 29, 30, 31 or 32 days, and the exact length is decided each year by Nepal's Calendar Determination Committee based on the sun's sidereal position. Broadly:

The summer-monsoon months (Ashadh through Bhadra) tend to be the longest, often 31 or 32 days.
The winter months (Mangsir, Poush, Magh) tend to be the shortest, usually 29 or 30 days.
The spring months (Baisakh, Jestha, Falgun, Chaitra) sit in between.

Because of this variation, you cannot reliably calculate "date plus N days" by guessing month lengths. Use a real date difference calculator or check the today's Nepali date page for the current month's exact length.

Seasons mapped to months

Nepalis loosely divide the year into six seasons (ritu), each spanning roughly two BS months:

Basanta (spring) — Chaitra and Baisakh
Grishma (summer) — Jestha and Ashadh
Barsha (monsoon) — Shrawan and Bhadra
Sharad (early autumn) — Ashwin and Kartik
Hemanta (late autumn) — Mangsir and Poush
Shishir (winter) — Magh and Falgun

This six-season framing is older than the Gregorian four-season scheme and remains visible in classical poetry, ayurveda, and traditional farming calendars.

Mnemonics for memorising the order

Most Nepalis learn the months as a single rhythmic chant — "Baisakh, Jestha, Ashadh, Shrawan, Bhadra, Ashwin, Kartik, Mangsir, Poush, Magh, Falgun, Chaitra." Read it aloud half a dozen times and it tends to stick. If you are learning from outside the country and prefer an associative trick, anchor each season to a festival you already know: Baisakh is New Year, Shrawan is Shiva, Ashwin is Dashain, Kartik is Tihar, Magh is Maghe Sankranti, Falgun is Holi. The festival names form natural milestones around the year.

Where the month names come from

The names are Sanskrit in origin and almost all are derived from nakshatras — the lunar mansions through which the moon passes during that month at the time of full moon. For example, Chaitra full moon traditionally falls in the Chitra nakshatra; Baisakh full moon in Vishakha; Jestha in Jyeshtha. The Bikram Sambat calendar applies these old lunar names to a solar calendar, which is why the link between name and lunar position is now historical rather than literal.

Practical takeaway

Memorise the twelve names and their rough AD windows once, and you will navigate Nepali documents, festivals, and government deadlines far more easily. For exact day-by-day conversion, lean on the BS to AD converter or the AD to BS converter rather than counting in your head — month lengths shift year to year, and even Nepalis who have used the calendar all their life check the patro before booking anything important.

Frequently asked questions

Which Nepali month is January?

January overlaps with the end of Poush and the start of Magh. Maghe Sankranti on 1 Magh almost always falls on 14 or 15 January AD, which is the simplest anchor.

Which Nepali month has the most days?

Shrawan or Ashadh — both are commonly 31 or 32 days. The exact answer changes year to year and is published in the official patro.

Which Nepali month is the new year?

Baisakh. The BS year flips on 1 Baisakh, which falls on 13, 14 or 15 April in the AD calendar.

Are the Nepali months lunar or solar?

The Bikram Sambat calendar is a sidereal solar calendar — months are tied to the sun's transit through zodiac signs, not to the moon. However, the month names come from lunar nakshatras, and many religious observances inside each month are scheduled by lunar tithi.

Do the months always start on the same AD date?

Close, but not exact. Most months shift by one day from year to year because of the varying sidereal positions. Always check the converter rather than assuming.