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Tithi – meaning and how it decides festivals
A tithi is the time it takes the Moon to gain 12° on the Sun. Thirty tithis make a lunar month: fifteen in the bright half and fifteen in the dark half.
Because the Moon moves at uneven speed, a tithi lasts between roughly 19 and 26 hours. When a tithi starts and ends between two sunrises, it is kshaya and never appears at sunrise; when one tithi covers two sunrises it is vriddhi. This is why a festival is sometimes kept on different days in Ranchi and in a village panchang.
Tithi and Jharkhand's festivals
| No. | Tithi | Hindi | Festivals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 / 16 | Pratipada | प्रतिपदा | Holi (day after Purnima), Bandna, Govardhan |
| 2 / 17 | Dwitiya | द्वितीया | Bhai Dooj, Rath Yatra |
| 3 / 18 | Tritiya | तृतीया | Sarhul, Akshaya Tritiya, Teej |
| 4 / 19 | Chaturthi | चतुर्थी | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 5 / 20 | Panchami | पंचमी | Basant Panchami, Baha (approx.), Nag Panchami |
| 6 / 21 | Shashthi | षष्ठी | Chhath |
| 7 / 22 | Saptami | सप्तमी | Chhath Usha Arghya, Durga Saptami |
| 8 / 23 | Ashtami | अष्टमी | Jitiya, Maha Ashtami, Janmashtami |
| 9 / 24 | Navami | नवमी | Ram Navami, Maha Navami |
| 10 / 25 | Dashami | दशमी | Vijayadashami |
| 11 / 26 | Ekadashi | एकादशी | Karma Puja, Ekadashi vrat |
| 12 / 27 | Dwadashi | द्वादशी | Phoolkharkosi, Ekadashi parana |
| 13 / 28 | Trayodashi | त्रयोदशी | Dhanteras, Pradosh |
| 14 / 29 | Chaturdashi | चतुर्दशी | Maha Shivratri |
| 15 / 30 | Purnima | पूर्णिमा | Purnima / Amavasya (30th) |
Adivasi parv aur tithi
Hindu vrats usually follow the tithi at sunrise. Adivasi festivals are a little different: Sarhul and Karma are tied to a tithi, but each village or community council may choose the exact day, and Santhal Sohrai in January follows the harvest rather than a tithi. The state holiday list picks one representative date.