Chaitra

According to the lunar calendar, by
which most Hindu religious festivals are
determined, Chaitra is the month in
which the lunar year both begins (during the two weeks of the bright or waxing, half of the moon) and ends (during
the two weeks of the dark, or waning,
half of the moon, which precedes the
bright half). Thus, the waning half of
Chaitra ends one lunar year, while the
waxing half that follows it begins the
next lunar year. This month usually falls
within March and April. This is one of
the months of spring, and in northern
India the weather is warm and pleasant
at this time. The major festivals in
Chaitra are Papamochani Ekadashi, the
spring Navaratri, Ram Navami,
Kamada Ekadashi, Hanuman Jayanti,
and in Tamil Nadu, the Chittirai festival.