View source for Chaitra

{{Short description|First month of the Hindu calendar}}
{{for|the films|Chaitra (2002 film)|Chaitra (2023 film)}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox month
| image       = Jaipur Chaitra month.jpg
| alt         =
| caption     = ''Chaitra month'', [[Jaipur]] miniature in the [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]] in [[Warsaw]].
| native_name = {{Native name|sa|चैत्र}}
| calendar    = [[Hindu calendar]]
| num         = 1
| days        = 31
| season      = Spring
| gregorian   = March 22, 2023–April
| holidays    = * [[Holi]]
* [[Gudi Padwa]]
* [[Ugadi]]
* [[Chaitra Navaratri]]
* [[Rama Navami]]
| prev_month  = [[Phalguna]]
| next_month  = [[Vaisakha]]
}}
'''Chaitra''' ({{Langx|sa|चैत्र|translit=Caitra}}) is a [[month]] of the [[Hindu calendar]].
In the standard [[Hindu calendar]] and [[Indian national calendar|India's national civil calendar]], Chaitra is the first month of the year. It is the last month in the [[Bengali calendar]], where it is called Choitro. Chaitra or Chait is also the last month in the Nepali calendar (the [[Vikram Samvat]]), where it commences in mid-March. Chittirai is the first month in the [[Tamil calendar]]. In the Sindhi calendar, this month is referred to as Chet and is marked by the celebration of the [[Cheti Chand]] (birth of [[Jhulelal (Hinduism)|Jhulelal]], an incarnation of Vishnu). In the [[Vaishnava]] calendar, [[Vishnu]] governs this month. In solar religious calendars, Chaitra begins with the Sun's entry into [[Aries (constellation)|Aries]].{{cn|date=March 2023}}
In the more traditional reckoning, the first month commences in March or April of the [[Gregorian calendar]],<ref>Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) ''Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary'' Third edition. Electronic edition. Detroit: Omnigraphics, p. xxix. {{ISBN|0-7808-0982-3}}</ref><ref>[http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/india/chaitra-sukhladi TimeAndDate.com] presents Chaitra Sukhladi in Gregorian Calendars</ref> depending upon whether the [[Purushottam Maas|adhika masa]] (extra month for alignment of lunar or solar calendar) was observed in the year. The first day of Chaitra is marked as the {{lang|sa|[[Navaratri#Chaitra Navaratri|Chaitra Navaratri]]}}, the Hindu lunar new year.
== Names ==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* {{langx|as|চ’ত}} 'sot'
* {{langx|bn|চৈত্র}} 'choitro'
* {{Langx|bho|{{Script|Kthi|𑂒𑂶𑂞}}}} 'Chait'
* {{langx|gu|ચૈત્ર}} 'chaitra'
* [[Hindi]] and {{langx|mr|चैत्र}} 'chaitra'
* {{langx|kn|ಚೈತ್ರ}} 'chaitra''
* {{langx|ml|ചൈത്രം}} 'chaitram'
* {{langx|ne|चैत}} 'chait'
* {{langx|or| ଚୈତ୍ର}} 'chaitra'
* {{langx|pa|ਚੇਤ}} 'cēt'
* {{langx|raj|चेत}} 'chet'
* {{langx|sd|चेट}} 'chet'
* {{langx|ta|சித்திரை}} 'chittirai'
* {{langx|te|చైత్రము}} 'chaitramu'
{{div col end}}
==Festivals==
The month of ''Chaitra'' is also associated with the departure of spring. [[Holi]], the Hindu spring festival of colours, is celebrated on the full moon day ([[Purnima]]) of [[Phalguna]], the month before ''Chaitra'', exactly six days after which the [[Chaiti]] form of the [[Chhath]] festival is observed.
In ''Chandramana'' (lunar) religious calendars, Chaitra begins with the new moon in March−April and is the first month of the year. The nine-day festival Chaitra [[Navratri]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Navratri 2023: Date — Chaitra Navratri |url=https://www.bhaktibharat.com/en/festival/navratri |website=BhaktiBharat.com |language=en}}</ref> or [[Navadurga]] (or "Nava Durga", the 'nine forms of the Goddess [[Durga]]') starts from ''Chaitra Shukla [[Pratipada]]''. The first day of month Chaitra is celebrated as Hindu New Year's Day, known as [[Gudi Padwa]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Gudi Padawa   |url=http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/gudhipadwa}} {{bcn|date=March 2023}}</ref>{{bcn|date=March 2023}} in [[Maharashtra]],  [[Puthandu]] in [[Tamil Nadu]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eprarthana.com/festivals/fchaitravishu.asp|title=Chaitra Vishu}}</ref> and [[Ugadi]] in [[Karnataka]], [[Telangana]], and [[Andhra Pradesh]]. In [[West Bengal]], Basanti Puja, Annapurna Puja, Ram Nabami, Neel Puja and Chorok Puja ({{aka}} 'Gajon') are held consecutively before the beginning of Bengali New Year on [[Poila Baishakh]].
==See also==
{{Portal|Hinduism}}
* [[Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar]]
* [[Chitragupta]]
* [[Hindu units of measurement]]
* [[Hindu astronomy]]
* [[Jyotish]]a
* [[Nisan]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://festivals.currentnewstimes.com/chaitra-navratri/ Chaitra Navratri] {{in lang|hi}}
{{Hindu calendar}}
{{Indian astronomy}}
[[Category:Months of the Hindu calendar|*01]]