Hindu Vikram Samvat Calendar Converter — VS Year & Samvatsara
Convert any Gregorian date to the Hindu Vikram Samvat (VS) calendar — the traditional Hindu lunisolar calendar used across India, Nepal and Hindu communities worldwide. The result shows the VS year (approximately 57 years ahead of Gregorian), the approximate lunar month and the 60-year Samvatsara cycle name — a unique cycle of named years used in Hindu astrology and festival planning. Furthermore, the reverse converter provides approximate Gregorian dates for VS years.
How to use the Hindu Vikram Samvat Converter
The twelve months of Vikram Samvat
The VS calendar has twelve lunar months. Furthermore, each month is divided into two fortnights — Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight, waxing moon) and Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight, waning moon). The year begins with Chaitra Shukla 1 — the first day of the bright fortnight in Chaitra.
| Month | Sanskrit name | Gregorian approx. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaitra | March–April |
| 2 | Vaisakha | April–May |
| 5 | Shravana | July–August |
| 7 | Ashvina | September–October |
| 8 | Kartika | October–November |
| 12 | Phalguna | February–March |
Chaitra versus Kartika reckoning
Different regions of India use different new year conventions for Vikram Samvat. Furthermore, North India traditionally starts the VS year on Chaitra Shukla 1 (around March–April). Gujarat and some other regions start on Kartika Shukla 1 (around October–November). Moreover, this means the VS year number may differ by one between these regional traditions for the same date between October and March.
How the Vikram Samvat year is calculated
The VS year is approximately 56 to 57 years ahead of the Gregorian year. Furthermore, the exact offset depends on the date relative to the VS new year (Chaitra Shukla 1, around 22 March). Dates after ~22 March give VS = Gregorian + 57; dates before give VS = Gregorian + 56.
VS 2081 = 2025 CE (before March 22, 2025)
Samvatsara = (VS year − 2024) mod 60 → one of 60 named years
VS epoch = 57 BCE (traditional founding year of King Vikramaditya)
Worked example: Diwali in VS 2082
Diwali falls on the new moon of Kartika (Kartika Amavasya). In VS 2082, Diwali corresponds to approximately 20 October 2025 CE.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Gregorian date | 20 October 2025 |
| VS year | VS 2082 |
| VS month | Kartika (month 8) |
| Samvatsara | Sarvajit (year 59 of 60-year cycle) |
| Tithi | Amavasya (new moon) — Diwali |
What is Vikram Samvat?
Vikram Samvat (VS) is the traditional Hindu calendar system used across North India, Nepal and Hindu communities worldwide. Furthermore, it is a lunisolar calendar — months follow the moon while intercalary months keep the calendar aligned with the solar year. The name honours the legendary Emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain, who is said to have established the era in 57 BCE.
Vikram Samvat governs Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Krishna Janmashtami and hundreds of regional observances. Furthermore, each festival is tied to a specific tithi in a specific VS month. This is why Hindu festival dates shift by 10 to 19 days in the Gregorian calendar each year. Moreover, exact festival dates appear in the annual Panchang — the Hindu almanac.
The 60-year Samvatsara cycle
The Hindu astronomical tradition uses a 60-year cycle called the Samvatsara cycle. Furthermore, each year in the cycle has a unique Sanskrit name — from Prabhava (year 1) through Akshaya (year 60). The cycle repeats every 60 years. Moreover, the Samvatsara name appears in traditional Hindu calendar headers and is used by astrologers (Jyotish practitioners) to identify the specific character and planetary rulership of each year.
Why Vikram Samvat matters
India has over 1.4 billion people — most observe Hindu traditions that follow the VS calendar for festival timing. Furthermore, understanding Diwali, Holi and Navratri dates is essential for India operations planning. Diwali, Holi and Navratri significantly affect retail, manufacturing and services sectors. Furthermore, the dates shift each year and must be checked annually.
Nepal uses Bikram Sambat (the Nepali variant of VS) as its official civil calendar. Furthermore, all Nepali official documents, government publications and national holidays use the BS date. Moreover, the Hindu diaspora in the UK, US, Canada and Gulf countries observes VS-based festivals — making the calendar relevant for organisations engaging with South Asian communities globally.
The Panchang — the Hindu almanac
The Panchang (literally "five limbs") is the comprehensive Hindu almanac published annually for each region. Furthermore, it lists the tithi (lunar day), vara (weekday), nakshatra (moon's asterism), yoga and karana — the five elements of every day. Moreover, the Panchang guides consultations for selecting auspicious dates (muhurta) for weddings, business launches, religious ceremonies and travel. For precise VS dates and timings, the regional Panchang is the authoritative reference.
Frequently asked questions
Related Date & Time tools
Every tool on LazyTools runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
Indian Saka Calendar
Convert to India's official Saka calendar. Furthermore, Saka year = Gregorian − 78, starting 22 March.
→Nepali Date Converter (AD to BS)
Convert Gregorian dates to Nepali Bikram Sambat. Furthermore, the Nepali calendar uses the same VS year numbering.
→Tamil Calendar Converter
Convert to the Tamil solar calendar. Furthermore, the 60-year Samvatsara cycle applies to Tamil years as well.
→Moon Phase Calculator
Find the moon phase for any date. Furthermore, Hindu festivals depend on specific lunar phases (tithi).
→Days Until Calculator
Count days until Diwali, Holi or any event. Additionally, a multi-event dashboard tracks ten countdowns.
→Religious Calendar Hub
Compare key dates across Hindu, Islamic, Hebrew and other calendars. Furthermore, view observances across traditions by month.
→