What is a Thithi

A Thithi is a term used in Hindu astrology and calendar to denote a lunar day. Thithi comes from the Sanskrit root "Tith," which means "to stand or to be fixed." A Thithi is based on the angular distance between the Sun and the Moon as seen from the Earth.

Phases of Thithi

The Hindu lunar calendar consists of 16 Thithis or lunar days, each with a specific duration, quality, and effect. The Thithis are based on the angular distance between the Sun and the Moon as seen from the Earth. The Thithis are divided into Shukla Paksha (waxing phase) and Krishna Paksha (waning phase). Each phase has 15 Thithis, starting from Pratipada (the first lunar day) to Purnima (the full moon) or Amavasya (the new moon). The 16th Thithi is Kshaya or lost Thithi, which occurs when two Thithis are merged in a day.

Significance of Thithis

These are important for determining auspicious and inauspicious timings for various activities in Hindu culture. Thithis have different qualities and effects on the mind, body, and environment. Some Thithis are favorable for religious ceremonies, festivals, weddings, journeys, etc., while some are avoided for such purposes. They also influence the nature and outcome of events that occur on them.

Classification of Thithis

Thithis are classified into five groups according to their ruling elements and deities. These are:

Nanda Thithi:

Ruled by fire and Brahma, the creator god. It brings happiness, prosperity, and success.

Bhadra Thithi:

ruled by earth and Vishnu, the preserver god. It brings stability, protection, and harmony.

Jaya Thithi:

ruled by Ether and Shiva, the destroyer god. It brings victory, power, and transformation.

Rikta Thithi:

governed by water and Durga, the goddess of strength. It brings emptiness, loss, and obstacles.

Purna Thithi:

ruled by air and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It brings fullness, abundance, and completion.

Grouping of 16 Thithis

Thithis are classified into five groups according to their ruling elements and deities. These are:

Nanda Thithi:

The Thithis falling under this category are Pratipada (the first lunar day), Shashthi (the sixth lunar day), and Ekadashi (the eleventh lunar day).

Bhadra Thithi:

The Thithis coming under this category are Dvitiya (the second lunar day), Saptami (the seventh lunar day), and Dwadashi (the twelfth lunar day).

Jaya Thithi:

The Thithis falling in this category are Tritiya (the third lunar day), Ashtami (the eighth lunar day), and Trayodashi (the thirteenth lunar day).

Rikta Thithi:

The Thithis falling under this category are Chaturthi (the fourth lunar day), Navami (the ninth lunar day), and Chaturdashi (the fourteenth lunar day).

Purna Thithi:

The Thithis coming under this category are Panchami (the fifth lunar day), Dashami (the tenth lunar day), Purnima (the full moon), and Amavasya (the new moon).

List of 16 Thithis and their activities:

There are 30 Thithis in a lunar month, divided into two phases: Shukla Paksha (waxing phase) and Krishna Paksha (waning phase). Each phase has 15 Thithis, starting from Pratipada (the first lunar day) to Purnima (the full moon) or Amavasya (the new moon). The duration of each Thithi varies from 19 to 26 hours, depending on the speed and position of the Moon.

The following is a brief list of the 16 Thithis and their ideal activities:

These are the 16 Thithis and their ideal activities in brief. Each Thithi has its significance and influence on our lives. To know more about each Thithi in detail, please click on the links below:

Pratipada:

This is a Nanda Thithi ruled by fire and Brahma, the creator god. It brings happiness, prosperity, and success. Pratipada is auspicious for all types of religious and auspicious ceremonies, festivals, journeys, weddings, installations, observing a vow, accepting honors or a position, activities related to real estate, and hair cutting.

Dwitiya:

This is a Bhadra Thithi ruled by earth and Vishnu, the preserver god. It brings stability, protection, and harmony. It is suitable for laying the foundation of houses, factories, and other things of a permanent nature. Good for weddings, starting a job or any duty or the beginning of any work and wearing jewelry.

Tritiya:

This is a Jaya Thithi ruled by ether and Shiva, the destroyer god. It brings victory, power, and transformation. It is auspicious for starting important businesses, weddings, the first music lesson, the first feeding of a child, and construction. Good for the cuttings of one’s hair and nails and shaving.

Chaturthi:

This is a Rikta Thithi ruled by water and Durga, the goddess of strength. It brings emptiness, loss, and obstacles. It is good for destroying one’s enemies, removing obstacles, acts of combat, cleaning the house, polishing, arguments, fighting with the enemies, using weapons, and fire. It is an inauspicious day to start any important business.

Panchami:

This is a Purna Thithi ruled by air and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It brings fullness, abundance, and completion. It is suitable for all kinds of learning activities such as reading books or scriptures; teaching; writing; taking exams; learning music or dance; performing arts; reciting mantras; worshipping Saraswati; buying or selling books or stationery; travelling for education or knowledge; visiting temples or holy places.

Shashthi:

This is a Nanda Thithi ruled by fire and Kartikeya, the god of war. It brings happiness, prosperity, and success. It is good for activities related to children such as conception, childbirth, naming ceremony, first feeding, ear piercing, tonsure, education, health, sports, games, entertainment, adoption, buying toys or clothes for children, worshipping Skanda or Ganesha.

Saptami:

This is a Bhadra Thithi ruled by Earth and Surya, the sun god. It brings stability, protection, and harmony. It is good for activities related to health, such as taking medicine, surgery, dental care, eye care, blood donation, fasting, dieting, exercising, yoga, meditation; worshipping Surya or Agni; buying or wearing gold or copper ornaments; traveling for health reasons; visiting doctors or hospitals.

Ashtami:

This is a Jaya Thithi ruled by ether and Dhumavati, the widow goddess. It brings victory, power, and transformation. It is good for activities related to tantra, such as performing rituals or ceremonies involving fire or black magic; worshipping Kali or Dhumavati; seeking protection from evil forces or enemies; destroying negative karma or influences; renouncing worldly attachments or desires; fasting or observing silence; visiting cremation grounds or haunted places.

Navami:

This is a Rikta Thithi ruled by water and Sarpa Devata, the serpent deity. It brings emptiness, loss, and obstacles. It is suitable for snake-related activities such as worshipping Naga Devata or Subramanya, offering snakes milk or eggs, curing snake bites or poisonings, buying or wearing snakeskin products or ornaments, and visiting snake temples or pits. It is an inauspicious day to start any important business.

Dashami:

This is a Purna Thithi ruled by air and Dasha Mahavidya, the ten great goddesses. It brings fullness, abundance, and completion. It is suitable for activities related to the ten aspects of the divine feminine, such as worshipping Dasha Mahavidya or Durga; performing Navratri or Dussehra celebrations; seeking blessings or boons from the goddesses; performing sacrifices or offerings to the goddesses; learning or practicing the ten forms of art or knowledge; visiting the ten directions or sacred sites.

Ekadashi:

This is a Nanda Thithi ruled by fire and Vishnu, the preserver god. It brings happiness, prosperity, and success. It is suitable for activities related to devotion, such as fasting or observing vows; worshipping Vishnu or his incarnations; reciting Vishnu Sahasranama or other hymns; listening to or narrating stories of Vishnu or his avatars; donating food or clothes to the poor or needy; visiting Vaishnava temples or holy places.

Dwadashi:

This is a Bhadra Thithi ruled by Earth and Vishwadeva, the universal gods. It brings stability, protection, and harmony. It is good for activities related to the welfare of all beings, such as performing charity or social service; feeding or helping animals or birds; planting or watering trees or plants; cleaning or beautifying the environment; worshipping Vishwadeva or Indra; celebrating festivals or occasions that promote unity or harmony among people.

Trayodashi:

This is a Jaya Thithi ruled by ether and Kamadeva, the god of love. It brings victory, power, and transformation. It is good for activities related to love, such as expressing or proposing love, getting married or engaged, celebrating an anniversary or Valentine’s Day, enjoying romance or intimacy, buying or wearing perfumes or cosmetics, worshipping Kamadeva or Shiva, and visiting places of beauty or attraction.

Chaturdashi:

This is a Rikta Thithi ruled by water and Kali, the goddess of time. It brings emptiness, loss, and obstacles. It is suitable for activities related to time, such as ending or completing any pending work; paying off debts or dues; settling disputes or conflicts; resolving karma or past issues; worshipping Kali or Shiva; observing Maha Shivaratri or Kali Puja; fasting or meditating on death or rebirth. It is an inauspicious day to start any important business.

Amavasya:

This is a Purna Thithi ruled by air and Pitru Devata, the ancestral spirits. It brings fullness, abundance, and completion. It is suitable for activities related to ancestors, such as performing Shraddha or Tarpana rituals; offering food or water to the departed souls; visiting ancestral homes or graves; seeking blessings or guidance from the ancestors; worshipping Pitru Devata or Yama; observing Amavasya Vrat or Pitru Paksha.

Purnima:

This is a Purna Thithi ruled by air and Chandra Devata, the moon god. It brings fullness, abundance, and completion. It is suitable for activities related to the moon, such as worshipping Chandra Devata or Gauri; observing Purnima Vrat or Guru Purnima; celebrating Holi or Raksha Bandhan; performing Satyanarayana Puja or Chandra Grahan rituals; enjoying music or poetry; buying or wearing pearls or silver ornaments; visiting places of water or light.

Contact Sulekha:

We hope you found this overview of Tithi's informative. Our learned astrologers at Sulekha Astro provide even deeper insights into Hindu tithis, rituals, fasts, and more based on your birth chart and spiritual goals. They can guide selecting auspicious days, planning pujas, interpreting horoscopes, and maximizing the benefits of important tithis like Chaturdashi.

Contact our Vedic astrology experts today to learn more about the spiritual and astrological significance of all key tithis. Call, email, or book a session on our website. Discover how the planets and lunar phases align for your destiny.