A Telugu month starts on the first day after new moon and ends on the day of new moon. A "day" or tithi(తిథి) in this context is based on the change in relative position of moon, rather than the rising and setting of the Sun. Thus, tithi is closely related to phases of moon. A tithi could even begin in the middle of the night on a solar day.

 

New moon is amAvasya(అమావాస్య ). Full moon is paurNami(పౌర్ణమి ).

These are the tithis in between:

pADyami(పాడ్యమి), vidiya(విదియ), tadiya(తదియ), chaviti(చవితి), panchami(పంచమి), shashThi(షష్ఠి), saptami(సప్తమి), ashTami(అష్టమి), navami(నవమి), daSami(దశమి), EkAdaSi(ఏకాదశి), dwAdaSi(ద్వాదశి), trayOdaSi(త్రయోదశి), chaturdaSi(చతుర్దశి).

 

In the waxing phase of moon, that is the days when moon is getting increasingly bigger and brighter, the tithis are identified as belonging to Suklapaksham(శుక్లపక్షం) or Suddhapaksham(శుద్ధపక్షం ). In the waning phase of moon, the tithis are idenitified as belonging to kRshNapaksham(కృష్ణపక్షం) or bahuLapaksham(బహుళపక్షం).

 

For example, chaitra Suddha navami is the ninth day in the month of Chaitram. Chaitra bahuLa navami, on the other hand would be the ninth day after Full Moon in the month of chaitram, in fact the 24th day in that month.

 

The following are the names of the Telugu months:

chaitram(చైత్రం), vaiSAkham(వైశాఖం), jyEshTham(జ్యేష్ఠం), AshADham(ఆషాఢం), SrAvaNam(శ్రావణం), bhAdrapadam(భాద్రపదం), ASwayujam(ఆశ్వయుజం), kArtIkam(కార్తీకం), mArgaSiram(మార్గశిరం), pushyaM(పుష్యం), mAgham(మాఘం), phAlguNam(ఫాల్గుణం).

 

Telugu years have names too. These are repeated in a cycle of 60, for that's how many names there are for Telugu years. You can find the all the 60 names of Telugu years here.

 

 


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