The 30 Tithis
Each Hindu lunar month has 30 tithis — 15 in the waxing fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and 15 in the waning fortnight (Krishna Paksha). A tithi is the time it takes the moon to gain (or lose) 12° on the sun. Each tithi has a presiding deity, an energy category, and a recommended way to begin or close work.
Nanda
Joyful, supportive — good for celebration, gifts, new clothes, art.
Bhadra
Auspicious, prosperous — good for travel, business, household decisions.
Jaya
Victorious — good for competitions, court matters, confrontations.
Rikta
Empty / draining — avoid new ventures, marriage, big purchases.
Purna
Full / complete — great for marriage, gruha pravesh, major sankalpa.
Shukla Paksha — waxing fortnight
The 15 days when the moon waxes from new to full. Generally favoured for new beginnings, marriage, gruha pravesh, and major auspicious sankalpa.
Shukla Pratipada
प्रतिपदाDay 1 · Nanda · Agni (the fire god)
New beginnings — the moon's first sliver after Amavasya.
Shukla Dwitiya
द्वितीयाDay 2 · Bhadra · Brahma (the creator)
Steady building — Brahma's creation continues.
Shukla Tritiya
तृतीयाDay 3 · Jaya · Gauri / Parvati
Akshaya — never-decaying — Gauri energy.
Shukla Chaturthi
चतुर्थीDay 4 · Rikta · Ganesha
Vinayaki Chaturthi — Ganesha removes obstacles.
Shukla Panchami
पञ्चमीDay 5 · Purna · Naga (serpents) / Saraswati
Saraswati / Naga — wisdom and serpent energy combined.
Shukla Shashti
षष्ठीDay 6 · Nanda · Kartikeya (Murugan)
Skanda Shashti — Murugan's warrior energy.
Shukla Saptami
सप्तमीDay 7 · Bhadra · Surya (the sun)
Surya — the sun's chariot turns.
Shukla Ashtami
अष्टमीDay 8 · Jaya · Shiva (Krishna in Krishna Paksha)
Durga / Mahanavami eve.
Shukla Navami
नवमीDay 9 · Rikta · Durga
Durga / Rama — the victorious feminine + the prince of Ayodhya.
Shukla Dashami
दशमीDay 10 · Purna · Yama (the dharma god)
Vijayadashami — universal victory.
Shukla Ekadashi
एकादशीDay 11 · Nanda · Vishnu
Vishnu — fast and surrender.
Shukla Dwadashi
द्वादशीDay 12 · Bhadra · Vishnu
Vishnu — break the Ekadashi fast (parana).
Shukla Trayodashi
त्रयोदशीDay 13 · Jaya · Kama (Shiva on Pradosh)
Pradosh — Shiva's twilight hour.
Shukla Chaturdashi
चतुर्दशीDay 14 · Rikta · Shiva
Shiva — the night before Purnima.
Shukla Purnima
पूर्णिमाDay 15 · Purna · Soma (the moon god)
Purnima — the full moon.
Krishna Paksha — waning fortnight
The 15 days when the moon wanes from full to new. Generally favoured for completing existing work, ancestor offerings, and inward sadhana — not for new ventures.
Krishna Pratipada
प्रतिपदाDay 1 · Nanda · Agni (the fire god)
Krishna Paksha begins — the moon starts waning.
Krishna Dwitiya
द्वितीयाDay 2 · Bhadra · Brahma (the creator)
Sustained continuation.
Krishna Tritiya
तृतीयाDay 3 · Jaya · Gauri / Parvati
Jaya — Sankashti energy.
Krishna Chaturthi
चतुर्थीDay 4 · Rikta · Ganesha
Sankashti Chaturthi — Ganesha removes the gravest obstacles.
Krishna Panchami
पञ्चमीDay 5 · Purna · Naga (serpents) / Saraswati
Naga / Saraswati — milder Krishna paksha equivalent.
Krishna Shashti
षष्ठीDay 6 · Nanda · Kartikeya (Murugan)
Skanda Shashti — Krishna paksha variant.
Krishna Saptami
सप्तमीDay 7 · Bhadra · Surya (the sun)
Surya — sun-fade contemplation.
Krishna Ashtami
अष्टमीDay 8 · Jaya · Shiva (Krishna in Krishna Paksha)
Krishna Janmashtami — the climactic Krishna paksha tithi of the year.
Krishna Navami
नवमीDay 9 · Rikta · Durga
Durga — quieter than Shukla Navami.
Krishna Dashami
दशमीDay 10 · Purna · Yama (the dharma god)
Yama — dharma's court.
Krishna Ekadashi
एकादशीDay 11 · Nanda · Vishnu
Vishnu — Krishna-paksha Ekadashi, often stricter.
Krishna Dwadashi
द्वादशीDay 12 · Bhadra · Vishnu
Vishnu — break the Krishna Ekadashi fast.
Krishna Trayodashi
त्रयोदशीDay 13 · Jaya · Kama (Shiva on Pradosh)
Pradosh — Shiva's Krishna-paksha twilight.
Krishna Chaturdashi
चतुर्दशीDay 14 · Rikta · Shiva
Maha Shivaratri — the great night of Shiva.
Amavasya
अमावस्याDay 15 · Purna · Pitru (the ancestors)
Amavasya — the no-moon day of ancestors.