Month 1March – April
Chaitra
चैत्र
Presiding Mantra
ॐ विष्णवे नमः
Om Vishnave Namah
Ritu (Season)
Spring
वसन्त ऋतु (Vasanta)
Presiding Aditya
Vishnu Aditya
Deity
Vishnu
Gregorian
March – April
Significance
First month of the Hindu lunar calendar. The cosmic year begins here per Brahmanda Purana — Brahma is said to have begun creation on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
Major Festivals
Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Chaitra Navratri, Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti
Major Vrata
Chaitra Navratri (Shukla Pratipada–Navami), Rama Navami fast (Shukla Navami)
Ritual Character
New beginnings, Hindu lunar new year, foundation rites. Most communities consider Shukla Pratipada of Chaitra the start of the Vikram Samvat calendar.