varaamaansa

Varaamaansa, also written Varāmaasa or Varamaasa, refers to a month in the traditional Hindu lunisolar calendar. The word is derived from Sanskrit, with maasa meaning month and vara (in some usages indicating a period or season), and it is used in various regional calendars to denote one of the regularly recurring lunar months that structure the year.

In Hindu astrology and calendar systems, Varaamaansa is one of the twelve lunar months used to determine auspicious timings and religious observances. Because Hindu lunar months are tied to the phases of the moon and to adjustments with the solar year, the exact timing of Varaamaansa shifts from year to year and from one regional tradition to another. Some years may also include an intercalary month (adhika maasa) to align lunar and solar cycles, which can affect whether a given season or event falls within Varaamaansa in a particular calendar.

Ritual practices and observances during Varaamaansa vary by tradition and region. Many communities observe specific prayers, fasting days, or rites during this month, and it may be considered favorable for offerings to ancestors, spiritual disciplines, or festival alignments in certain sectarian calendars. Other traditions treat Varaamaansa as a relatively quiet month with no overarching requirements beyond the standard liturgical cycle tied to the lunar month.

In literature and regional calendars, Varaamaansa appears within discussions of the lunar year in Sanskrit and vernacular texts, with regional variants mapping the month to different local names or timings. See also Hindu calendar, Adhika masa, Chaturmas, and Jyotisha (Hindu astrology) for related concepts.