Paksha(Sanskrit:पक्ष,romanized: pakṣa) refers to afortnight or alunar phase in a month of theHindu lunar calendar.^[1][2]

Literally meaning "side",^[3] apaksha is the period either side of thepurnima (full moon day). Alunar month in the Hindu calendar has two fortnights, and begins with thepurnima (new moon). The lunar days are calledtithis; each month has 30tithis, which may vary from 20 – 27 hours. A paksha has 15tithis, which are calculated by a 12 degree motion of the moon. The first fortnight between the new moon day and the full moon day is called theGaura Paksha orShukla Paksha (lit. 'white/bright/golden side'), the period of the brightening moon (waxing moon), and the second fortnight of the month is called theVadhya Paksha orKrishna Paksha (lit. 'dark/black side'), the period of the fading moon (waning moon).^[1][4] TheNeemuch calendar begin a new lunar month from first day of Krishna Paksha, while theGujarat calendar begins a new lunar month from the first day of Shukla Paksha.

Shukla Paksha refers to the bright lunar fortnight or waxing moon in theHindu calendar.Shukla (Sanskrit:शुक्ल) is aSanskrit word for "white" or "bright". The Shukla Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins after theamavasya (new moon) day and culminating onpurnima (full moon) day and is considered auspicious.^[5]

Numerous festivals are held during this period, including theNavaratri festivals, most importantlyChaitra Navaratri andAshvin Navaratri.

Krishna Paksha refers to the dark lunar fortnight or waning moon in theHindu calendar.Krishna (Sanskrit:कृष्ण) is aSanskrit word for "dark". Krishna Paksha is a period of 15 days, which begins afterpurnima day (full moon), culminating on theamavasya (new moon).Krishna Paksha is considered inauspicious,^[6] as the moon loses light during this period.

Festivals during the Krishna Paksha are:

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InVedic astrology when a person does aprasna (a question chart) and the planet Venus indicates the time period, the event referred to in the answer will happen in a pakṣa (fortnight) from the time the question was asked.

• Pitru Paksha

• K. V. Sarma (2008), "Paksa",Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures (2nd edition) edited byHelaine Selin, Springer,ISBN 978-1-4020-4559-2.

• Ahargana - The Astronomy of the Hindu Calendar: Maana, Krishna Pksha, Shukla Paksha and Chandra Masa Explains Krishna paksha and Shukla paksha by means of astronomical simulations created usingStellarium.
• Hindu Festivals Calendar 2010Archived 2016-12-06 at theWayback Machine
• Introduction to the Hindu Calendar (pdf)

• Hindu calendar
• Phases of the Moon

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