Nepali Date Today
आज को मिति: What Is It in BS?

What Is the Nepali Date Today?

Nepal follows the Bikram Sambat (BS) calendar, the official national calendar used in all government offices, legal documents, schools, and public institutions. Unlike most of the world that uses the Gregorian (AD) calendar with its familiar January–December months, Nepal's calendar begins in mid-April with the month of Baisakh, and runs approximately 56 years and 8.5 months ahead of the AD calendar.

So if you are asking "what is today's Nepali date?", the widget above shows you exactly that: the current date expressed in Bikram Sambat, including the year (साल), month (महिना), day (गते / तारिख), the day of the week (बार), and the full Devanagari representation. This date is calculated live from your device's clock every time you open this page.

The Nepali term for today's date is आज को मिति (aaj ko miti), where "aaj" means today and "miti" means date. You will frequently encounter the phrase "आज को मिति के हो?" (meaning "what is today's date?") in government offices and daily conversation across Nepal.

What Is the Bikram Sambat (BS) Calendar?

The Bikram Sambat calendar, also written as Vikram Samvat (विक्रम संवत्), is one of the oldest solar calendars still in official use anywhere in the world. Named after the legendary Indian king Vikramaditya, who is said to have established this era after defeating the Shakas in 57 BCE, the calendar has been Nepal's official timekeeping system for centuries.

Nepal formally adopted BS as its national calendar in 1901 BS (AD 1844). Since then, every official document issued by the Government of Nepal, from birth and death certificates to land deeds (lalpurja), court judgments, laws, budgets, and exam results, carries a BS date. The currency notes, public holidays, and all government correspondence use BS exclusively.

The calendar is classified as a solar calendar, though it has historical roots in the lunisolar tradition. Each BS year begins on Baisakh 1, which falls on either April 13 or April 14 in the Gregorian calendar. The year has 12 months, each with a varying number of days (from 29 to 32) determined by astronomical calculations specific to each year. There are no fixed month lengths as in the Gregorian calendar, which means you cannot simply add a fixed number of days to convert between systems; instead, you need a pre-computed table of exact month lengths for each BS year.

How Is Today's Nepali Date Calculated?

The calculation behind the live widget above uses the same industry-standard algorithm trusted by Nepal's banks, government portals, and calendar apps. Here is how it works:

• Reference point: BS 2000 Baisakh 1 is fixed at AD 1943 April 14. This is the universally agreed base date.
• Day count: The number of days elapsed from the base date to today (in AD) is computed using simple date arithmetic.
• BS month lookup: That day count is then applied against a table of exact month lengths for every BS year from 2000 to 2090. The table accounts for the variable 29–32 day months in each year.
• Result: The algorithm steps through BS years and months, subtracting days until it lands on the correct year, month, and day.

The month-length data used here is from the remotemerge/nepali-date-converter dataset, the same data used in production by Nepal's most popular calendar applications, bank systems, and e-governance portals. It is accurate for all dates between BS 2000 and BS 2090 (approximately AD 1943–2033).

The 12 Months of the Nepali Calendar

The Nepali year has 12 months (महिना), each with a Devanagari name rooted in Sanskrit. Unlike AD months which have mostly fixed lengths, each BS month's day count changes every year. The table below shows the 12 months in order, their Devanagari names, and the approximate AD period they correspond to.

A few things to note about the Nepali months: Baisakh and Jestha tend to have the most days (31–32), while the later months from Kartik through Magh typically have 29–30 days. The longest months in any given year are usually in the first half (Baisakh through Shrawan), while the shorter months fall in the second half of the year.

Each Month in Cultural Context

The Nepali calendar is deeply intertwined with agriculture, religion, and seasonal change. Here is a brief cultural overview of each month:

Baisakh (बैशाख): New Year Month

Baisakh is the most celebrated month in Nepal. Baisakh 1 is the Nepali New Year (नयाँ वर्ष), marked by cultural programs, processions, and national celebrations. The weather is warm and pleasant, with spring in full bloom. The Rato Machhindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur begins during this month.

Jestha (जेठ): Heat of Summer

Jestha is the hottest month, with temperatures in the Terai exceeding 40°C. It is associated with the mango season and the scorching pre-monsoon heat. Farmers plant paddy seedlings in the lowlands during this period.

Ashadh (असार): Monsoon Begins

The monsoon rains arrive in Ashadh, and paddy transplanting (ropai) begins in earnest across Nepal. Ashadh 15 is celebrated as "Dahi Chiura Diwas," a national day when Nepalis eat beaten rice and yogurt. This month is culturally significant as the start of the agricultural growing season.

Shrawan (श्रावण): Sacred Month

Shrawan is considered one of the holiest months in the Hindu calendar. Mondays are especially auspicious for worshipping Lord Shiva. Thousands of pilgrims travel to Pashupatinath and other Shiva temples during this month. The festival of Janai Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) falls during Shrawan.

Bhadra (भदौ): Harvest Preparations

Bhadra sees the tail end of the monsoon and the beginning of harvest preparations. The famous Indra Jatra festival in Kathmandu falls in Bhadra or early Ashwin, marking the end of the monsoon season and invoking the god Indra to send rains.

Ashwin (आश्विन): Festival Season Begins

Ashwin is one of the most festive months in Nepal. Dashain, Nepal's biggest festival, begins in the second half of Ashwin and extends into Kartik. The weather cools significantly as post-monsoon clear skies appear, and the rice harvest is underway across the country.

Kartik (कार्तिक): Peak Festival Time

Kartik completes Dashain and hosts Tihar (the festival of lights), Nepal's second biggest festival. Tihar includes Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Tika, celebrations that light up homes across Nepal and the diaspora worldwide. It is the most visually spectacular time of the year.

Mangsir (मंसिर): Cool and Calm

The weather turns cold in Mangsir, especially in the hills and mountains. This is peak trekking season in Nepal, with Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and other Himalayan trails at their most popular. Agricultural harvests wrap up, and the country settles into post-festival normalcy.

Poush (पौष): The Cold Month

Poush is the coldest month of the year in Nepal, particularly in Kathmandu and the hilly regions. Traditional sweets like Yomari (steamed rice flour dumplings with jaggery) are prepared during the Yomari Punhi festival celebrated by the Newar community. Winter vegetables fill the markets.

Magh (माघ): Mid-Winter and Maghe Sankranti

Magh 1 marks Maghe Sankranti, a major festival celebrating the sun's transition from Sagittarius to Capricorn, signaling the end of winter. Nepalis traditionally eat ghee, til (sesame), sweet potatoes, and sugarcane on this day. Holy baths at river confluences (tirthas) are common. Temperatures in the hills can drop below freezing during this month.

Falgun (फाल्गुन): Spring Returns

Falgun brings the return of spring. Holi (the festival of colors) is celebrated at the end of Falgun or beginning of Chaitra. Flowers bloom throughout the hills, rhododendrons burst into red and pink across mountain slopes, and the days grow noticeably warmer. Many wedding ceremonies are held during Falgun as it is considered auspicious.

Chaitra (चैत्र): End of the Year

Chaitra is the last month of the Nepali year and transitions from winter into summer. The Ram Navami festival (celebrating Lord Ram's birth) falls in Chaitra. Chaitra ends on the day before Baisakh 1, meaning the last day of the Nepali year can be the 29th, 30th, or 31st of Chaitra, depending on the year. The excitement of the approaching New Year fills the air.

How to Write the Nepali Date: Format and Devanagari Numerals

In Nepal, official dates are written in the format Year/Month/Day (साल/महिना/गते), which is the reverse of the Gregorian convention. For example:

• 2082/12/02 means Year 2082, Month 12 (Falgun), Day 2
• In Devanagari: २०८२/१२/०२
• Full written form: २०८२ फाल्गुन २ गते or "2082 Falgun 2 gate"

The suffix "गते" (gate) is added after the day number to indicate a calendar day, similar to how English uses "th," "st," or "rd." For example, "Falgun 2 gate" or "Baisakh 15 gate."

Devanagari Numerals

Nepali government documents and newspapers often write dates using Devanagari numerals rather than Arabic numerals. Here is the complete Devanagari numeral set:

To read the date २०८२/१२/०२, simply read each digit: २=2, ०=0, ८=8, २=2 → 2082; then १२ → 12; then ०२ → 02. The year 2082 in Devanagari is दुई हजार बयासी.

The Nepali Date in Official Documents

Understanding today's Nepali date is not just for curiosity. It has direct, practical importance for millions of people every day. Here is how the Nepali date appears in critical official documents:

Citizenship Certificates (नागरिकता)

Every Nepali citizenship certificate records the date of birth in Bikram Sambat. If you were born on, say, January 15, 1995 AD, your citizenship shows the BS equivalent, approximately Poush 1, 2051 BS. When applying for a foreign visa, a passport, or an overseas education evaluation (WES/ECE), you must convert this BS birth date to the equivalent AD date. This is one of the most common reasons Nepalis search for date conversion tools.

Lok Sewa Aayog (Public Service Commission)

All Lok Sewa Aayog (Nepal's Public Service Commission) application deadlines, exam dates, and result publications are announced in Bikram Sambat. A candidate applying for a government job must track today's BS date to know whether an application window is still open, when the written examination falls, and when to collect admit cards.

Land Registration (लालपुर्जा)

Land deeds (lalpurja) in Nepal record the registration date, boundary description, and ownership history entirely in BS. If you are buying or selling property in Nepal from abroad, knowing the current BS date is essential for tracking registration deadlines and understanding document timestamps.

Banking and Financial Documents

Nepali banks use BS dates for account opening records, loan disbursement dates, and fiscal year reporting. Nepal's fiscal year runs from Shrawan 1 (mid-July) to Ashadh end (mid-July of the following year). Statements and tax filings reference BS dates exclusively.

Academic Records

SEE (Secondary Education Examination, formerly SLC), NEB +2 certificates, and university transcripts from Tribhuvan University all show BS dates. Converting these to AD equivalents is necessary for foreign university applications and visa processing.

BS Year 2082 and 2083 Quick Reference

For quick orientation: the current BS year 2082 runs from April 14, 2025 AD (Baisakh 1, 2082) to approximately April 13, 2026 AD (Chaitra end, 2082). BS year 2083 then begins on April 14, 2026 AD.

★ BS 2082 is the current year as of early 2026 AD. If today's widget shows a year of 2083, that means Baisakh 1, 2083 (April 14, 2026) has already passed.

How to Check Today's Nepali Date: Your Options

There are several reliable ways to check today's Nepali date:

• This page: the live widget at the top of this article calculates and displays today's BS date automatically every time you load the page.
• Merokalam Nepali Date Converter: our full-featured tool lets you convert any BS date to AD and vice versa, with Devanagari output, day of week, and detailed month information.
• Hamro Patro app: a popular Nepali mobile app that shows today's BS date, upcoming festivals, and a full BS calendar.
• Nepal Telecom (NTC) USSD: dial *1415# on an NTC SIM to get the current BS date.
• Any Nepali news website: sites like Setopati, Ratopati, and Nagarik News display today's BS date at the top of every page.

The Mental Rule: Quick BS–AD Estimation

For a quick mental approximation of the BS–AD relationship, use these rules:

• BS year to AD year: Subtract 56 (after mid-April) or 57 (before mid-April) from any BS year. Example: BS 2082 – 56 = AD 2026 (if after April 14), or BS 2082 – 57 = AD 2025 (if before April 14).
• AD year to BS year: Add 56 or 57. Example: AD 2026 + 56 = BS 2082 (if before mid-April of 2026), or AD 2026 + 57 = BS 2083 (if after mid-April of 2026).
• Month names: Baisakh = mid-April, Jestha = mid-May, Ashadh = mid-June, and so on, roughly shifting one AD month forward every BS month.

These estimates are close enough for casual reference but always use the live converter for official documents where precision matters.

Nepal's National Holidays in BS

Nepal's public holidays are announced and celebrated by BS date. Here are some key annual dates:

• Baisakh 1: Nepali New Year (नयाँ वर्ष)
• Jestha 15: Constitution Day (संविधान दिवस) (Note: this varies)
• Ashadh 15: Dahi Chiura Diwas (National Paddy Day)
• Shrawan: Janai Purnima / Raksha Bandhan (date varies by lunar calendar)
• Ashwin–Kartik: Dashain (biggest festival, dates vary by lunar calendar)
• Kartik: Tihar / Deepawali (festival of lights, dates vary)
• Falgun end / Chaitra start: Holi (Fagu Purnima)
• Chaitra: Ram Navami (Lord Ram's birthday)
• Poush–Magh: Christmas Day, Magh Sankranti (Magh 1)

Note that religious festivals which follow the lunar calendar (tithis) fall on different BS dates each year, even though the cultural celebration is consistently tied to the same tithi.

Nepali Date in Official Documents: A Practical Reference

Understanding how Nepali dates appear in official documents is essential for anyone dealing with Nepal's government paperwork, whether for lalpurja (land title deeds), court records, academic certificates, or medical records. The BS date format used in official Nepal documents differs from casual usage, and knowing the conventions prevents confusion when submitting documents to international institutions that require date translation.

BS Calendar Across Generations: Why It Matters for NRNs and Diaspora

For Nepal's large diaspora community living in the USA, UK, Australia, Gulf countries, Japan, and South Korea, the Bikram Sambat calendar continues to play a central role in family communication, cultural identity, and administrative paperwork for Nepal-related matters. Understanding the BS calendar is not just a local matter, it connects Nepali-origin individuals abroad to their roots and to Nepal's official systems.

When a family member in Nepal sends a property deed, land registration record, birth certificate, or marriage certificate, all dates will be in BS. Converting these dates accurately is critical for international use, for UK visa applications, Australian immigration documents, US citizenship applications, and other official submissions that require verified dates of events (births, marriages, property transactions) in Gregorian format. The Merokalam Date Converter is specifically built for this cross-border use case.

Similarly, children of diaspora Nepali families growing up outside Nepal often encounter the BS calendar when visiting family, during Dashain and Tihar festivals (which are calculated by lunar tithi within the BS system), and when handling any Nepal administrative matter for parents or relatives. Understanding the BS calendar (even at a basic level) is a meaningful connection to Nepali cultural identity that is worth preserving across generations.

How Schools, Banks, and Government Use BS Dates in Nepal

The Bikram Sambat calendar permeates every institutional system in Nepal. Understanding which institution uses which format and why helps you navigate Nepal's administrative landscape efficiently, whether you are a Nepali citizen dealing with official documents or a foreigner requiring document translations from Nepal's government records.

Nepal's school system records everything in BS, school enrollment dates, SLC (School Leaving Certificate) and SEE (Secondary Education Examination) results, academic transcripts from Tribhuvan University and other institutions, and scholarship records all carry BS dates. When a Nepali student applies to a foreign university, they must provide translated and verified AD equivalents of all academic dates. Similarly, Nepal's banking system uses BS dates for account opening records, fixed deposit maturity calculations, loan agreements, and insurance policy terms. Loan EMI calculation sheets show Nepali months (Baisakh, Jestha, Ashadh...) rather than January, February, March.

Nepal's government gazette (Nepal Rajpatra) publishes all laws, regulations, and official notifications exclusively in BS. Legal citations in Nepal always reference BS dates, so when you see a law like "Income Tax Act, 2058 BS," that is the 2001/2002 AD law. Court filings, property registration records at land revenue offices (mal adda), and all land title deeds (lalpurja) use BS dates. For NRNs managing property in Nepal from abroad, this means every property transaction document will need date conversion when used internationally.

BS 2082 and 2083: Key Dates Reference

For those tracking the current Nepali year, here are the key dates in BS 2082 and 2083 (the years spanning 2025–2026 in AD). These are useful for planning Nepal visits around festivals or important calendar events.

Frequently Asked Questions