Glossary · concept
Paksha
Also written lunar fortnight · Shukla / Krishna paksha
A paksha is a fortnight — one half of the lunar month, fifteen tithis long.
Shukla paksha is the bright, waxing half: from the new moon up to the full moon, when the moon grows a little fuller each night. Krishna paksha is the dark, waning half: from the full moon down to the new moon, when it thins away. (In Gujarati these are Sud and Vad.)
So "Krishna Dvitiya" is the second lunar day of the waning fortnight — two days past full. In this almanac’s Amanta reckoning, the bright fortnight comes first and the month ends on Amavasya.
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