How does this Balinese calendar work?
Dinachronicle 4 @ Dinacon 2025
By Paula Te
This calendar can be read like an almanac. It shows many names of the day based off different systems. You can find out when are auspicious days to plant new crops in your farm, build weapons and tools, and hold ceremonies.
Two main calendar systems
The two main calendar systems are:
- Saka (lunar calendar)
- Pawukan (traditional Balinese calendar)
Saka calendar
The Saka calendar has 12 sasih (months), with roughly 15 days of waxing moon and 15 days of waning moon. Important eves in this calendar are the eve of Tilem (new moon) and the eve of Purnama (full moon). Nyepi, the day of silence, happens on every new Saka year.
Pawukon calendar
The Pawukon calendar lasts 210 days, or 30 seven-day weeks, or 42 five-day weeks (both week cycles exist and are meaningful). Also, each week in the seven day cycle has a name. Confused yet? Hang in there!
7 day week
Sun - Redite
Mon - Coma
Tue - Anggara
Wed - Buda
Thu - Wraspati
Fri - Sukra
Sat - Saniscara
5 day week
Paing, Pon, Wage, Kliwon, Umanis
Wuku: names of the weeks (in the 7-day week cycle)
Sinta, Landep, Ukir, Kulantir, Tolu, Gumbreg, Wariga, Warigadean, Julungwangi, Sungsang, Dungulan, Kuningan, Langkir, Medangsia, Pujut, Pahang, Krulut, Mrakih, Tambir, Madangkungan, Matal, Uye, Manail, Perangbakat, Bala, Ugu, Wayang, Klawu, Dukut, Watugunung
Two important holidays using this calendar are Galungan (ancestral spirits visit the earth) and Kuningan (when the spirits return). Galungan happens on the 11th Wednesday of the year (also known as Buda Kliwon Dunggulan). Kuningan happens 10 days later, or Saniscara Kliwon Kuningan).
Your Pawukon birthday (and a python script to figure it out)
Your Balinese Pawukon birthday is determined by the week you were born (Wuku) and the day you were born in both the 7-day and 5-day weeks.
Below is a lil python script to calculate your
Pawukon birthday from your Gregorian birthday. Just run python pawukon.py yyyy-mm-dd.
If you announce your birthday to the locals and it’s clearly an unlucky day, they may change your
day to a more auspicious one!