Hindus in Bengal are celebrating Aadi Amavasya today, July 17, 2023, a festival that falls on the new moon day of the month of Aadi in the Tamil calendar. While the festival is slated to be celebrated on August 16, 2023, this year, by Hindus who follow the Tamil calendar, those in Bengal are following the Bengali calendar. The Bengali calendar is a lunisolar calendar that considers both the phases of the moon and the solar year, and the month of Aadi starts on Karkadaka Sankranti, which this year falls on July 17. So, the Amavasya that falls on July 17 is the Aadi Amavasya for Bengali Hindus.

The month of Aadi is significant in Hinduism, as it is believed that divine forces bless the earth with grace and answer prayers during this month. Aadi Amavasya, in particular, is the first new moon day of the Dakshinayana period, which is a time of introspection and spiritual growth as the sun begins to move south. On this day, Hindus traditionally perform Tarpanam, a ritual to honor their ancestors, which involves offering water, food, and prayers to the departed souls. It is believed that these offerings help to cleanse the souls of their ancestors and help them to attain Moksha (liberation).

In addition to Tarpanam, Hindus celebrate Aadi Amavasya by visiting temples, bathing in holy rivers, and fasting. Some people also choose to donate to charity or perform other acts of kindness on this day. Aadi Amavasya is a time for Hindus to reflect on their ancestors and to honor their memory. By performing Tarpanam and other rituals, Hindus believe that they can help their ancestors to attain Moksha and bring blessings into their own lives.

Aadi Amavasya is celebrated by Hindus following the Tamil calendar on August 16, 2023, as the Tamil month of Aadi starts on Aadi Poornima. The reason why there are two Amavasyas in the month of Aadi in 2023 is that the Tamil month of Aadi starts on a different day than the Bengali month of Aadi. This is because the two calendars are based on different astronomical calculations.