Kharmas is the roughly thirty-day period when the Sun enters a sign ruled by Jupiter (Guru) — either Sagittarius or Pisces — and it occurs twice a year. When the Sun sits in Sagittarius, this period is called Dhanurmas (lasting until Makar Sankranti), and when the Sun sits in Pisces, it is called Meen Kharmas (lasting until the Aries transition). In Maharashtra, "Dhanurmas" is the more familiar name. Per the 2026 panchang, Dhanurmas begins on 17 December and ends on 13 January.