by Associations between months, animals and elements
Dáva (zla ba)
Dáva is the Tibetan name for the months in the Tibetan calendar. The year begins in February, and each month is associated with an element and an animal. The element of the first month corresponds to the child of the year’s element, while the subsequent months relate to the previous month’s element as its children. The Tibetan calendar also follows a 60-year cycle in which each element appears twice, in both its masculine and feminine forms. As a result, some months may feature the same element. The following diagram illustrates the relationships between the elements of the years and the elements of the months, along with their associations.
For example, the current year, 2026, is represented by the Fire Horse. To understand this, we refer to the table of elements and select the column corresponding to the Fire element (marked with a red triangle). In this column, the first box is occupied by the element that is in a child relationship with the Fire element of the year, which is Earth. The subsequent boxes will contain elements that continue to follow this child relationship. These elements are then associated with the months listed in the table on the left. Please note that the month numbering follows the Tibetan calendar, so the first month is February. For associations between shapes and elements, please consult this table.
The first month is assigned the Tiger as its animal emblem; the subsequent months are associated with the other animals according to the traditional order, always starting with the Tiger: Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Bird, Dog, Boar, Rat, and Ox.
During the Tibetan Empire, which spanned the seventh to the ninth centuries, the months were named according to a seasonal scheme. Each season consisted of three periods: an initial period (ra ba), a middle period (bring’ po), and a final period (mtha’ chung). It wasn’t until the twelfth century that the assignment of the months to the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac became established. The following table illustrates the relationship between these two systems:
On the double New Year’s Eve
The figure above describes one of two methods used to determine the start of the new year, sometimes referred to as the “Minor New Year,” which is often adopted by Buddhist communities abroad. In this system, the new year begins with the first new moon in February, and the first month is associated with the sign of the Tiger.
The second method, commonly observed in China, Mongolia, and other Southeast Asian countries, is known as the “Major New Year.” In this approach, the new year starts with the second new moon after the winter solstice, which occurs in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. As a result, the new year can begin between January 21st and February 20th.
Months in the lunisolar calendar
An explanation of the structure of the months has already been provided in the section on the Tibetan calendar. To clarify, the Tibetan lunisolar calendar, like the Chinese one, consists of twelve months. However, every three years, an intercalary month is added to realign the lunar calendar with the solar calendar and ensure it stays in sync with the seasons. To accurately determine the elements of your birth month, it is essential to use the lunar calendar from the year you were born. If you were born in a year that includes an intercalary month, a correction will be necessary to identify your actual birth month.
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