The New Moon Day is called Amavasya or Amavasai. The Sanskrit word ‘Ama’ means ‘together’ and ‘Vasya’ is ‘to dwell’. There is a cycle of 30 lunar phases as per the Vedic calendar and each of them is called a Thithi. The Thithi of the dark Moon, when the Moon is not seen in the sky, is referred to as Amavasya Thithi or simply as, Amavasya. As per the Hindu lunar calendar that is widely used in India, a lunar month starts on Pournami/Purnima or the full Moon day, and Amavasya falls in the middle. Amavasya is considered auspicious for various activities, especially for worshipping the ancestors.