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Updated 2026-06-25

The 2nd Lunar Day in the Tibetan Calendar

What the 2nd day of the Tibetan-Mongolian lunar month is traditionally held to mean — its character, its observances, and what cutting your hair on it is said to bring. tradition · medium confidence

Counted among the 'water-strainer' days traditionally regarded as unfavorable for travel.

The 2nd lunar day is a waxing-moon day (day 2 of the bright fortnight). In zurkhai, the lunar day is one of the main inputs used to decide whether a given date is favourable for an undertaking such as travel, a business opening or a medical treatment.

Cutting hair on the 2nd lunar day

Tibetan-Mongolian almanacs assign every lunar day a specific result for cutting hair. The 2nd day is traditionally said to lead "to illness and quarrels"unfavourable for a haircut. (The first day of life, by contrast, and several waning days are avoided.) The Zurkhai app shows this haircut reading for every day of the year, so you never have to count lunar days by hand.

The 2nd day in the month

Across the lunar month, virtue is concentrated on the holy days — the 8th (Medicine Buddha), 10th (Guru Rinpoche), 15th (full moon), 25th (dakini) and 30th (new moon) — when the fruits of action are traditionally said to multiply. The 2nd day falls in the first, brightening week of the month, as the moon waxes.

1st day3rd day15th day30th day

When the 2nd lunar day falls — upcoming dates

The 2nd lunar day recurs about once a lunar month. Here are its next dates in the Tibetan-Mongolian calendar, each carrying its own day-sign — the animal and element of the 60-day cycle:

2026-07-16Metal Rabbit
2026-08-14Metal Monkey
2026-09-13Metal Tiger
2026-10-12Earth Sheep
2026-11-11Earth Ox
2026-12-10Earth Horse
2027-01-09Earth Rat
2027-02-08Earth Horse

Dates follow the Phukpa-school lunar calendar; a lunar day is occasionally doubled or skipped, so spacing varies.

Frequently asked

What does the 2nd lunar day mean in the Tibetan calendar?
Counted among the 'water-strainer' days traditionally regarded as unfavorable for travel.
Is the 2nd lunar day good for a haircut?
Cutting hair on the 2nd lunar day is traditionally said to lead "to illness and quarrels" — a unfavourable day for a haircut in the Tibetan-Mongolian tradition.
How is the lunar day used?
In the Tibetan tradition the lunar day — together with the weekday, lunar mansion and one's birth animal-sign — is consulted to choose auspicious timing for things like travel, business, moving house or medical treatment.

← All 30 lunar days & the 2026 calendar · Is today a good day for a haircut? →

Traditional belief, for reference — not advice. Day meanings and haircut results vary by lineage and almanac.