Diwali Calendar 1981
The Diwali festival calendar - the five days of Deepavali, from Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi through Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, with the tithi for each day.
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 1981, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 24 October through Labh Pancham on 2 November. October holds the most with 10 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2037 – 2038.
October 1981
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 8:14 PM, Oct 23 – 9:01 PM, Oct 24
The first day of Diwali, when cows and their calves are worshipped in gratitude for their nourishment — kept as Vasubaras in Maharashtra and Vagh Baras in Gujarat, where traders close the old account books.
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Dhanteras
Tithi 9:03 PM, Oct 24 – 10:12 PM, Oct 25
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Kali Chaudas
Tithi 9:03 PM, Oct 24 – 10:12 PM, Oct 25
The night before Diwali's Amavasya, Goddess Kali is worshipped to destroy negativity; sleep and laziness (alasya) are symbolically driven from the home.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 10:16 PM, Oct 25 – 11:45 PM, Oct 26
On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.
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Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan)
Tithi 10:16 PM, Oct 25 – 11:45 PM, Oct 26
Krishna's slaying of the demon Narakasura is marked with a pre-dawn ceremonial oil bath (abhyang snan, kept by Sindhis as Roop Chaudas) before the lamps of Diwali.
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Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
Tithi 11:49 PM, Oct 26 – 1:38 AM, Oct 28
The festival of lights — homes glow with diyas and Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for wealth; Sindhis keep it as Diyari.
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Kali Puja
Tithi 11:49 PM, Oct 26 – 1:38 AM, Oct 28
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 1:42 AM, Oct 28 – 3:48 AM, Oct 29
Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity.
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Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas)
Tithi 1:42 AM, Oct 28 – 3:48 AM, Oct 29
The Diwali Padwa honouring King Bali's return; wives perform aukshan (aarti) for their husbands and new account books and ventures are begun. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year.
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Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej
Tithi 3:54 AM, Oct 29 – 6:15 AM, Oct 30
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
November 1981
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 11:41 AM, Nov 1 – 2:11 PM, Nov 2
The fifth day after Diwali (Kartik Shukla Panchami) — the auspicious day Gujarati traders reopen their shops and account books, praying to Lakshmi and Ganesha for profit (labh) in the new year.
Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
What happened in the sky in 1981
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 1981 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 27 October, 12 days earlier in the year than in 1980 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1981
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1:19 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magha Purnima | Not visible |
| 5 Feb 3:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Jul 10:16 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Shravana Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 Jul 9:15 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1981
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mithuna on 24 December 1981, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 1981
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 1981?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 1981. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Saturday, 24 October 1981, and the last is Labh Pancham on Monday, 2 November 1981.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 1981?
The first major observances of 1981 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Saturday, 24 October 1981
- Dhanteras - Sunday, 25 October 1981
- Kali Chaudas - Sunday, 25 October 1981
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Monday, 26 October 1981
- Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) - Monday, 26 October 1981
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Tuesday, 27 October 1981
Which month of 1981 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
October 1981 is the fullest month with 10 dates, including Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhanteras, Kali Chaudas, Bhoot Chaturdashi, Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan), Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Kali Puja, Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas).
Which traditional year does 1981 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1981 spans Vikram Samvat 2037 – 2038. The traditional year does not begin on 1 January, so one Gregorian year usually covers the end of one era year and the start of the next.
Did 1981 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1981 had twelve lunar months with no Adhik Maas, so its festival dates fall in their usual Gregorian window rather than being pushed later by an intercalary month.
Were there any eclipses in 1981?
1981 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 January 1981 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 February 1981 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 July 1981 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 July 1981 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 1 of these was kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1981?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1981:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Tula on 27 October 1981
Jupiter takes about a year to cross one sign and Saturn about two and a half, so these transits colour the whole year rather than a single week.
Are these 1981 dates the same everywhere?
The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.
About the Diwali Calendar
The Diwali festival calendar - the five days of Deepavali, from Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi through Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, with the tithi for each day.
Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.
This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.
