Diwali Calendar

Diwali Calendar 2000

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 2000, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 23 October through Labh Pancham on 1 November. October holds the most with 10 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2056 – 2057.

October 2000

  • Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)

    Monday, 23 October 2000 Krishna Ekadashi

    Tithi 8:31 PM, Oct 22 6:39 PM, Oct 23

    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.

  • Dhanteras

    Tuesday, 24 October 2000 Krishna Dwadashi

    Tithi 6:39 PM, Oct 23 4:55 PM, Oct 24

    The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.

  • Bhoot Chaturdashi

    Wednesday, 25 October 2000 Krishna Trayodashi

    Tithi 4:54 PM, Oct 24 3:25 PM, Oct 25

    On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.

  • Kali Chaudas

    Wednesday, 25 October 2000 Krishna Trayodashi

    Tithi 4:54 PM, Oct 24 3:25 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.

  • Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan)

    Thursday, 26 October 2000 Krishna Chaturdashi

    Tithi 3:21 PM, Oct 25 2:13 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.

  • Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)

    Thursday, 26 October 2000 Krishna Chaturdashi

    Tithi 3:21 PM, Oct 25 2:13 PM, Oct 26

    The festival of lights — homes glow with diyas and Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for wealth; Sindhis keep it as Diyari.

  • Kali Puja

    Thursday, 26 October 2000 Krishna Chaturdashi

    Tithi 3:21 PM, Oct 25 2:13 PM, Oct 26

    On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.

  • Govardhan Puja / Annakut

    Friday, 27 October 2000 Krishna Amavasya

    Tithi 2:07 PM, Oct 26 1:26 PM, Oct 27

    Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity.

  • Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas)

    Friday, 27 October 2000 Krishna Amavasya

    Tithi 2:07 PM, Oct 26 1:26 PM, Oct 27

    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.

  • Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej

    Sunday, 29 October 2000 Shukla Dwitiya

    Tithi 1:02 PM, Oct 28 1:32 PM, Oct 29

    Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.

November 2000

  • Labh Pancham

    Wednesday, 1 November 2000 Shukla Panchami

    Tithi 4:07 PM, Oct 31 6:20 PM, Nov 1

    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 2000

Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 2000 brought 6 eclipses - 4 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 26 October, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1999 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2000

Date (IST) Eclipse Hindu date Seen from India
21 Jan 10:13 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Magha Purnima Not visible
5 Feb 6:19 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Magha Amavasya Not visible
2 Jul 1:02 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Ashadha Shukla Pratipada Not visible
16 Jul 7:25 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Ashadha Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
31 Jul 7:43 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Shravana Amavasya Not visible
25 Dec 11:04 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Pausha Amavasya Not visible

Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.

Guru and Shani in 2000

Date Graha Sign change
2 Jun 7:10 PM Guru (Jupiter) Mesha → Vrishabha
7 Jun 1:00 AM Shani (Saturn) Mesha → Vrishabha

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mithuna on 30 July 2000, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 2000

How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 2000?

The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 2000. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Monday, 23 October 2000, and the last is Labh Pancham on Wednesday, 1 November 2000.

What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 2000?

The first major observances of 2000 are:

  • Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Monday, 23 October 2000
  • Dhanteras - Tuesday, 24 October 2000
  • Bhoot Chaturdashi - Wednesday, 25 October 2000
  • Kali Chaudas - Wednesday, 25 October 2000
  • Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Thursday, 26 October 2000
  • Kali Puja - Thursday, 26 October 2000
Which month of 2000 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?

October 2000 is the fullest month with 10 dates, including Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhanteras, Bhoot Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Kali Puja, Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan), Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas).

Which traditional year does 2000 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2000 spans Vikram Samvat 2056 – 2057. 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 2000 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2000 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 2000?

2000 had 6 eclipses:

  • 21 January 2000 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
  • 5 February 2000 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 2 July 2000 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 16 July 2000 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 31 July 2000 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 25 December 2000 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India

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 2000?

Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2000:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 2 June 2000
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 7 June 2000

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 2000 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.

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