Diwali Calendar 2002
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 2002, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 1 November through Labh Pancham on 9 November. November holds the most with 11 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2058 – 2059.
November 2002
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 6:56 PM, Oct 31 – 4:09 PM, Nov 1
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 4:12 PM, Nov 1 – 12:55 PM, Nov 2
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 12:59 PM, Nov 2 – 9:23 AM, Nov 3
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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Kali Chaudas
Tithi 12:59 PM, Nov 2 – 9:23 AM, Nov 3
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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Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan)
Tithi 5:43 AM, Nov 4 – 2:02 AM, Nov 5
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 5:43 AM, Nov 4 – 2:02 AM, Nov 5
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 5:43 AM, Nov 4 – 2:02 AM, Nov 5
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 2:04 AM, Nov 5 – 10:32 PM, Nov 5
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 2:04 AM, Nov 5 – 10:32 PM, Nov 5
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 10:35 PM, Nov 5 – 7:27 PM, Nov 6
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 2:51 PM, Nov 8 – 1:49 PM, Nov 9
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 2002
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 2002 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 4 November, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2001 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2002
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 5:33 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jyeshtha Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 11 Jun 5:14 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jyeshtha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 25 Jun 2:57 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashadha Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 20 Nov 7:16 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Margashirsha Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 4 Dec 1:01 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margashirsha Amavasya | Not visible |
No eclipse of 2002 carried Sutak Kaal in India. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2002
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul 12:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Karka |
| 23 Jul 8:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishabha on 16 February 2002, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 2002
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 2002?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 2002. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Friday, 1 November 2002, and the last is Labh Pancham on Saturday, 9 November 2002.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 2002?
The first major observances of 2002 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Friday, 1 November 2002
- Dhanteras - Saturday, 2 November 2002
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Sunday, 3 November 2002
- Kali Chaudas - Sunday, 3 November 2002
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Monday, 4 November 2002
- Kali Puja - Monday, 4 November 2002
Which month of 2002 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
November 2002 is the fullest month with 11 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 2002 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2002 spans Vikram Samvat 2058 – 2059. 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 2002 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2002 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 2002?
2002 had 5 eclipses:
- 26 May 2002 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 11 June 2002 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 25 June 2002 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 20 November 2002 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 4 December 2002 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
None of them carried Sutak Kaal in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2002?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2002:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Karka on 5 July 2002
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mithuna on 23 July 2002
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 2002 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.
