Diwali Calendar 2004
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 2004, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 9 November through Labh Pancham on 16 November. November holds the most with 11 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2060 – 2061. 2004 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several dates later than usual.
November 2004
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 2:43 AM, Nov 9 – 2:15 AM, Nov 10
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 2:01 AM, Nov 10 – 12:47 AM, Nov 11
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 12:35 AM, Nov 11 – 10:39 PM, Nov 11
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 12:35 AM, Nov 11 – 10:39 PM, Nov 11
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 12:35 AM, Nov 11 – 10:39 PM, Nov 11
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 10:32 PM, Nov 11 – 8:02 PM, Nov 12
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 10:32 PM, Nov 11 – 8:02 PM, Nov 12
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 7:59 PM, Nov 12 – 5:03 PM, Nov 13
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 7:59 PM, Nov 12 – 5:03 PM, Nov 13
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 5:03 PM, Nov 13 – 1:54 PM, Nov 14
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 10:38 AM, Nov 15 – 7:38 AM, Nov 16
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 2004
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 2004 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Shravana, running from 18 July 2004 to 16 August 2004. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 12 November, 19 days later in the year than in 2003 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2004
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 7:04 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Vaishakha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 5 May 2:00 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vaishakha Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Oct 8:29 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashwina Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Oct 8:34 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kartika Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2004
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 11:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
| 6 Sep 4:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Karka |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 2004
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 2004?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 2004. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Tuesday, 9 November 2004, and the last is Labh Pancham on Tuesday, 16 November 2004.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 2004?
The first major observances of 2004 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Tuesday, 9 November 2004
- Dhanteras - Wednesday, 10 November 2004
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Thursday, 11 November 2004
- Kali Chaudas - Thursday, 11 November 2004
- Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) - Thursday, 11 November 2004
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Friday, 12 November 2004
Which month of 2004 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
November 2004 is the fullest month with 11 dates, including Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhanteras, Bhoot Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan), Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Kali Puja, Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas).
Which traditional year does 2004 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2004 spans Vikram Samvat 2060 – 2061. 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 2004 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2004 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month inserted roughly every third year to keep the lunar calendar in step with the solar one. Festivals falling after it shift later in the Gregorian year, which is why 2004 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2004?
2004 had 4 eclipses:
- 19 April 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 May 2004 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 October 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 October 2004 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2004?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2004:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 27 August 2004
- Shani (Saturn) entered Karka on 6 September 2004
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 2004 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.
