Diwali Calendar 2008
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 2008, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 25 October through Labh Pancham on 3 November. October holds the most with 10 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2064 – 2065.
October 2008
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 2:18 AM, Oct 25 – 2:12 AM, Oct 26
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 2:20 AM, Oct 26 – 2:37 AM, Oct 27
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 2:45 AM, Oct 27 – 3:24 AM, Oct 28
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 2:45 AM, Oct 27 – 3:24 AM, Oct 28
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 2:45 AM, Oct 27 – 3:24 AM, Oct 28
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 3:32 AM, Oct 28 – 4:34 AM, Oct 29
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 3:32 AM, Oct 28 – 4:34 AM, Oct 29
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 4:43 AM, Oct 29 – 6:08 AM, Oct 30
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 4:43 AM, Oct 29 – 6:08 AM, Oct 30
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 6:18 AM, Oct 30 – 8:05 AM, Oct 31
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
November 2008
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 1:10 PM, Nov 2 – 3:51 PM, Nov 3
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 2008
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 28 October, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2007 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2008
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 9:25 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 21 Feb 8:56 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Phalguna Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 1 Aug 3:51 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 17 Aug 2:40 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Bhadrapada Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2008
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 11:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 30 April 2008, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 2008
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 2008?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 2008. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Saturday, 25 October 2008, and the last is Labh Pancham on Monday, 3 November 2008.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 2008?
The first major observances of 2008 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Saturday, 25 October 2008
- Dhanteras - Sunday, 26 October 2008
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Monday, 27 October 2008
- Kali Chaudas - Monday, 27 October 2008
- Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) - Monday, 27 October 2008
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
October 2008 is the fullest month with 10 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 2008 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2008 spans Vikram Samvat 2064 – 2065. 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 2008 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2008 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 2008?
2008 had 4 eclipses:
- 7 February 2008 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 21 February 2008 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 1 August 2008 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 17 August 2008 - Partial 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 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2008?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2008:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 9 December 2008
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 2008 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.
