Durga Puja Calendar 1971
The Durga Puja festival calendar - from Mahalaya through Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1971, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 19 September through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 3 October. September holds the most with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1892 – 1893.
September 1971
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 5:50 PM, Sep 18 – 8:10 PM, Sep 19
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 8:11 PM, Sep 19 – 10:39 PM, Sep 20
Nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga begin on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, opened by the Ghatasthapana (kalash) ritual in Maharashtra and the garba and dandiya-raas nights of Gujarat; in Rajasthan the Karni Mata fair at Deshnok and the Jeen Mata fair draw great crowds.
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Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Tithi 6:05 AM, Sep 24 – 7:56 AM, Sep 25
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 9:44 AM, Sep 26 – 10:32 AM, Sep 27
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 9:44 AM, Sep 26 – 10:32 AM, Sep 27
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 10:46 AM, Sep 27 – 10:52 AM, Sep 28
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 11:07 AM, Sep 28 – 10:26 AM, Sep 29
The victory of good over evil — effigies of Ravana are burnt and Durga is bid farewell.
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Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tithi 11:07 AM, Sep 28 – 10:26 AM, Sep 29
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
October 1971
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 1:20 AM, Oct 3 – 9:47 PM, Oct 3
On the Sharad Purnima night, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped through a vigil for prosperity; in Rajasthan, Jodhpur keeps the night with the Marwar Festival of folk music and dance.
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 1971
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1971 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 25 September, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1970 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1971
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 1:14 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magha Purnima | Not visible |
| 25 Feb 3:07 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Phalguna Amavasya | Not visible |
| 22 Jul 3:01 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Not visible |
| 7 Aug 1:13 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Shravana Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 21 Aug 4:08 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadrapada Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1971
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 10:30 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 17 February 1971, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1971
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1971?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1971. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Sunday, 19 September 1971, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, 3 October 1971.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1971?
The first major observances of 1971 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Sunday, 19 September 1971
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Monday, 20 September 1971
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Saturday, 25 September 1971
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Monday, 27 September 1971
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Monday, 27 September 1971
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Tuesday, 28 September 1971
Which month of 1971 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
September 1971 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami).
Which traditional year does 1971 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1971 spans Shaka Samvat 1892 – 1893. 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 1971 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1971 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 1971?
1971 had 5 eclipses:
- 10 February 1971 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 25 February 1971 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 22 July 1971 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 7 August 1971 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 21 August 1971 - 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 1971?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1971:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 28 April 1971
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 1971 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 Durga Puja Calendar
The Durga Puja festival calendar - from Mahalaya through Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami, 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.
