Durga Puja Calendar 1972
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 1972, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 6 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 21 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1893 – 1894. 1972 carries an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several dates later than usual.
October 1972
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 11:04 AM, Oct 5 – 12:12 PM, Oct 6
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 1:33 PM, Oct 7 – 3:23 PM, Oct 8
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 1:09 AM, Oct 13 – 3:40 AM, Oct 14
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 3:35 AM, Oct 14 – 5:49 AM, Oct 15
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 5:37 AM, Oct 15 – 7:21 AM, Oct 16
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 5:58 AM, Oct 15 – 7:01 AM, Oct 16
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 7:24 AM, Oct 16 – 7:39 AM, Oct 17
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 7:24 AM, Oct 16 – 7:39 AM, Oct 17
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 1:41 AM, Oct 21 – 10:36 PM, Oct 21
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 1972
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1972 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Vaishakha, running from 14 April 1972 to 13 May 1972. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 13 October, 19 days later in the year than in 1971 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1972
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 4:32 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 30 Jan 4:23 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Jul 1:15 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 26 Jul 12:45 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Shravana Purnima | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1972
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan 7:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Dhanu on 5 September 1972, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1972
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1972?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1972. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Friday, 6 October 1972, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Saturday, 21 October 1972.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1972?
The first major observances of 1972 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Friday, 6 October 1972
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Sunday, 8 October 1972
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Friday, 13 October 1972
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Saturday, 14 October 1972
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Sunday, 15 October 1972
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Monday, 16 October 1972
Which month of 1972 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 1972 is the fullest month with 9 dates, including Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami).
Which traditional year does 1972 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1972 spans Shaka Samvat 1893 – 1894. 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 1972 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1972 carried an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (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 1972 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1972?
1972 had 4 eclipses:
- 16 January 1972 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 January 1972 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 July 1972 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 July 1972 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra 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 1972?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1972:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 6 January 1972
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 1972 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.


