Durga Puja Calendar 1974
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 1974, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 15 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 30 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1895 – 1896. 1974 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several dates later than usual.
October 1974
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 8:19 PM, Oct 14 – 5:51 PM, Oct 15
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 5:49 PM, Oct 15 – 3:51 PM, Oct 16
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 2:30 PM, Oct 20 – 4:06 PM, Oct 21
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 4:04 PM, Oct 21 – 6:10 PM, Oct 22
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 6:10 PM, Oct 22 – 8:35 PM, Oct 23
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 8:36 PM, Oct 23 – 11:08 PM, Oct 24
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 11:08 PM, Oct 24 – 1:34 AM, Oct 26
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 11:08 PM, Oct 24 – 1:34 AM, Oct 26
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 6:31 AM, Oct 29 – 6:47 AM, Oct 30
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 1974
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1974 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 Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 1974 to 16 September 1974. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 21 October, 19 days later in the year than in 1973 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1974
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 3:45 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jyeshtha Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 20 Jun 10:17 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 29 Nov 8:43 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Margashirsha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 13 Dec 9:42 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margashirsha Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1974
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Feb 10:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishchika on 25 March 1974, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1974
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1974?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1974. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Tuesday, 15 October 1974, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Wednesday, 30 October 1974.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1974?
The first major observances of 1974 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Tuesday, 15 October 1974
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Wednesday, 16 October 1974
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Monday, 21 October 1974
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Tuesday, 22 October 1974
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Wednesday, 23 October 1974
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Thursday, 24 October 1974
Which month of 1974 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 1974 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 1974 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1974 spans Shaka Samvat 1895 – 1896. 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 1974 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1974 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 1974 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1974?
1974 had 4 eclipses:
- 5 June 1974 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 20 June 1974 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 29 November 1974 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 13 December 1974 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 1974?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1974:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 9 February 1974
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 1974 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.
