Durga Puja Calendar 1978
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 1978, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 1 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 15 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1899 – 1900.
October 1978
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 10:43 AM, Sep 30 – 11:39 AM, Oct 1
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 12:19 PM, Oct 2 – 12:12 PM, Oct 3
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 9:41 AM, Oct 6 – 8:01 AM, Oct 7
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 6:12 AM, Oct 8 – 4:17 AM, Oct 9
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 4:11 AM, Oct 9 – 2:05 AM, Oct 10
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 2:02 AM, Oct 10 – 11:48 PM, Oct 10
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 11:46 PM, Oct 10 – 9:28 PM, Oct 11
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 11:46 PM, Oct 10 – 9:28 PM, Oct 11
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 2:50 PM, Oct 14 – 1:06 PM, Oct 15
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 1978
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1978 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 7 October, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1977 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1978
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Mar 9:52 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Chaitra Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 7 Apr 8:33 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chaitra Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:34 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashwina Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 2 Oct 11:57 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Ashwina Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1978
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 10:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Karka |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 18 November 1978, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1978
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1978?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1978. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Sunday, 1 October 1978, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, 15 October 1978.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1978?
The first major observances of 1978 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Sunday, 1 October 1978
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Tuesday, 3 October 1978
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Saturday, 7 October 1978
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Sunday, 8 October 1978
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Monday, 9 October 1978
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Tuesday, 10 October 1978
Which month of 1978 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 1978 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 1978 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1978 spans Shaka Samvat 1899 – 1900. 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 1978 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1978 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 1978?
1978 had 4 eclipses:
- 24 March 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 7 April 1978 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 2 October 1978 - 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 1978?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1978:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Karka on 5 August 1978
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 1978 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.
