Durga Puja Calendar 1997
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 1997, 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 1918 – 1919.
October 1997
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 7:48 PM, Sep 30 – 10:23 PM, 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 10:22 PM, Oct 1 – 12:46 AM, 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 5:59 AM, Oct 6 – 6:28 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 6:45 AM, Oct 7 – 6:40 AM, Oct 8
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 6:17 AM, Oct 9 – 5:35 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 5:17 AM, Oct 10 – 3:57 AM, Oct 11
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 3:41 AM, Oct 11 – 1:42 AM, Oct 12
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 3:41 AM, Oct 11 – 1:42 AM, Oct 12
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 4:21 PM, Oct 14 – 12:47 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 1997
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1997 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, 12 days earlier in the year than in 1996 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1997
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 6:53 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Phalguna Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Mar 10:09 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Chaitra Purnima | Not visible |
| 2 Sep 5:33 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadrapada Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:16 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashwina Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1997
Neither of the slow grahas changed sign in 1997: it was a whole year of Guru (Jupiter) in Makara and Shani (Saturn) in Meena. Rahu entered Simha on 24 June 1997, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1997
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1997?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1997. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Wednesday, 1 October 1997, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Wednesday, 15 October 1997.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1997?
The first major observances of 1997 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Wednesday, 1 October 1997
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Thursday, 2 October 1997
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Tuesday, 7 October 1997
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Wednesday, 8 October 1997
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Thursday, 9 October 1997
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Friday, 10 October 1997
Which month of 1997 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 1997 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 1997 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1997 spans Shaka Samvat 1918 – 1919. 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 1997 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1997 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 1997?
1997 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 March 1997 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 March 1997 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 2 September 1997 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 1997 - Total 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 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1997?
No. Neither of the slow grahas crossed a sign boundary in 1997 - it was a full year of Guru (Jupiter) in Makara</strong> and <strong>Shani (Saturn) in Meena.
Are these 1997 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.
