Durga Puja Calendar 2015
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 2015, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 12 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 26 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1936 – 1937. 2015 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several dates later than usual.
October 2015
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 2:58 AM, Oct 12 – 5:38 AM, Oct 13
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 5:35 AM, Oct 13 – 8:08 AM, Oct 14
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 2:25 PM, Oct 18 – 2:41 PM, Oct 19
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 2:47 PM, Oct 19 – 2:25 PM, Oct 20
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 2:32 PM, Oct 20 – 1:31 PM, Oct 21
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 1:40 PM, Oct 21 – 11:59 AM, Oct 22
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 1:40 PM, Oct 21 – 11:59 AM, Oct 22
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 1:40 PM, Oct 21 – 11:59 AM, Oct 22
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 12:44 AM, Oct 26 – 9:11 PM, Oct 26
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 2015
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 2015 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 Ashadha, running from 17 June 2015 to 16 July 2015. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 19 October, 19 days later in the year than in 2014 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2015
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mar 3:15 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chaitra Amavasya | Not visible |
| 4 Apr 5:30 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Chaitra Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 13 Sep 12:24 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Sep 8:17 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashwina Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2015
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 6:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 2015
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 2015?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 2015. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Monday, 12 October 2015, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Monday, 26 October 2015.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 2015?
The first major observances of 2015 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Monday, 12 October 2015
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Tuesday, 13 October 2015
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Monday, 19 October 2015
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Tuesday, 20 October 2015
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Wednesday, 21 October 2015
- Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja - Thursday, 22 October 2015
Which month of 2015 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 2015 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, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami).
Which traditional year does 2015 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2015 spans Shaka Samvat 1936 – 1937. 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 2015 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2015 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (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 2015 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2015?
2015 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 March 2015 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 4 April 2015 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 13 September 2015 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 September 2015 - 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 2015?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2015:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 14 July 2015
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 2015 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.
