Indian Calendar 1981
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.
December 1981
Shaka Samvat 1903 (Durmati)
Margashirsha – Pausha
Timings shown for New Delhi (IST) at sunrise - use the city box at the top to change it. Solar months begin by each tradition's own Sankranti rule (same-day, next-day, sunset or aparahna). Era years and lunar month names follow standard Vedic calculations and may differ slightly from regional almanacs around an Adhik Maas.
Indian Calendar 1981 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 1981, opening with New Year on 1 January and closing with Christmas on 25 December. April is the fullest month with 16 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1902 – 1903.
January 1981 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Thu | New Year | Krishna Ekadashi |
| 12 Jan | Mon | National Youth Day | Shukla Saptami |
| 13 Jan | Tue | Bhogi / Lohri | Shukla Ashtami |
| 14 Jan | Wed | Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal | Shukla Navami |
| 15 Jan | Thu | Mattu Pongal | Shukla Dashami |
| 23 Jan | Fri | Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) | Krishna Tritiya |
| 26 Jan | Mon | Republic Day | Krishna Shashthi |
| 30 Jan | Fri | Martyrs' Day | Krishna Dashami |
February 1981 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Feb | Mon | Vasant Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Feb | Sat | Valentine's Day | Shukla Ekadashi |
March 1981 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar | Wed | Maha Shivaratri | Krishna Trayodashi |
| 8 Mar | Sun | International Women's Day | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 20 Mar | Fri | Holika Dahan | Shukla Purnima |
| 21 Mar | Sat | Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga | Krishna Pratipada |
| 23 Mar | Mon | Shaheed Diwas | Krishna Tritiya |
| 25 Mar | Wed | Rang Panchami | Krishna Panchami |
April 1981 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr | Sun | Navreh | Shukla Pratipada |
| 5 Apr | Sun | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri | Shukla Pratipada |
| 6 Apr | Mon | Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 10 Apr | Fri | Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) | Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Apr | Sun | Rama Navami | Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Ambedkar Jayanti | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba) | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Vaisakhi | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue | Vishu | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 17 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 19 Apr | Sun | Easter | Shukla Purnima |
| 19 Apr | Sun | Hanuman Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 22 Apr | Wed | Earth Day | Krishna Tritiya |
May 1981 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Fri | Labour Day | Krishna Dwadashi |
| 6 May | Wed | Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) | Shukla Tritiya |
| 18 May | Mon | Buddha Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
June 1981 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Fri | World Environment Day | Shukla Tritiya |
| 12 Jun | Fri | Ganga Dussehra | Shukla Dashami |
| 21 Jun | Sun | International Yoga Day | Krishna Chaturthi |
July 1981 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jul | Fri | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 11 Jul | Sat | Ulto Rath Yatra | Shukla Dashami |
| 17 Jul | Fri | Guru Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
August 1981 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug | Wed | Nag Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Aug | Sat | Independence Day | Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Aug | Sat | Raksha Bandhan | Shukla Purnima |
| 23 Aug | Sun | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Ashtami |
September 1981 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Wed | Ganesh Chaturthi | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 5 Sep | Sat | Teachers' Day | Shukla Saptami |
| 11 Sep | Fri | Onam (Thiruvonam) | Shukla Dwadashi |
| 14 Sep | Mon | Hindi Diwas | Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Sep | Tue | Engineer's Day | Krishna Pratipada |
| 27 Sep | Sun | Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 29 Sep | Tue | Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Shukla Pratipada |
October 1981 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Fri | Gandhi Jayanti | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 7 Oct | Wed | Durga Puja — Maha Navami | Shukla Navami |
| 8 Oct | Thu | Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) | Shukla Dashami |
| 12 Oct | Mon | Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 25 Oct | Sun | Dhanteras | Krishna Trayodashi |
| 26 Oct | Mon | Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 27 Oct | Tue | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Krishna Amavasya |
| 28 Oct | Wed | Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 28 Oct | Wed | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Shukla Pratipada |
| 29 Oct | Thu | Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 31 Oct | Sat | National Unity Day | Shukla Tritiya |
November 1981 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Nov | Tue | Chhath Puja | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 Nov | Wed | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 11 Nov | Wed | Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Nov | Sat | Children's Day | Krishna Tritiya |
December 1981 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Tue | World AIDS Day | Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Dec | Fri | Christmas | Krishna Chaturdashi |
What happened in the sky in 1981
Beyond the dates the Indian Calendar lists, 1981 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Bhogi / Lohri fell on 13 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1980 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1981
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1:19 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 3 days before Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) | Magha Purnima | Not visible |
| 5 Feb 3:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Jul 10:16 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Guru Purnima | Shravana Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 Jul 9:15 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1981
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mithuna on 24 December 1981, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Indian Calendar 1981
How many festivals and vrats does the Indian Calendar list in 1981?
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 1981. The first is New Year on Thursday, 1 January 1981, and the last is Christmas on Friday, 25 December 1981.
What are the main festival dates in the Indian Calendar for 1981?
The first major observances of 1981 are:
- New Year - Thursday, 1 January 1981
- National Youth Day - Monday, 12 January 1981
- Bhogi / Lohri - Tuesday, 13 January 1981
- Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal - Wednesday, 14 January 1981
- Mattu Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 1981
- Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) - Friday, 23 January 1981
Which month of 1981 has the most observances in the Indian Calendar?
April 1981 is the fullest month with 16 dates, including Navreh, Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri, Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year), Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti), Rama Navami, Ambedkar Jayanti, Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba).
Which traditional year does 1981 correspond to in the Indian Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1981 spans Shaka Samvat 1902 – 1903. 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 1981 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1981 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 1981?
1981 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 January 1981 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 February 1981 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 July 1981 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 July 1981 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
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 1981?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1981:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Tula on 27 October 1981
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.
How do I see the tithi and nakshatra for a specific date in 1981?
Use the month grid above: pick a month from the selector, then tap any day to open its full panchang - tithi with start and end times, nakshatra, yoga, karana, sunrise and sunset, and the inauspicious periods (Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulika Kalam). Set your city in the box at the top first, because these timings are sunrise-based and shift with location. The Indian Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Indian Calendar
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.
Each day lists its tithi and paksha, the nakshatra, the weekday (vaar) and any festivals or vrats. Tap any day to see the full panchang for that date - tithi start and end times, nakshatra, yoga, karana, sunrise and sunset, and the inauspicious periods (Rahu Kalam, Yamaganda, Gulika Kalam). Use the month and year selectors to browse any year in the archive or plan ahead into the coming years.
This calendar names the tithi and festivals for each day. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and muhurat windows on a chosen date, open the Panchang. Other regional calendars are on the Calendars index. Fast stories live under Vrat Katha.
