Indian Calendar

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.

August 1981

Shaka Samvat 1903 (Durmati)

Shravana – Bhadrapada

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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.

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.

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