Indian Calendar 2008
The Indian national calendar - public holidays, national days and the main festivals of every community, listed month by month with the date for each.
April 2008
Shaka Samvat 1930 (Sarvadhari)
Chaitra – Vaishakha
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 2008 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 2008, opening with New Year on 1 January and closing with Christmas on 25 December. April is the fullest month with 14 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1929 – 1930.
January 2008 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Tue | New Year | Krishna Navami |
| 12 Jan | Sat | National Youth Day | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Jan | Mon | Bhogi / Lohri | Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Jan | Tue | Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal | Shukla Saptami |
| 16 Jan | Wed | Mattu Pongal | Shukla Ashtami |
| 23 Jan | Wed | Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) | Krishna Pratipada |
| 26 Jan | Sat | Republic Day | Krishna Chaturthi |
| 30 Jan | Wed | Martyrs' Day | Krishna Ashtami |
February 2008 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb | Mon | Vasant Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Feb | Thu | Valentine's Day | Shukla Ashtami |
March 2008 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Thu | Maha Shivaratri | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 8 Mar | Sat | International Women's Day | Shukla Pratipada |
| 21 Mar | Fri | Good Friday | Shukla Purnima |
| 21 Mar | Fri | Holika Dahan | Shukla Purnima |
| 22 Mar | Sat | Holi / Dhuleti / Shimga | Krishna Pratipada |
| 23 Mar | Sun | Easter | Krishna Dwitiya |
| 23 Mar | Sun | Shaheed Diwas | Krishna Dwitiya |
| 26 Mar | Wed | Rang Panchami | Krishna Chaturthi |
April 2008 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon | Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 7 Apr | Mon | Navreh | Shukla Pratipada |
| 7 Apr | Mon | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri | Shukla Pratipada |
| 11 Apr | Fri | Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu) | Shukla Ashtami |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba) | Shukla Ashtami |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Shukla Ashtami |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Rama Navami | Shukla Ashtami |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Vaisakhi | Shukla Ashtami |
| 13 Apr | Sun | Vishu | Shukla Ashtami |
| 14 Apr | Mon | Ambedkar Jayanti | Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Mon | Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) | Shukla Navami |
| 20 Apr | Sun | Hanuman Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 22 Apr | Tue | Earth Day | Krishna Dwitiya |
May 2008 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Thu | Labour Day | Krishna Dashami |
| 7 May | Wed | Akshaya Tritiya (Akha Teej) | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 19 May | Mon | Buddha Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
June 2008 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Thu | World Environment Day | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 13 Jun | Fri | Ganga Dussehra | Shukla Dashami |
| 21 Jun | Sat | International Yoga Day | Krishna Tritiya |
July 2008 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jul | Fri | Jagannath Rath Yatra | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 12 Jul | Sat | Ulto Rath Yatra | Shukla Dashami |
| 18 Jul | Fri | Guru Purnima | Shukla Purnima |
August 2008 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug | Wed | Nag Panchami | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Aug | Fri | Independence Day | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 16 Aug | Sat | Raksha Bandhan | Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Aug | Sun | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Ashtami |
September 2008 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Wed | Ganesh Chaturthi | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 5 Sep | Fri | Teachers' Day | Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Sep | Fri | Onam (Thiruvonam) | Shukla Dwadashi |
| 14 Sep | Sun | Hindi Diwas | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 15 Sep | Mon | Engineer's Day | Shukla Purnima |
| 29 Sep | Mon | Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Krishna Amavasya |
| 30 Sep | Tue | Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Shukla Pratipada |
October 2008 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Thu | Gandhi Jayanti | Shukla Tritiya |
| 8 Oct | Wed | Durga Puja — Maha Navami | Shukla Navami |
| 9 Oct | Thu | Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) | Shukla Dashami |
| 14 Oct | Tue | Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Shukla Purnima |
| 26 Oct | Sun | Dhanteras | Krishna Trayodashi |
| 27 Oct | Mon | Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan) | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 28 Oct | Tue | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Krishna Amavasya |
| 29 Oct | Wed | Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas) | Shukla Pratipada |
| 29 Oct | Wed | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Shukla Pratipada |
| 30 Oct | Thu | Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej | Shukla Dwitiya |
| 31 Oct | Fri | National Unity Day | Shukla Dwitiya |
November 2008 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Tue | Chhath Puja | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Nov | Thu | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Shukla Purnima |
| 13 Nov | Thu | Kartik Purnima / Dev Deepavali | Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Nov | Fri | Children's Day | Krishna Pratipada |
December 2008 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Mon | World AIDS Day | Shukla Chaturthi |
| 25 Dec | Thu | Christmas | Krishna Trayodashi |
What happened in the sky in 2008
Beyond the dates the Indian Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Vasant Panchami fell on 11 February, 19 days later in the year than in 2007 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2008
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 9:25 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 21 Feb 8:56 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Phalguna Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 1 Aug 3:51 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 17 Aug 2:40 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Raksha Bandhan | Bhadrapada Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2008
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 11:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 30 April 2008, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Indian Calendar 2008
How many festivals and vrats does the Indian Calendar list in 2008?
The Indian Calendar lists 69 dates in 2008. The first is New Year on Tuesday, 1 January 2008, and the last is Christmas on Thursday, 25 December 2008.
What are the main festival dates in the Indian Calendar for 2008?
The first major observances of 2008 are:
- New Year - Tuesday, 1 January 2008
- National Youth Day - Saturday, 12 January 2008
- Bhogi / Lohri - Monday, 14 January 2008
- Makar Sankranti / Uttarayan / Pongal - Tuesday, 15 January 2008
- Mattu Pongal - Wednesday, 16 January 2008
- Parakram Diwas (Netaji Jayanti) - Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Indian Calendar?
April 2008 is the fullest month with 14 dates, including Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year), Navreh, Ugadi / Gudi Padwa / Chaitra Navratri, Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti), Bohag Bihu (Rongali Bihu), Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba), Puthandu (Tamil New Year), Rama Navami.
Which traditional year does 2008 correspond to in the Indian Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2008 spans Shaka Samvat 1929 – 1930. 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 2008 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2008 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 2008?
2008 had 4 eclipses:
- 7 February 2008 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 21 February 2008 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 1 August 2008 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 17 August 2008 - Partial 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 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2008?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2008:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 9 December 2008
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 2008?
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.
