Jain Calendar 1979
A month-by-month list of the significant Jain festivals and fasting (upvas) days - Paryushan and Samvatsari, Mahavir Jayanti, the twelve Rohini Vrats, the Ashtahnika and Navpad Oli parvas, the Chaumasi Chaudas, Varshi Tap and Mahavir Nirvana - with the date and tithi of each.
The Jain Calendar lists 45 dates in 1979, from Rohini Vrat on 10 January through Rohini Vrat on 31 December. October holds the most with 7 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2035 – 2036. Mahavir Jayanti fell on 10 April, Paryushan began on 20 August, Samvatsari fell on 27 August and Mahavir Nirvana fell on 20 October.
Jain Festivals & Fasting Days
January 1979 Pausha – Magha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 6:43 AM – 8:13 AM, Jan 11
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Parshvanath Janma Kalyanak
Tithi 4:36 AM – 3:40 AM, Jan 24
The birth anniversary (Janma Kalyanak) of Bhagwan Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, on Pausha Krishna Dashami - kept with the Uvasaggaharam Stotra jaap and fasting.
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Meru Trayodashi
Tithi 10:35 PM, Jan 25 – 7:20 PM
The nirvana (moksha) day of the first Tirthankara, Bhagwan Rishabhadeva (Adinatha), venerated with worship of the sacred Mount Meru.
February 1979 Magha – Phalguna
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 6:55 PM, Feb 5 – 8:17 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
March 1979 Phalguna – Chaitra
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Phalguna Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 8:51 AM, Mar 4 – 9:26 AM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 8:51 AM, Mar 4 – 9:26 AM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Phalguna Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 10:09 PM, Mar 11 – 12:38 AM, Mar 13
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Phalguna Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 12:35 AM – 2:50 AM, Mar 14
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Varshitapa Arambha Vrat
Tithi 5:35 AM – 4:14 AM, Mar 22
The beginning of Varshi Tap - a year-long penance of alternate-day fasting commemorating Bhagwan Rishabhadeva's long fast before his first alms.
April 1979 Chaitra – Vaishakha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 12:39 AM – 1:00 AM, Apr 3
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Chaitra Navapada Oli Begins Vrat
Tithi 1:13 AM – 2:19 AM, Apr 4
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Mahavir Swami Jayanti
Tithi 2:27 PM, Apr 9 – 4:22 PM
The birth anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, on Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi - celebrated with processions, abhishek and charity.
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Chaitra Navapada Oli Ends Vrat
Tithi 5:52 PM, Apr 11 – 6:49 PM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Varshitapa Parana
Tithi 3:58 PM, Apr 28 – 3:35 PM
The breaking (parana) of the year-long Varshi Tap with sugarcane juice on Akshaya Tritiya, as Bhagwan Rishabhadeva broke his fast.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 3:58 PM, Apr 28 – 3:35 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
May 1979 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
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Mahavira Swami Kevalagyan
Tithi 1:44 AM – 4:11 AM, May 7
The day Bhagwan Mahavira attained Kevala Jnana - infinite knowledge and omniscience.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 6:02 AM, May 25 – 5:30 AM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Shruta Panchami
Tithi 7:45 AM, May 30 – 9:55 AM
The Digambara festival venerating the Jain scriptures (Shruta) on Jyeshtha Shukla Panchami - commemorating the day the Shatkhandagama was first written down.
June 1979 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 4:40 PM, Jun 22 – 4:49 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
July 1979 Ashadha – Shravana
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Ashadha Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 5:48 AM, Jul 1 – 7:55 AM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Ashadha Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 9:27 AM, Jul 7 – 7:08 AM
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Ashadha Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 4:31 AM – 1:38 AM, Jul 10
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 2:28 AM – 2:49 AM, Jul 21
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
August 1979 Shravana – Bhadrapada
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 12:05 PM, Aug 15 – 12:13 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Paryushana Parvarambha
Tithi 3:39 PM, Aug 19 – 5:44 PM
The start of Paryushan - the holiest eight-day festival of the Jains - of fasting, scriptural study, penance and forgiveness.
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Samvatsari Parva
Tithi 6:28 AM, Aug 26 – 8:26 AM
The final and holiest day of Paryushan - of Pratikraman and Michhami Dukkadam, seeking forgiveness from every living being.
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Das Lakshana Parva Begins
Tithi 8:36 AM, Aug 27 – 10:07 AM
The ten-day Digambara festival of the ten supreme virtues (dharma), from Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami to Chaturdashi - the Digambara counterpart of Paryushan.
September 1979 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
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Anant Chaturdashi Vrat
Tithi 11:54 PM, Sep 4 – 8:17 PM
The closing day of Das Lakshana, when the fourteen-knot thread of Ananta is worshipped and the Ananta Vrat is observed on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi.
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Kshamavani Parva
Tithi 8:15 PM, Sep 5 – 4:28 PM
The Digambara day of universal forgiveness, the day after Das Lakshana - Jains seek and grant pardon with the words Uttam Kshama and Michhami Dukkadam.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 12:08 AM – 11:28 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Ashwina Navapada Oli Begins Vrat
Tithi 10:51 PM, Sep 27 – 10:27 PM
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
October 1979 Ashwina – Kartika
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Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends Vrat
Tithi 4:33 AM – 1:03 AM, Oct 6
The nine-day Ayambil (Navpad) Oli - a semi-fast venerating the nine supreme entities (Navpad), observed twice a year in Chaitra and Ashwin.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 2:29 PM, Oct 9 – 1:38 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Mahavir Nirvana (Diwali)
Tithi 6:13 AM – 8:06 AM, Oct 21
Diwali marks the nirvana (final liberation) of Bhagwan Mahavira at Pavapuri; Jains keep it with fasting, the Nirvana Laddu and recitation of his last sermon.
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Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat)
Tithi 6:25 AM, Oct 20 – 7:53 AM
The first day of the Jain Vira Nirvana Samvat year - the morning after Mahavira's nirvana, also the day Gautam Swami attained Kevala Jnana.
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Bhai Dooj (Bhratri Dwitiya)
Tithi 9:14 AM, Oct 22 – 9:49 AM
Sisters honour their brothers on Kartika Shukla Dwitiya, the day Gautam Swami is said to have visited his sister, closing the Diwali observances.
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Jnan Panchami (Labh Panchami)
Tithi 10:11 AM, Oct 25 – 9:32 AM
Knowledge (Jnan) Panchami - Jain scriptures and the gift of knowledge are venerated; in Gujarat it is also kept as Labh Panchami.
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Kartika Ashtahnika Begins Vrat
Tithi 8:49 AM, Oct 27 – 7:22 AM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
November 1979 Kartika – Margashirsha
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Kartika Chaumasi Chaudas Vrat
Tithi 4:53 PM, Nov 2 – 1:59 PM
The Chaturmasic Chaudas closing one of the three four-month periods, marked by Pratikraman, fasting and penance.
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Kartika Ratha Yatra
Tithi 1:55 PM, Nov 3 – 11:16 AM
The Kartik Purnima chariot procession (Ratha Yatra) and the great pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya (Palitana), reopened after the Chaturmas.
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Kartika Ashtahnika Ends Vrat
Tithi 1:55 PM, Nov 3 – 11:16 AM
The eight-day Ashtahnika Parva preceding the Chaumasi, when the Jains venerate the eternal (shashvata) Jina images with collective worship.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 8:37 AM, Nov 5 – 7:02 AM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Maun Ekadashi Vrat
Tithi 9:28 AM, Nov 29 – 7:15 AM
The great silent (Maun) fast of Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, on which 150 Kalyanaks of the Tirthankaras are commemorated - kept with silence, fasting and Posaha.
December 1979 Margashirsha – Pausha
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 11:36 PM, Dec 3 – 10:29 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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Rohini Vrat Vrat
Tithi 3:41 PM, Dec 30 – 2:55 PM
A fasting day observed when the Rohini nakshatra prevails - kept mainly by Jain women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. There are twelve Rohini fasting days in a year.
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 1979
Beyond the dates the Jain Calendar lists, 1979 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat) fell on 21 October, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1978 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1979
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 10:24 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Phalguna Amavasya | Not visible |
| 14 Mar 2:38 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Phalguna Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Aug 10:51 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Paryushana Parvarambha | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Not visible |
| 6 Sep 4:24 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Kshamavani Parva | Bhadrapada Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1979
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 7:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
| 4 Nov 1:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Jain Calendar 1979
How many festivals and vrats does the Jain Calendar list in 1979?
The Jain Calendar lists 45 dates in 1979, of which 30 are vrats. The first is Rohini Vrat on Wednesday, 10 January 1979, and the last is Rohini Vrat on Monday, 31 December 1979.
When was Paryushan in 1979?
Paryushan began on Monday, 20 August 1979 and closed on Samvatsari, Monday, 27 August 1979.
The Digambara Das Lakshana Parva began on Tuesday, 28 August 1979.
When was Mahavir Jayanti in 1979?
Mahavir Swami Jayanti fell on Tuesday, 10 April 1979 (Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi), the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavira.
When was Mahavir Nirvana in 1979?
Mahavir Nirvana was observed on Saturday, 20 October 1979, the same day as Diwali.
The Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat) began the next morning, Sunday, 21 October 1979.
What are the main festival dates in the Jain Calendar for 1979?
The main observances in 1979 are:
- Mahavir Jayanti - Tuesday, 10 April 1979
- Paryushan - Monday, 20 August 1979
- Samvatsari - Monday, 27 August 1979
- Mahavir Nirvana - Saturday, 20 October 1979
Which month of 1979 has the most observances in the Jain Calendar?
October 1979 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends, Rohini Vrat, Mahavir Nirvana (Diwali), Jain New Year (Vira Nirvana Samvat), Bhai Dooj (Bhratri Dwitiya), Jnan Panchami (Labh Panchami), Kartika Ashtahnika Begins.
Which traditional year does 1979 correspond to in the Jain Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1979 spans Vikram Samvat 2035 – 2036. 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 1979 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1979 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 1979?
1979 had 4 eclipses:
- 26 February 1979 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 14 March 1979 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 22 August 1979 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 6 September 1979 - 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 1979?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1979:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 29 August 1979
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 4 November 1979
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 1979 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 Jain Calendar
A month-by-month list of the significant Jain festivals and fasting (upvas) days - Paryushan and Samvatsari, Mahavir Jayanti, the twelve Rohini Vrats, the Ashtahnika and Navpad Oli parvas, the Chaumasi Chaudas, Varshi Tap and Mahavir Nirvana - with the date and tithi of each.
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.
