Kannada Calendar 1988
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
December 1988
Shaka Samvat 1910 (Vibhava)
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.
Kannada Calendar 1988 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kannada Calendar lists 45 dates in 1988, opening with Makara Sankranti (Suggi) on 15 January and closing with Dattatreya Jayanti on 22 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 1988 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1988 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Fri |
Makara Sankranti (Suggi) The harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with ellu-bella. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 23 Jan | Sat |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Jan | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Jan | Mon |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 1988 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 16 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 22 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 1988 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar | Thu |
Kamana Habba (Holi) The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 18 Mar | Fri |
Yugadi (Kannada New Year) The Kannada new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, with bevu-bella. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 23 Mar | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Mar | Sat |
Sri Rama Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
April 1988 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Sat |
Karaga Bengaluru's centuries-old Karaga festival honours Draupadi Devi (Shakti) on the Chaitra full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 19 Apr | Tue |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 19 Apr | Tue |
Basava Jayanti The birth of Basaveshwara on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 21 Apr | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Apr | Sat |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
May 1988 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha – Jyeshtha (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 1988 Jyeshtha (Adhik) – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Jun | Wed |
Kara Hunnime Farmers worship their cattle on the full moon of Jyeshtha. |
Shukla Purnima |
July 1988 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Jul | Fri |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 1988 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug | Wed |
Naga Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 26 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 27 Aug | Sat |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 1988 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Sat |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 14 Sep | Wed |
Gowri Habba Goddess Gauri is welcomed and worshipped on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, the day before Ganesha Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Sep | Thu |
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 16 Sep | Fri | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Sep | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 24 Sep | Sat | Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Trayodashi |
October 1988 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct | Mon |
Mahalaya Amavasya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 11 Oct | Tue |
Sharad Navratri
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 19 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Mahanavami The worship of weapons and tools on Mahanavami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 20 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1988 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov | Tue |
Naraka Chaturdashi The abhyanjana snana marking the slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 10 Nov | Thu |
Balipadyami (Deepavali) The Bali Padyami and Lakshmi worship of Deepavali. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 19 Nov | Sat |
Utthana Ekadashi (Tulsi Vivah)
The awakening of Vishnu and the Tulsi marriage on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 23 Nov | Wed |
Kartika Purnima The Kartika full moon, lit with lamps. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 1988 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Dec | Wed |
Champa Shashti A six-day festival to Lord Khandoba (Martand Bhairav, a form of Shiva) concludes on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi, worshipped by farmers and warriors. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Dec | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Dec | Wed |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Dec | Thu |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 19 Dec | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 22 Dec | Thu |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
Months of the Kannada Calendar in 1988
The Kannada Calendar does not begin its year on 1 January, so each of its months straddles two Gregorian ones. These are the months that ran through 1988, covering Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pausha part | 1 Jan 1988 | 14 Jan 1988 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 1988 | 13 Feb 1988 | 30 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 1988 | 14 Mar 1988 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 1988 | 13 Apr 1988 | 30 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 1988 | 14 May 1988 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 1988 | 15 May 1988 | 1 |
| Jyeshtha (Adhik) | 16 May 1988 | 14 Jun 1988 | 30 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 1988 | 16 Jul 1988 | 32 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 1988 | 16 Aug 1988 | 31 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 1988 | 16 Sep 1988 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 17 Sep 1988 | 16 Oct 1988 | 30 |
| Kartika | 17 Oct 1988 | 15 Nov 1988 | 30 |
| Margashirsha | 16 Nov 1988 | 15 Dec 1988 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 16 Dec 1988 | 31 Dec 1988 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1988
Beyond the dates the Kannada Calendar lists, 1988 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 1988 to 14 June 1988. Yugadi (Kannada New Year) fell on 18 March, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1987 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1988
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Kannada date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar 9:42 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Kamana Habba (Holi) | Phalguna Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 18 Mar 7:28 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Yugadi (Kannada New Year) | Chaitra Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 27 Aug 4:34 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Bhadrapada Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Sep 10:13 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Gowri Habba | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 1988
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Mesha |
| 19 Jun 11:10 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Kumbha on 6 March 1988, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Kannada Calendar 1988
How many festivals and vrats does the Kannada Calendar list in 1988?
The Kannada Calendar lists 45 dates in 1988, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Makara Sankranti (Suggi) on Friday, 15 January 1988, and the last is Dattatreya Jayanti on Thursday, 22 December 1988.
What are the main festival dates in the Kannada Calendar for 1988?
The first major observances of 1988 are:
- Makara Sankranti (Suggi) - Friday, 15 January 1988
- Vasant Panchami - Saturday, 23 January 1988
- Ratha Saptami - Monday, 25 January 1988
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 2 February 1988
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 16 February 1988
- Kamana Habba (Holi) - Thursday, 3 March 1988
Which month of 1988 has the most observances in the Kannada Calendar?
September 1988 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Gowri Habba, Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata, Rishi Panchami, Skanda Shashthi, Ananta Chaturdashi.
Which traditional year does 1988 correspond to in the Kannada Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1988 spans Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 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 1988 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1988 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (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 1988 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1988?
1988 had 4 eclipses:
- 3 March 1988 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 18 March 1988 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 27 August 1988 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 September 1988 - Annular 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 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1988?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1988:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 3 February 1988
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 19 June 1988
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 1988?
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 Kannada Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Kannada Calendar
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
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.


