Kannada Calendar 2008
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 2008
Shaka Samvat 1929 (Sarvajit)
Pausha – Magha
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 2008 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kannada Calendar lists 44 dates in 2008, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 13 January and closing with Dhanurmasam Begins on 16 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1929 – 1930.
January 2008 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Makara Sankranti (Suggi) The harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with ellu-bella. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 23 Jan | Wed |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 2008 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb | Mon |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Feb | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Feb | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
March 2008 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 12 Mar | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 21 Mar | Fri |
Kamana Habba (Holi) The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2008 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon |
Yugadi (Kannada New Year) The Kannada new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, with bevu-bella. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 10 Apr | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 13 Apr | Sun |
Sri Rama Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 20 Apr | Sun |
Karaga Bengaluru's centuries-old Karaga festival honours Draupadi Devi (Shakti) on the Chaitra full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 2008 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May | Wed |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 8 May | Thu |
Basava Jayanti The birth of Basaveshwara on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 10 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 May | Sun |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2008 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Jun | Wed |
Kara Hunnime Farmers worship their cattle on the full moon of Jyeshtha. |
Shukla Purnima |
July 2008 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 Jul | Fri |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2008 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 16 Aug | Sat |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Aug | Sun |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2008 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Tue |
Gowri Habba Goddess Gauri is welcomed and worshipped on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, the day before Ganesha Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 3 Sep | Wed |
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 4 Sep | Thu | Rishi Panchami Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 5 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Sep | Sun | Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 29 Sep | Mon |
Mahalaya Amavasya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 30 Sep | Tue |
Sharad Navratri
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 2008 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Mahanavami The worship of weapons and tools on Mahanavami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 9 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 27 Oct | Mon |
Naraka Chaturdashi The abhyanjana snana marking the slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 29 Oct | Wed |
Balipadyami (Deepavali) The Bali Padyami and Lakshmi worship of Deepavali. |
Shukla Pratipada |
November 2008 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Nov | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 9 Nov | Sun |
Utthana Ekadashi (Tulsi Vivah)
The awakening of Vishnu and the Tulsi marriage on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 13 Nov | Thu |
Kartika Purnima The Kartika full moon, lit with lamps. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2008 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Dec | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 4 Dec | Thu |
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 |
| 4 Dec | Thu |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Dec | Fri |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 16 Dec | Tue |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Chaturthi |
Months of the Kannada Calendar in 2008
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 2008, covering Shaka Samvat 1929 – 1930. 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 2008 | 14 Jan 2008 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2008 | 13 Feb 2008 | 30 |
| Phalguna | 14 Feb 2008 | 14 Mar 2008 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2008 | 13 Apr 2008 | 30 |
| Vaishakha | 14 Apr 2008 | 14 May 2008 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2008 | 14 Jun 2008 | 31 |
| Ashadha | 15 Jun 2008 | 16 Jul 2008 | 32 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2008 | 16 Aug 2008 | 31 |
| Bhadrapada | 17 Aug 2008 | 16 Sep 2008 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 17 Sep 2008 | 16 Oct 2008 | 30 |
| Kartika | 17 Oct 2008 | 15 Nov 2008 | 30 |
| Margashirsha | 16 Nov 2008 | 15 Dec 2008 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 16 Dec 2008 | 31 Dec 2008 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2008
Beyond the dates the Kannada Calendar lists, 2008 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Yugadi (Kannada New Year) fell on 7 April, 20 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 | Kannada 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 Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | 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 Kannada Calendar 2008
How many festivals and vrats does the Kannada Calendar list in 2008?
The Kannada Calendar lists 44 dates in 2008, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Sunday, 13 January 2008, and the last is Dhanurmasam Begins on Tuesday, 16 December 2008.
What are the main festival dates in the Kannada Calendar for 2008?
The first major observances of 2008 are:
- Makara Sankranti (Suggi) - Tuesday, 15 January 2008
- Thaipusam - Wednesday, 23 January 2008
- Vasant Panchami - Monday, 11 February 2008
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 13 February 2008
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 6 March 2008
- Kamana Habba (Holi) - Friday, 21 March 2008
Which month of 2008 has the most observances in the Kannada Calendar?
September 2008 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Gowri Habba, Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata, Rishi Panchami, Skanda Shashthi, Ananta Chaturdashi, Mahalaya Amavasya, Sharad Navratri.
Which traditional year does 2008 correspond to in the Kannada 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 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.
