Kannada Calendar 2018
The Kannada festival calendar (Yugadi new year). Karnataka festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
February 2018
Shaka Samvat 1939 (Hemalambi)
Magha – Phalguna
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 2018 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Kannada Calendar lists 43 dates in 2018, opening with Makara Sankranti (Suggi) on 14 January and closing with Dattatreya Jayanti on 22 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). December is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 2018 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2018 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Sun |
Makara Sankranti (Suggi) The harvest festival on the Sun's entry into Makara, with ellu-bella. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 22 Jan | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 31 Jan | Wed |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 2018 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 21 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
March 2018 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Thu |
Kamana Habba (Holi) The burning of Kama (Holika Dahan) on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 18 Mar | Sun |
Yugadi (Kannada New Year) The Kannada new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, with bevu-bella. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 22 Mar | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Mar | Sun |
Sri Rama Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 31 Mar | Sat |
Karaga Bengaluru's centuries-old Karaga festival honours Draupadi Devi (Shakti) on the Chaitra full moon. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2018 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Apr | Wed |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 18 Apr | Wed |
Basava Jayanti The birth of Basaveshwara on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 21 Apr | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Apr | Sun |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
May 2018 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha – Jyeshtha (Adhik)
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 2018 Jyeshtha (Adhik) – Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 28 Jun | Thu |
Kara Hunnime Farmers worship their cattle on the full moon of Jyeshtha. |
Shukla Purnima |
July 2018 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Jul | Fri |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 2018 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug | Wed |
Naga Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 24 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 26 Aug | Sun |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 2018 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Mon |
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 12 Sep | Wed |
Gowri Habba Goddess Gauri is welcomed and worshipped on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, the day before Ganesha Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 13 Sep | Thu |
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Sep | Sun | Ananta Chaturdashi Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
October 2018 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | Mon |
Mahalaya Amavasya The new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 10 Oct | Wed |
Sharad Navratri
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 18 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Mahanavami The worship of weapons and tools on Mahanavami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 19 Oct | Fri |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2018 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Nov | Tue |
Naraka Chaturdashi The abhyanjana snana marking the slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 8 Nov | Thu |
Balipadyami (Deepavali) The Bali Padyami and Lakshmi worship of Deepavali. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 19 Nov | Mon |
Utthana Ekadashi (Tulsi Vivah)
The awakening of Vishnu and the Tulsi marriage on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 23 Nov | Fri |
Kartika Purnima The Kartika full moon, lit with lamps. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 2018 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 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 |
| 13 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Dec | Thu |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 Dec | Sun |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Navami |
| 18 Dec | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 22 Dec | Sat |
Dattatreya Jayanti The advent of Lord Dattatreya on Margashirsha Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Kannada Calendar in 2018
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 2018, covering Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 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 2018 | 14 Jan 2018 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2018 | 12 Feb 2018 | 29 |
| Phalguna | 13 Feb 2018 | 14 Mar 2018 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2018 | 14 Apr 2018 | 31 |
| Vaishakha | 15 Apr 2018 | 14 May 2018 | 30 |
| Jyeshtha | 15 May 2018 | 15 May 2018 | 1 |
| Jyeshtha (Adhik) | 16 May 2018 | 13 Jun 2018 | 29 |
| Jyeshtha | 14 Jun 2018 | 15 Jun 2018 | 2 |
| Ashadha | 16 Jun 2018 | 16 Jul 2018 | 31 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2018 | 17 Aug 2018 | 32 |
| Bhadrapada | 18 Aug 2018 | 17 Sep 2018 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 18 Sep 2018 | 17 Oct 2018 | 30 |
| Kartika | 18 Oct 2018 | 16 Nov 2018 | 30 |
| Margashirsha | 17 Nov 2018 | 16 Dec 2018 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 17 Dec 2018 | 31 Dec 2018 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2018
Beyond the dates the Kannada Calendar lists, 2018 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 2018 to 13 June 2018. Yugadi (Kannada New Year) fell on 18 March, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2017 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2018
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Kannada date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 6:59 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Thaipusam | Magha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 16 Feb 2:21 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days after Maha Shivaratri | Phalguna Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 13 Jul 8:31 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashadha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Jul 1:51 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Guru Purnima | Shravana Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Aug 3:16 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2018
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 7:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Tula → Vrishchika |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Kannada Calendar 2018
How many festivals and vrats does the Kannada Calendar list in 2018?
The Kannada Calendar lists 43 dates in 2018, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Makara Sankranti (Suggi) on Sunday, 14 January 2018, and the last is Dattatreya Jayanti on Saturday, 22 December 2018.
What are the main festival dates in the Kannada Calendar for 2018?
The first major observances of 2018 are:
- Makara Sankranti (Suggi) - Sunday, 14 January 2018
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 24 January 2018
- Thaipusam - Wednesday, 31 January 2018
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
- Kamana Habba (Holi) - Thursday, 1 March 2018
- Yugadi (Kannada New Year) - Sunday, 18 March 2018
Which month of 2018 has the most observances in the Kannada Calendar?
December 2018 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Champa Shashti, Skanda Shashthi, Subramanya Shashti, Dhanurmasam Begins, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Dattatreya Jayanti.
Which traditional year does 2018 correspond to in the Kannada Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2018 spans Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 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 2018 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2018 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 2018 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2018?
2018 had 5 eclipses:
- 31 January 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 16 February 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 July 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 July 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 August 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2018?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2018:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 11 October 2018
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 2018?
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.
