Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1948
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
October 1948
Kollam Era 1124
Kanni – Thulam
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.
Malayalam Calendar 1948 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1948, opening with Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) on 14 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 17 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1123 – 1124.
January 1948 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 17 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Jan | Mon |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1948 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 17 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 25 Feb | Wed |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Pratipada |
March 1948 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 16 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1948 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Tue |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 20 Apr | Tue |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
May 1948 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 1948 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 1948 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1948 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug | Thu | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 13 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 18 Aug | Wed |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 19 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Aug | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1948 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1948 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct | Sun |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 7 Oct | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Oct | Tue |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 31 Oct | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 1948 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Nov | Tue |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 1948 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 6 Dec | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Dec | Sun | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Dec | Fri |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Krishna Pratipada |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1948
The Malayalam 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 1948, covering Kollam Era 1123 – 1124. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhanu part | 1 Jan 1948 | 14 Jan 1948 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1948 | 12 Feb 1948 | 29 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1948 | 13 Mar 1948 | 30 |
| Meenam | 14 Mar 1948 | 13 Apr 1948 | 31 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1948 | 14 May 1948 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1948 | 14 Jun 1948 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 1948 | 15 Jul 1948 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 16 Jul 1948 | 16 Aug 1948 | 32 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1948 | 16 Sep 1948 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1948 | 16 Oct 1948 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 1948 | 15 Nov 1948 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 1948 | 15 Dec 1948 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1948 | 31 Dec 1948 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1948
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1948 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Thaipusam fell on 26 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1947 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1948
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 7:08 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 3 days after Thrissur Pooram | Medam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 May 7:55 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Medam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 18 Oct 8:05 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Thulam Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Nov 11:28 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Thulam 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 1948
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 11:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
| 22 Jun 8:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Vrishchika re-entry while retrograde |
| 26 Jul 1:40 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Karka → Simha |
| 8 Oct 1:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1948
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1948?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1948, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) on Wednesday, 14 January 1948, and the last is Thiruvathira on Friday, 17 December 1948.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1948?
The first major observances of 1948 are:
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Wednesday, 14 January 1948
- Thaipusam - Monday, 26 January 1948
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 17 February 1948
- Attukal Pongala - Wednesday, 25 February 1948
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 8 March 1948
- Vishu - Tuesday, 13 April 1948
Which month of 1948 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1948 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Onam (Thiruvonam), Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini).
Which traditional year does 1948 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1948 spans Kollam Era 1123 – 1124. 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 1948 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1948 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 1948?
1948 had 4 eclipses:
- 23 April 1948 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 May 1948 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 18 October 1948 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 1 November 1948 - Total 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 1948?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1948:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 11 February 1948
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 22 June 1948, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Simha on 26 July 1948
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 8 October 1948
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 1948?
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 Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era opens on the current month.
About the Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala 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.
