Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1953
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
October 1953
Kollam Era 1129
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 1953 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1953, opening with Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) on 14 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 21 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1128 – 1129. 1953 carries an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1953 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. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 20 Jan | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 21 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 29 Jan | Thu |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1953 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 18 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 1953 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Sun |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 20 Mar | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 1953 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Mon |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 18 Apr | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Apr | Sat |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
May 1953 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1953 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 1953 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1953 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug | Sun | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 15 Aug | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 21 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 23 Aug | Sun |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 24 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 31 Aug | Mon |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1953 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1953 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | Thu |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 13 Oct | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Oct | Sun |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1953 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Nov | Fri |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 16 Nov | Mon |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Shukla Dashami |
December 1953 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Dec | Sat |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Dec | Tue |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 16 Dec | Wed |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 21 Dec | Mon |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Krishna Pratipada |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1953
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 1953, covering Kollam Era 1128 – 1129. 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 1953 | 13 Jan 1953 | 13 |
| Makaram | 14 Jan 1953 | 12 Feb 1953 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1953 | 14 Mar 1953 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1953 | 13 Apr 1953 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1953 | 14 May 1953 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1953 | 14 Jun 1953 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 1953 | 16 Jul 1953 | 32 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1953 | 16 Aug 1953 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1953 | 16 Sep 1953 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1953 | 16 Oct 1953 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 1953 | 15 Nov 1953 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 1953 | 15 Dec 1953 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1953 | 31 Dec 1953 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1953
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1953 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Vaishakha, running from 14 April 1953 to 13 May 1953. Ratha Saptami fell on 21 January, 12 days earlier in the year than in 1952 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1953
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jan 5:17 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Thaipusam | Makaram Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Feb 6:28 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Kumbham Shukla Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Jul 8:13 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Mithunam Amavasya | Not visible |
| 26 Jul 5:50 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Karkidakam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Aug 9:24 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Karkidakam Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1953
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 7:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 24 Apr 10:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde |
| 21 Aug 12:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Kanya → Tula |
| 30 Aug 9:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Nov 6:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1953
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1953?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1953, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) on Wednesday, 14 January 1953, and the last is Thiruvathira on Monday, 21 December 1953.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1953?
The first major observances of 1953 are:
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Wednesday, 14 January 1953
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 21 January 1953
- Thaipusam - Thursday, 29 January 1953
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 12 February 1953
- Attukal Pongala - Sunday, 1 March 1953
- Vishu - Monday, 13 April 1953
Which month of 1953 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1953 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 1953 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1953 spans Kollam Era 1128 – 1129. 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 1953 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1953 carried an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (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 1953 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1953?
1953 had 5 eclipses:
- 30 January 1953 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 February 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 July 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 July 1953 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 August 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 1953?
Yes - 5 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1953:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 9 April 1953
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 24 April 1953, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 21 August 1953
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 30 August 1953
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 30 November 1953, moving retrograde
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 1953?
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.
