Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1976
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
October 1976
Kollam Era 1152
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 1976 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1976, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 7 January and closing with Skanda Shashthi on 26 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1151 – 1152.
January 1976 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Jan | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 18 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 1976 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 7 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 17 Feb | Tue |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
| 28 Feb | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 1976 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1976 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 13 Apr | Tue |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
May 1976 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 9 May | Sun |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dashami |
June 1976 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 1976 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Jul | Tue | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
August 1976 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 6 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 9 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 18 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 30 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
September 1976 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep | Mon |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 24 Sep | Fri |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1976 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Sat |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 22 Oct | Fri |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 1976 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. |
Krishna Navami |
| 26 Nov | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Nov | Fri |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 1976 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec | Thu | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Navami |
| 26 Dec | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1976
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 1976, covering Kollam Era 1151 – 1152. 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 1976 | 14 Jan 1976 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1976 | 13 Feb 1976 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 14 Feb 1976 | 13 Mar 1976 | 29 |
| Meenam | 14 Mar 1976 | 13 Apr 1976 | 31 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1976 | 14 May 1976 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1976 | 14 Jun 1976 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 1976 | 15 Jul 1976 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 16 Jul 1976 | 16 Aug 1976 | 32 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1976 | 16 Sep 1976 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1976 | 16 Oct 1976 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 1976 | 15 Nov 1976 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 1976 | 15 Dec 1976 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1976 | 31 Dec 1976 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1976
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1976 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) fell on 15 January, 1 day later in the year than in 1975 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1976
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Apr 3:53 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Medam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 May 1:24 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Medam Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 23 Oct 10:42 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Thulam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 7 Nov 4:31 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Thulam Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 1976
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 6:10 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Mesha |
| 8 Jul 6:10 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 8 Dec 2:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mesha re-entry while retrograde |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1976
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1976?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1976, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Wednesday, 7 January 1976, and the last is Skanda Shashthi on Sunday, 26 December 1976.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1976?
The first major observances of 1976 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Tuesday, 13 January 1976
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Thursday, 15 January 1976
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 18 January 1976
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 7 February 1976
- Attukal Pongala - Tuesday, 17 February 1976
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 28 February 1976
Which month of 1976 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1976 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini).
Which traditional year does 1976 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1976 spans Kollam Era 1151 – 1152. 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 1976 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1976 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 1976?
1976 had 4 eclipses:
- 29 April 1976 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 May 1976 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 23 October 1976 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 7 November 1976 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak 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 1976?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1976:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 25 February 1976
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 8 July 1976
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 8 December 1976, 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 1976?
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.


