Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1978
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
June 1978
Kollam Era 1153
Edavam – Mithunam
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 1978 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 29 dates in 1978, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 14 January and closing with Dhanurmasam Begins on 16 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1153 – 1154.
January 1978 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 24 Jan | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1978 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 24 Feb | Fri |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Pratipada |
March 1978 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 14 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1978 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Apr | Fri |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 19 Apr | Wed |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
May 1978 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 1978 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jun | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 1978 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
August 1978 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Thu | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 Aug | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Aug | Thu |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 18 Aug | Fri |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 18 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Purnima |
| 25 Aug | Fri |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1978 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1978 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct | Tue |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 11 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 31 Oct | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 1978 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Nov | Thu |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
December 1978 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 5 Dec | Tue |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 10 Dec | Sun | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 16 Dec | Sat |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1978
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 1978, covering Kollam Era 1153 – 1154. 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 1978 | 14 Jan 1978 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1978 | 12 Feb 1978 | 29 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1978 | 14 Mar 1978 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1978 | 13 Apr 1978 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1978 | 14 May 1978 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1978 | 15 Jun 1978 | 32 |
| Mithunam | 16 Jun 1978 | 16 Jul 1978 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1978 | 16 Aug 1978 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1978 | 16 Sep 1978 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1978 | 17 Oct 1978 | 31 |
| Thulam | 18 Oct 1978 | 16 Nov 1978 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 17 Nov 1978 | 15 Dec 1978 | 29 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1978 | 31 Dec 1978 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1978
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1978 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Thaipusam fell on 24 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1977 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1978
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Mar 9:52 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Meenam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 7 Apr 8:33 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Meenam Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Sep 12:34 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kanni Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 2 Oct 11:57 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day before Navratri (Saraswathi Puja) | Kanni Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1978
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 10:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Karka |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Simha on 18 November 1978, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1978
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1978?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 29 dates in 1978, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Saturday, 14 January 1978, and the last is Dhanurmasam Begins on Saturday, 16 December 1978.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1978?
The first major observances of 1978 are:
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 24 January 1978
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 14 February 1978
- Attukal Pongala - Friday, 24 February 1978
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 7 March 1978
- Vishu - Friday, 14 April 1978
- Thrissur Pooram - Wednesday, 19 April 1978
Which month of 1978 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1978 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Onam (Thiruvonam), Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Varalakshmi Vratham, Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini).
Which traditional year does 1978 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1978 spans Kollam Era 1153 – 1154. 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 1978 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1978 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 1978?
1978 had 4 eclipses:
- 24 March 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 7 April 1978 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 September 1978 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 2 October 1978 - 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 1978?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1978:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Karka on 5 August 1978
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 1978?
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.
