Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1979
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
March 1979
Kollam Era 1154
Kumbham – Meenam
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 1979 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 34 dates in 1979, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 3 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 29 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). February is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1154 – 1155.
January 1979 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Jan | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Jan | Fri |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Jan | Sun |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 1979 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 3 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 10 Feb | Sat |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Feb | Wed |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
| 25 Feb | Sun |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 1979 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1979 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Apr | Sat |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
May 1979 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 7 May | Mon |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 31 May | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1979 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 1979 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul | Mon | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 30 Jul | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
August 1979 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
| 8 Aug | Wed |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 28 Aug | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 1979 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Tue |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 22 Sep | Sat |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1979 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Mon |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 20 Oct | Sat |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 26 Oct | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
November 1979 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov | Sat |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 25 Nov | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Nov | Sun |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 30 Nov | Fri | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 1979 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Sun |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 24 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Dec | Sat |
Vaikunta Ekadashi The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1979
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 1979, covering Kollam Era 1154 – 1155. 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 1979 | 14 Jan 1979 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1979 | 12 Feb 1979 | 29 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1979 | 14 Mar 1979 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1979 | 14 Apr 1979 | 31 |
| Medam | 15 Apr 1979 | 14 May 1979 | 30 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1979 | 15 Jun 1979 | 32 |
| Mithunam | 16 Jun 1979 | 16 Jul 1979 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1979 | 17 Aug 1979 | 32 |
| Chingam | 18 Aug 1979 | 17 Sep 1979 | 31 |
| Kanni | 18 Sep 1979 | 17 Oct 1979 | 30 |
| Thulam | 18 Oct 1979 | 16 Nov 1979 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 17 Nov 1979 | 16 Dec 1979 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 17 Dec 1979 | 31 Dec 1979 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 1979
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1979 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ratha Saptami fell on 3 February, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1978 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1979
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 10:24 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Maha Shivaratri | Kumbham Amavasya | Not visible |
| 14 Mar 2:38 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kumbham Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Aug 10:51 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chingam Amavasya | Not visible |
| 6 Sep 4:24 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 2 days after Onam (Thiruvonam) | Chingam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1979
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 7:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
| 4 Nov 1:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1979
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1979?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 34 dates in 1979, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Wednesday, 3 January 1979, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Saturday, 29 December 1979.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1979?
The first major observances of 1979 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Monday, 8 January 1979
- Thiruvathira - Friday, 12 January 1979
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Sunday, 14 January 1979
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 3 February 1979
- Thaipusam - Saturday, 10 February 1979
- Attukal Pongala - Wednesday, 14 February 1979
Which month of 1979 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
February 1979 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Skanda Shashthi, Ratha Saptami, Thaipusam, Attukal Pongala, Maha Shivaratri.
Which traditional year does 1979 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1979 spans Kollam Era 1154 – 1155. 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 1979 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1979 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 1979?
1979 had 4 eclipses:
- 26 February 1979 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 14 March 1979 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 22 August 1979 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 6 September 1979 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
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 1979?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1979:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 29 August 1979
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 4 November 1979
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 1979?
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.
