Malayalam Calendar

Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1985

The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

April 1985

Kollam Era 1160

Meenam – Medam

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

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 1985 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Malayalam Calendar lists 32 dates in 1985, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 3 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 27 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1160 – 1161. 1985 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 1985 Dhanu – Makaram

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Jan Thu Vaikunta Ekadashi

The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil.

Shukla Dwadashi
14 Jan Mon Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti)

The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara.

Krishna Ashtami
26 Jan Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
28 Jan Mon Ratha Saptami

Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami.

Shukla Saptami

February 1985 Makaram – Kumbham

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Feb Tue Thaipusam

Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai.

Shukla Purnima
17 Feb Sun Maha Shivaratri

The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands.

Krishna Trayodashi
25 Feb Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

March 1985 Kumbham – Meenam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Mar Thu Attukal Pongala

Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham.

Shukla Purnima
27 Mar Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

April 1985 Meenam – Medam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Apr Sun Vishu

The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year.

Krishna Dashami
26 Apr Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

May 1985 Medam – Edavam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 May Wed Thrissur Pooram

Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam.

Shukla Ekadashi
25 May Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

June 1985 Edavam – Mithunam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
23 Jun Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

July 1985 Mithunam – Karkidakam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
23 Jul Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

August 1985 Karkidakam – Chingam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
16 Aug Fri Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat Krishna Amavasya
21 Aug Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
28 Aug Wed Onam (Thiruvonam)

Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races.

Shukla Trayodashi
30 Aug Fri Avani Avittam (Upakarma)

Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima.

Shukla Purnima
30 Aug Fri Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat Shukla Purnima

September 1985 Chingam – Kanni

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
7 Sep Sat Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini)

The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam.

Krishna Ashtami
19 Sep Thu Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

October 1985 Kanni – Thulam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
15 Oct Tue Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)

The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham.

Shukla Pratipada
18 Oct Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
22 Oct Tue Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja

Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.

Shukla Navami

November 1985 Thulam – Vrischikam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
12 Nov Tue Deepavali

The festival of lights.

Krishna Amavasya
16 Nov Sat Mandala Pooja Begins

The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika.

Shukla Panchami

December 1985 Vrischikam – Dhanu

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
16 Dec Mon Dhanurmasam Begins

The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu.

Shukla Panchami
17 Dec Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
17 Dec Tue Subramanya Shashti

Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi.

Shukla Shashthi
22 Dec Sun Vaikunta Ekadashi

The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil.

Shukla Ekadashi
27 Dec Fri Thiruvathira

Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu.

Shukla Purnima

Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1985

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 1985, covering Kollam Era 1160 – 1161. 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 1985 13 Jan 1985 13
Makaram 14 Jan 1985 12 Feb 1985 30
Kumbham 13 Feb 1985 14 Mar 1985 30
Meenam 15 Mar 1985 13 Apr 1985 30
Medam 14 Apr 1985 14 May 1985 31
Edavam 15 May 1985 14 Jun 1985 31
Mithunam 15 Jun 1985 16 Jul 1985 32
Karkidakam 17 Jul 1985 16 Aug 1985 31
Chingam 17 Aug 1985 16 Sep 1985 31
Kanni 17 Sep 1985 17 Oct 1985 31
Thulam 18 Oct 1985 16 Nov 1985 30
Vrischikam 17 Nov 1985 15 Dec 1985 29
Dhanu part 16 Dec 1985 31 Dec 1985 16

What happened in the sky in 1985

Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1985 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Shravana, running from 18 July 1985 to 16 August 1985. Vaikunta Ekadashi fell on 3 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1984 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 1985

Date (IST) Eclipse Malayalam date Seen from India
5 May 1:26 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Medam Krishna Pratipada Yes - Sutak observed
20 May 2:58 AM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Edavam Shukla Pratipada Not visible
28 Oct 11:12 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Thulam Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
12 Nov 7:40 PM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Deepavali Thulam Amavasya Not visible

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.

Guru and Shani in 1985

Date Graha Sign change
10 Jan 2:40 PM Guru (Jupiter) Dhanu → Makara
1 Jun 2:40 AM Shani (Saturn) Vrishchika → Tula re-entry while retrograde
17 Sep 5:20 AM Shani (Saturn) Tula → Vrishchika

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mesha on 29 January 1985, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1985

How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1985?

The Malayalam Calendar lists 32 dates in 1985, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Thursday, 3 January 1985, and the last is Thiruvathira on Friday, 27 December 1985.

What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1985?

The first major observances of 1985 are:

  • Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 3 January 1985
  • Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Monday, 14 January 1985
  • Ratha Saptami - Monday, 28 January 1985
  • Thaipusam - Tuesday, 5 February 1985
  • Maha Shivaratri - Sunday, 17 February 1985
  • Attukal Pongala - Thursday, 7 March 1985
Which month of 1985 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?

August 1985 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Onam (Thiruvonam), Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Varalakshmi Vratham.

Which traditional year does 1985 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?

The Gregorian year 1985 spans Kollam Era 1160 – 1161. 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 1985 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 1985 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (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 1985 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 1985?

1985 had 4 eclipses:

  • 5 May 1985 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 20 May 1985 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 28 October 1985 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 12 November 1985 - Total 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 1985?

Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1985:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 10 January 1985
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 1 June 1985, moving retrograde
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishchika on 17 September 1985

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 1985?

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.

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