Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1989
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
August 1989
Kollam Era 1164 · Kollam Era 1165
Karkidakam – Chingam
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 1989 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1989, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 12 January and closing with Dhanurmasam Begins on 16 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1164 – 1165.
January 1989 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Jan | Sat |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 22 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 1989 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Feb | Sun |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 22 Feb | Wed |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
March 1989 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 12 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1989 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Apr | Fri |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Shukla Navami |
| 17 Apr | Mon |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
May 1989 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1989 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 1989 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1989 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Tue | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 7 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 17 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Aug | Thu |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1989 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Sep | Wed |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 30 Sep | Sat |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1989 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 10 Oct | Tue |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 29 Oct | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 1989 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Nov | Thu |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Krishna Chaturthi |
December 1989 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 4 Dec | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 9 Dec | Sat | 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 Chaturthi |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1989
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 1989, covering Kollam Era 1164 – 1165. 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 1989 | 13 Jan 1989 | 13 |
| Makaram | 14 Jan 1989 | 12 Feb 1989 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1989 | 14 Mar 1989 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1989 | 13 Apr 1989 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1989 | 14 May 1989 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1989 | 14 Jun 1989 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 1989 | 16 Jul 1989 | 32 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1989 | 16 Aug 1989 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1989 | 16 Sep 1989 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1989 | 17 Oct 1989 | 31 |
| Thulam | 18 Oct 1989 | 16 Nov 1989 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 17 Nov 1989 | 15 Dec 1989 | 29 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1989 | 31 Dec 1989 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1989
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1989 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) fell on 14 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1988 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1989
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Feb 9:05 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 2 days before Attukal Pongala | Kumbham Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 7 Mar 11:37 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Maha Shivaratri | Kumbham Amavasya | Not visible |
| 17 Aug 8:38 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Chingam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 31 Aug 11:00 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chingam Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1989
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul 5:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Makara on 23 September 1989, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1989
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1989?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1989, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Thursday, 12 January 1989, and the last is Dhanurmasam Begins on Saturday, 16 December 1989.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1989?
The first major observances of 1989 are:
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Saturday, 14 January 1989
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 22 January 1989
- Ratha Saptami - Sunday, 12 February 1989
- Attukal Pongala - Wednesday, 22 February 1989
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 6 March 1989
- Vishu - Friday, 14 April 1989
Which month of 1989 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1989 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini).
Which traditional year does 1989 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1989 spans Kollam Era 1164 – 1165. 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 1989 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1989 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 1989?
1989 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 February 1989 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 7 March 1989 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 August 1989 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 31 August 1989 - 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 1989?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1989:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 2 July 1989
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 1989?
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.


