Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1996
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
March 1996
Kollam Era 1171
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 1996 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1996, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 1 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 25 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1171 – 1172. 1996 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1996 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Mon |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Navami |
| 25 Jan | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Jan | Fri |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 1996 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Feb | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 17 Feb | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 24 Feb | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
March 1996 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar | Tue |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 1996 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Sat |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Krishna Dashami |
| 23 Apr | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Apr | Mon |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
May 1996 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 May | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 1996 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 1996 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1996 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Aug | Wed | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 20 Aug | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 23 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 27 Aug | Tue |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 28 Aug | Wed |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 1996 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep | Thu |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 18 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 1996 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct | Sun |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 17 Oct | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 21 Oct | Mon |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
November 1996 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 16 Nov | Sat |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 1996 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Dec | Mon |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 20 Dec | Fri |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 25 Dec | Wed |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Krishna Pratipada |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 1996
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 1996, covering Kollam Era 1171 – 1172. 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 1996 | 14 Jan 1996 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1996 | 13 Feb 1996 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 14 Feb 1996 | 14 Mar 1996 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1996 | 13 Apr 1996 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1996 | 14 May 1996 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1996 | 14 Jun 1996 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 1996 | 16 Jul 1996 | 32 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1996 | 16 Aug 1996 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1996 | 16 Sep 1996 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1996 | 16 Oct 1996 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 1996 | 15 Nov 1996 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 1996 | 15 Dec 1996 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1996 | 31 Dec 1996 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1996
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1996 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 Ashadha, running from 17 June 1996 to 15 July 1996. Vaikunta Ekadashi fell on 1 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1995 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1996
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 5:39 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Meenam Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 18 Apr 4:07 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Medam Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 27 Sep 8:24 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kanni Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 12 Oct 7:31 PM | 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 1996
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 6:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Kumbha → Meena |
| 26 Dec 8:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1996
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1996?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 1996, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Monday, 1 January 1996, and the last is Thiruvathira on Wednesday, 25 December 1996.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1996?
The first major observances of 1996 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Monday, 1 January 1996
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Monday, 15 January 1996
- Ratha Saptami - Friday, 26 January 1996
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 4 February 1996
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 17 February 1996
- Attukal Pongala - Tuesday, 5 March 1996
Which month of 1996 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
August 1996 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Onam (Thiruvonam), Avani Avittam (Upakarma).
Which traditional year does 1996 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1996 spans Kollam Era 1171 – 1172. 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 1996 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1996 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (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 1996 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1996?
1996 had 4 eclipses:
- 4 April 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 18 April 1996 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 27 September 1996 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 12 October 1996 - 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 1996?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1996:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Meena on 16 February 1996
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 26 December 1996
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 1996?
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.
