Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 1998
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
August 1998
Kollam Era 1173 · Kollam Era 1174
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 1998 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 33 dates in 1998, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 3 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 29 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). February is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1173 – 1174.
January 1998 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Jan | Thu |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Jan | Mon |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
February 1998 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 3 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 10 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 13 Feb | Fri |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
| 25 Feb | Wed |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 1998 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 1998 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
May 1998 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 6 May | Wed |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 30 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1998 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 1998 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul | Thu | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 29 Jul | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
August 1998 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 8 Aug | Sat |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Aug | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 27 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 1998 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Fri |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 21 Sep | Mon |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1998 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 19 Oct | Mon |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 1998 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Nov | Mon |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 25 Nov | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Nov | Wed |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 30 Nov | Mon | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
December 1998 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 24 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Dec | Tue |
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 1998
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 1998, covering Kollam Era 1173 – 1174. 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 1998 | 14 Jan 1998 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 1998 | 12 Feb 1998 | 29 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 1998 | 14 Mar 1998 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 1998 | 13 Apr 1998 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 1998 | 14 May 1998 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 1998 | 15 Jun 1998 | 32 |
| Mithunam | 16 Jun 1998 | 16 Jul 1998 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 1998 | 16 Aug 1998 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 1998 | 16 Sep 1998 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 1998 | 17 Oct 1998 | 31 |
| Thulam | 18 Oct 1998 | 16 Nov 1998 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 17 Nov 1998 | 15 Dec 1998 | 29 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 1998 | 31 Dec 1998 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1998
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 1998 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ratha Saptami fell on 3 February, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1997 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1998
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 10:58 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Maha Shivaratri | Kumbham Amavasya | Not visible |
| 13 Mar 9:50 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kumbham Purnima | Not visible |
| 8 Aug 7:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Karkidakam Purnima | Not visible |
| 22 Aug 7:36 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chingam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 6 Sep 4:40 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 2 days after Onam (Thiruvonam) | Chingam Purnima | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 1998
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 4:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 17 Apr 1:10 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Meena → Mesha |
| 26 May 4:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kumbha → Meena |
| 10 Sep 11:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Kumbha re-entry while retrograde |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 1998
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 1998?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 33 dates in 1998, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Saturday, 3 January 1998, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Tuesday, 29 December 1998.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 1998?
The first major observances of 1998 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 8 January 1998
- Thiruvathira - Monday, 12 January 1998
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Wednesday, 14 January 1998
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 3 February 1998
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 10 February 1998
- Attukal Pongala - Friday, 13 February 1998
Which month of 1998 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
February 1998 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Skanda Shashthi, Ratha Saptami, Thaipusam, Attukal Pongala, Maha Shivaratri.
Which traditional year does 1998 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1998 spans Kollam Era 1173 – 1174. 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 1998 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1998 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 1998?
1998 had 5 eclipses:
- 26 February 1998 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 March 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 8 August 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 22 August 1998 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 6 September 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 1 of these was kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1998?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1998:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 8 January 1998
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mesha on 17 April 1998
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Meena on 26 May 1998
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 10 September 1998, moving retrograde
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 1998?
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.
