Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 2003
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
April 2003
Kollam Era 1178
Meenam – Medam
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 2003 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2003, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 8 January and closing with Skanda Shashthi on 28 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Kollam Era 1178 – 1179.
January 2003 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Jan | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 19 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 2003 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 18 Feb | Tue |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
March 2003 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 9 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 2003 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 Apr | Mon |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
May 2003 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 May | Sun |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dashami |
June 2003 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 2003 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Jul | Tue | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
August 2003 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Aug | Tue |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 20 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2003 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Sep | Mon |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 26 Sep | Fri |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 30 Sep | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 2003 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct | Sat |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 25 Oct | Sat |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Amavasya |
November 2003 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov | Mon |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 28 Nov | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Nov | Sat |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 2003 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Thu | Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 16 Dec | Tue |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 28 Dec | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 2003
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 2003, covering Kollam Era 1178 – 1179. 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 2003 | 14 Jan 2003 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 2003 | 12 Feb 2003 | 29 |
| Kumbham | 13 Feb 2003 | 14 Mar 2003 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 2003 | 14 Apr 2003 | 31 |
| Medam | 15 Apr 2003 | 15 May 2003 | 31 |
| Edavam | 16 May 2003 | 15 Jun 2003 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 16 Jun 2003 | 16 Jul 2003 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 2003 | 17 Aug 2003 | 32 |
| Chingam | 18 Aug 2003 | 17 Sep 2003 | 31 |
| Kanni | 18 Sep 2003 | 17 Oct 2003 | 30 |
| Thulam | 18 Oct 2003 | 16 Nov 2003 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 17 Nov 2003 | 16 Dec 2003 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 17 Dec 2003 | 31 Dec 2003 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2003
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 2003 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ratha Saptami fell on 8 February, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2002 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2003
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 9:10 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Edavam Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 May 9:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Edavam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Nov 6:48 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Thulam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Nov 4:19 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Vrischikam Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2003
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 2:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
| 7 Apr 8:20 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Jul 12:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mesha on 6 September 2003, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 2003
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 2003?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2003, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Wednesday, 8 January 2003, and the last is Skanda Shashthi on Sunday, 28 December 2003.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 2003?
The first major observances of 2003 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Tuesday, 14 January 2003
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 19 January 2003
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 8 February 2003
- Attukal Pongala - Tuesday, 18 February 2003
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 1 March 2003
- Vishu - Monday, 14 April 2003
Which traditional year does 2003 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2003 spans Kollam Era 1178 – 1179. 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 2003 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2003 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 2003?
2003 had 4 eclipses:
- 16 May 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 May 2003 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 November 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 November 2003 - 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 2003?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2003:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 8 January 2003, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mithuna on 7 April 2003
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 30 July 2003
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 2003?
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.
