Malayalam Calendar

Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 2009

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

June 2009

Kollam Era 1184

Edavam – Mithunam

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 2009 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Malayalam Calendar lists 34 dates in 2009, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 2 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 28 December. Of these, 15 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Kollam Era 1184 – 1185.

January 2009 Dhanu – Makaram

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Jan Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
7 Jan Wed Vaikunta Ekadashi

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

Shukla Ekadashi
10 Jan Sat Thiruvathira

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

Shukla Chaturdashi
14 Jan Wed Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti)

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

Krishna Chaturthi

February 2009 Makaram – Kumbham

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 Feb Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
2 Feb Mon Ratha Saptami

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

Shukla Saptami
8 Feb Sun Thaipusam

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

Shukla Chaturdashi
23 Feb Mon Maha Shivaratri

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

Krishna Chaturdashi

March 2009 Kumbham – Meenam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Mar Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
11 Mar Wed Attukal Pongala

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

Shukla Purnima
31 Mar Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

April 2009 Meenam – Medam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Apr Tue Vishu

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

Krishna Panchami
30 Apr Thu Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

May 2009 Medam – Edavam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
4 May Mon Thrissur Pooram

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

Shukla Dashami
29 May Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

June 2009 Edavam – Mithunam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
27 Jun Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

July 2009 Mithunam – Karkidakam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
22 Jul Wed Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat Krishna Amavasya
26 Jul Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
31 Jul Fri Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat Shukla Dashami

August 2009 Karkidakam – Chingam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Aug Wed Avani Avittam (Upakarma)

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

Shukla Purnima
14 Aug Fri Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini)

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

Krishna Ashtami
25 Aug Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

September 2009 Chingam – Kanni

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Sep Wed Onam (Thiruvonam)

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

Shukla Trayodashi
19 Sep Sat Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)

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

Shukla Pratipada
28 Sep Mon Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja

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

Shukla Dashami

October 2009 Kanni – Thulam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
17 Oct Sat Deepavali

The festival of lights.

Krishna Chaturdashi
23 Oct Fri Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

November 2009 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 Amavasya
22 Nov Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
23 Nov Mon Subramanya Shashti

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

Shukla Shashthi
28 Nov Sat Guruvayur Ekadashi Vrat Shukla Ekadashi

December 2009 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 Amavasya
22 Dec Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
28 Dec Mon 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 2009

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 2009, covering Kollam Era 1184 – 1185. 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 2009 13 Jan 2009 13
Makaram 14 Jan 2009 12 Feb 2009 30
Kumbham 13 Feb 2009 14 Mar 2009 30
Meenam 15 Mar 2009 13 Apr 2009 30
Medam 14 Apr 2009 14 May 2009 31
Edavam 15 May 2009 14 Jun 2009 31
Mithunam 15 Jun 2009 16 Jul 2009 32
Karkidakam 17 Jul 2009 16 Aug 2009 31
Chingam 17 Aug 2009 16 Sep 2009 31
Kanni 17 Sep 2009 17 Oct 2009 31
Thulam 18 Oct 2009 16 Nov 2009 30
Vrischikam 17 Nov 2009 15 Dec 2009 29
Dhanu part 16 Dec 2009 31 Dec 2009 16

What happened in the sky in 2009

Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 2009 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) fell on 14 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 2008 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2009

Date (IST) Eclipse Malayalam date Seen from India
26 Jan 1:28 PM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Makaram Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
9 Feb 8:08 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Thaipusam Makaram Purnima Penumbral only
7 Jul 3:08 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Mithunam Purnima Not visible
22 Jul 8:05 AM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Karkidakam Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
6 Aug 6:09 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Karkidakam Purnima Penumbral only

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 2009

Date Graha Sign change
1 May 6:40 PM Guru (Jupiter) Makara → Kumbha
30 Jul 7:50 PM Guru (Jupiter) Kumbha → Makara re-entry while retrograde
10 Sep 12:10 AM Shani (Saturn) Simha → Kanya
20 Dec 12:20 AM Guru (Jupiter) Makara → Kumbha

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Dhanu on 17 November 2009, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 2009

How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 2009?

The Malayalam Calendar lists 34 dates in 2009, of which 15 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Friday, 2 January 2009, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Monday, 28 December 2009.

What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 2009?

The first major observances of 2009 are:

  • Vaikunta Ekadashi - Wednesday, 7 January 2009
  • Thiruvathira - Saturday, 10 January 2009
  • Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Wednesday, 14 January 2009
  • Ratha Saptami - Monday, 2 February 2009
  • Thaipusam - Sunday, 8 February 2009
  • Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 23 February 2009
Which traditional year does 2009 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2009 spans Kollam Era 1184 – 1185. 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 2009 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 2009 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 2009?

2009 had 5 eclipses:

  • 26 January 2009 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 9 February 2009 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
  • 7 July 2009 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
  • 22 July 2009 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 6 August 2009 - 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 2 of these were kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2009?

Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2009:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 1 May 2009
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 July 2009, moving retrograde
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 10 September 2009
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 20 December 2009

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 2009?

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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