Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 2012
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
March 2012
Kollam Era 1187
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 2012 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2012, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 5 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 28 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). December is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1187 – 1188. 2012 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2012 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan | Thu |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Sun |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 28 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Jan | Mon |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 2012 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 20 Feb | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 27 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 2012 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar | Thu |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Mar | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 2012 Meenam – Medam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr | Sat |
Vishu The Malayalam astronomical new year; the auspicious Vishukkani is viewed at dawn for a prosperous year. |
Krishna Navami |
| 27 Apr | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
May 2012 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May | Wed |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 26 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 2012 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 2012 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Thu | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 24 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
August 2012 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 10 Aug | Fri |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 22 Aug | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 2012 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 2012 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Oct | Tue |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 24 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2012 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 16 Nov | Fri |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 18 Nov | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
December 2012 Vrischikam – Dhanu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Sun |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 18 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 Dec | Tue |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 23 Dec | Sun |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 28 Dec | Fri |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 2012
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 2012, covering Kollam Era 1187 – 1188. 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 2012 | 14 Jan 2012 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 2012 | 13 Feb 2012 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 14 Feb 2012 | 14 Mar 2012 | 30 |
| Meenam | 15 Mar 2012 | 13 Apr 2012 | 30 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 2012 | 14 May 2012 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 2012 | 14 Jun 2012 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 2012 | 16 Jul 2012 | 32 |
| Karkidakam | 17 Jul 2012 | 16 Aug 2012 | 31 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 2012 | 16 Sep 2012 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 2012 | 16 Oct 2012 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 2012 | 15 Nov 2012 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 2012 | 31 Dec 2012 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2012
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 2012 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 2012 to 16 September 2012. Ratha Saptami fell on 30 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2011 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2012
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 5:22 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Edavam Shukla Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Jun 4:33 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Edavam Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Nov 3:41 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Thulam Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 28 Nov 8:03 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vrischikam 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 2012
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 May 6:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde |
| 17 May 9:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 4 Aug 8:50 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Tula on 23 December 2012, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 2012
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 2012?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2012, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Thursday, 5 January 2012, and the last is Thiruvathira on Friday, 28 December 2012.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 2012?
The first major observances of 2012 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 5 January 2012
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Sunday, 15 January 2012
- Ratha Saptami - Monday, 30 January 2012
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 7 February 2012
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 20 February 2012
- Attukal Pongala - Thursday, 8 March 2012
Which month of 2012 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
December 2012 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Dhanurmasam Begins, Skanda Shashthi, Subramanya Shashti, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Thiruvathira.
Which traditional year does 2012 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2012 spans Kollam Era 1187 – 1188. 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 2012 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2012 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 2012 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2012?
2012 had 4 eclipses:
- 21 May 2012 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 June 2012 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 November 2012 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 November 2012 - 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 2012?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2012:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 16 May 2012, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 17 May 2012
- Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 4 August 2012
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 2012?
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.
