Malayalam Calendar

Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 2015

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

January 2015

Kollam Era 1190

Dhanu – Makaram

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 2015 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Malayalam Calendar lists 32 dates in 2015, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 1 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 26 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1190 – 1191. 2015 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashadha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 2015 Dhanu – Makaram

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
1 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 Thu Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti)

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

Krishna Dashami
25 Jan Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi
26 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 2015 Makaram – Kumbham

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Feb Tue Thaipusam

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

Shukla Purnima
17 Feb Tue Maha Shivaratri

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

Krishna Trayodashi
23 Feb Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

March 2015 Kumbham – Meenam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
6 Mar Fri Attukal Pongala

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

Krishna Pratipada
25 Mar Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

April 2015 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 Dashami
23 Apr Thu Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
29 Apr Wed Thrissur Pooram

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

Shukla Ekadashi

May 2015 Medam – Edavam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
23 May Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

June 2015 Edavam – Mithunam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
22 Jun Mon Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

July 2015 Mithunam – Karkidakam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
21 Jul Tue Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami

August 2015 Karkidakam – Chingam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Aug Fri Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat Krishna Amavasya
20 Aug Thu Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
28 Aug Fri Onam (Thiruvonam)

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

Shukla Trayodashi
28 Aug Fri Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat Shukla Trayodashi
29 Aug Sat Avani Avittam (Upakarma)

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

Shukla Purnima

September 2015 Chingam – Kanni

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Sep Sat Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini)

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

Krishna Ashtami
19 Sep Sat Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Shashthi

October 2015 Kanni – Thulam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
13 Oct Tue Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)

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

Shukla Pratipada
18 Oct Sun Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
22 Oct Thu Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja

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

Shukla Navami

November 2015 Thulam – Vrischikam

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
11 Nov Wed Deepavali

The festival of lights.

Krishna Amavasya
17 Nov Tue Mandala Pooja Begins

The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika.

Shukla Shashthi

December 2015 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.

Shukla Panchami
16 Dec Wed Skanda Shashthi Vrat Shukla Panchami
17 Dec Thu Subramanya Shashti

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

Shukla Shashthi
21 Dec Mon Vaikunta Ekadashi

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

Shukla Ekadashi
26 Dec Sat Thiruvathira

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

Krishna Pratipada

Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 2015

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 2015, covering Kollam Era 1190 – 1191. 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 2015 14 Jan 2015 14
Makaram 15 Jan 2015 13 Feb 2015 30
Kumbham 14 Feb 2015 14 Mar 2015 29
Meenam 15 Mar 2015 14 Apr 2015 31
Medam 15 Apr 2015 15 May 2015 31
Edavam 16 May 2015 15 Jun 2015 31
Mithunam 16 Jun 2015 16 Jul 2015 31
Karkidakam 17 Jul 2015 17 Aug 2015 32
Chingam 18 Aug 2015 17 Sep 2015 31
Kanni 18 Sep 2015 17 Oct 2015 30
Thulam 18 Oct 2015 16 Nov 2015 30
Vrischikam 17 Nov 2015 16 Dec 2015 30
Dhanu part 17 Dec 2015 31 Dec 2015 15

What happened in the sky in 2015

Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 2015 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 2015 to 16 July 2015. Vaikunta Ekadashi fell on 1 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2014 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 2015

Date (IST) Eclipse Malayalam date Seen from India
20 Mar 3:15 PM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Meenam Amavasya Not visible
4 Apr 5:30 PM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Meenam Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
13 Sep 12:24 PM Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Chingam Amavasya Not visible
28 Sep 8:17 AM Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Kanni Purnima Yes - Sutak observed

Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.

Guru and Shani in 2015

Date Graha Sign change
14 Jul 6:30 AM Guru (Jupiter) Karka → Simha

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.

Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 2015

How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 2015?

The Malayalam Calendar lists 32 dates in 2015, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Thursday, 1 January 2015, and the last is Thiruvathira on Saturday, 26 December 2015.

What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 2015?

The first major observances of 2015 are:

  • Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 1 January 2015
  • Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Thursday, 15 January 2015
  • Ratha Saptami - Monday, 26 January 2015
  • Thaipusam - Tuesday, 3 February 2015
  • Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 17 February 2015
  • Attukal Pongala - Friday, 6 March 2015
Which month of 2015 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?

August 2015 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Karkidaka Vavu Bali, Skanda Shashthi, Onam (Thiruvonam), Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma).

Which traditional year does 2015 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?

The Gregorian year 2015 spans Kollam Era 1190 – 1191. 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 2015 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 2015 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 2015 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 2015?

2015 had 4 eclipses:

  • 20 March 2015 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 4 April 2015 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 13 September 2015 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 28 September 2015 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal 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 2015?

Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2015:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 14 July 2015

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 2015?

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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