Malayalam Calendar - Kollam Era 2020
The Malayalam festival calendar (Kollam Era). Kerala festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2020
Kollam Era 1195
Medam – Edavam
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 2020 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2020, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 6 January and closing with Thiruvathira on 30 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). December is the fullest month with 5 dates. The year runs through Kollam Era 1195 – 1196. 2020 carries an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2020 Dhanu – Makaram
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Wed |
Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) The Makara Jyothi and Makaravilakku at Sabarimala on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 30 Jan | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
February 2020 Makaram – Kumbham
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 21 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva, with the Aluva Sivarathri on the Periyar sands. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 29 Feb | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 2020 Kumbham – Meenam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar | Mon |
Attukal Pongala Lakhs of women cook pongala for the Attukal Bhagavathy on the Pooram star of the month of Kumbham. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 30 Mar | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 2020 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 Saptami |
| 28 Apr | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
May 2020 Medam – Edavam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May | Sun |
Thrissur Pooram Kerala's grandest temple festival of caparisoned elephants and percussion, on the Pooram star of Medam. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 28 May | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 2020 Edavam – Mithunam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 2020 Mithunam – Karkidakam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul | Mon | Karkidaka Vavu Bali Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 25 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 31 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dwadashi |
August 2020 Karkidakam – Chingam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Ashtami Rohini) The birth of Lord Krishna on the Rohini star of Chingam. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 23 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 31 Aug | Mon |
Onam (Thiruvonam) Kerala's harvest festival welcoming King Mahabali, with Pookalam, Onasadya and boat races. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
September 2020 Chingam – Kanni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 2020 Kanni – Thulam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct | Sat |
Navratri (Saraswathi Puja)
The autumn nine nights, culminating in Saraswathi Puja and Vidyarambham. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 25 Oct | Sun |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2020 Thulam – Vrischikam
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Nov | Sat |
Deepavali The festival of lights. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 16 Nov | Mon |
Mandala Pooja Begins The 41-day Sabarimala Ayyappa season begins as the Sun enters Vrischika. |
Shukla Pratipada |
December 2020 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 Dwitiya |
| 19 Dec | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 20 Dec | Sun |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Dec | Fri |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 30 Dec | Wed |
Thiruvathira Women keep the Thiruvathira vrat for marital bliss on the Ardra star of Dhanu. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Malayalam Calendar in 2020
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 2020, covering Kollam Era 1195 – 1196. 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 2020 | 14 Jan 2020 | 14 |
| Makaram | 15 Jan 2020 | 13 Feb 2020 | 30 |
| Kumbham | 14 Feb 2020 | 13 Mar 2020 | 29 |
| Meenam | 14 Mar 2020 | 13 Apr 2020 | 31 |
| Medam | 14 Apr 2020 | 14 May 2020 | 31 |
| Edavam | 15 May 2020 | 14 Jun 2020 | 31 |
| Mithunam | 15 Jun 2020 | 15 Jul 2020 | 31 |
| Karkidakam | 16 Jul 2020 | 16 Aug 2020 | 32 |
| Chingam | 17 Aug 2020 | 16 Sep 2020 | 31 |
| Kanni | 17 Sep 2020 | 16 Oct 2020 | 30 |
| Thulam | 17 Oct 2020 | 15 Nov 2020 | 30 |
| Vrischikam | 16 Nov 2020 | 15 Dec 2020 | 30 |
| Dhanu part | 16 Dec 2020 | 31 Dec 2020 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2020
Beyond the dates the Malayalam Calendar lists, 2020 brought 6 eclipses - 2 solar and 4 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Ashwina, running from 18 September 2020 to 16 October 2020. Ratha Saptami fell on 1 February, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2019 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2020
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Malayalam date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 12:40 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Dhanu Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 6 Jun 12:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Edavam Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 21 Jun 12:10 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Mithunam Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 5 Jul 9:59 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Mithunam Purnima | Not visible |
| 30 Nov 3:12 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vrischikam Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 14 Dec 9:43 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Dhanurmasam Begins | Vrischikam Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2020
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 10:00 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Mar 4:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 30 Jun 5:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Dhanu re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishabha on 23 September 2020, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Malayalam Calendar 2020
How many festivals and vrats does the Malayalam Calendar list in 2020?
The Malayalam Calendar lists 31 dates in 2020, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Monday, 6 January 2020, and the last is Thiruvathira on Wednesday, 30 December 2020.
What are the main festival dates in the Malayalam Calendar for 2020?
The first major observances of 2020 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Monday, 6 January 2020
- Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti) - Wednesday, 15 January 2020
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 1 February 2020
- Thaipusam - Saturday, 8 February 2020
- Maha Shivaratri - Friday, 21 February 2020
- Attukal Pongala - Monday, 9 March 2020
Which month of 2020 has the most observances in the Malayalam Calendar?
December 2020 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Dhanurmasam Begins, Skanda Shashthi, Subramanya Shashti, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Thiruvathira.
Which traditional year does 2020 correspond to in the Malayalam Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2020 spans Kollam Era 1195 – 1196. 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 2020 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2020 carried an Adhik Maas (Ashwina (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 2020 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2020?
2020 had 6 eclipses:
- 11 January 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 6 June 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 21 June 2020 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 5 July 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 November 2020 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 14 December 2020 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2020?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2020:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Makara on 24 January 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 March 2020
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 30 June 2020, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 20 November 2020
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 2020?
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.
