Marathi Calendar

Marathi Calendar 1988

The Marathi festival calendar (Gudi Padwa new year). Maharashtrian festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.

November 1988

Shaka Samvat 1910 (Vibhava)

Kartika – Margashirsha

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.

Marathi Calendar 1988 - festivals and vrats through the year

The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 1988, opening with Makar Sankranti on 15 January and closing with Datta Jayanti on 22 December. Of these, 5 are vrats (fasting observances). September is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 1988 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.

January 1988 Pausha – Magha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
15 Jan Fri Makar Sankranti

The Sun's entry into Makara, kept with tilgul sweets.

Krishna Ekadashi
22 Jan Fri Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi)

The birth of Ganesha on Magha Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
23 Jan Sat Vasant Panchami

The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami
25 Jan Mon Ratha Saptami

The turning of Surya's chariot, on Magha Shukla Saptami.

Shukla Saptami

February 1988 Magha – Phalguna

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
16 Feb Tue Maha Shivratri

The great night of Lord Shiva.

Krishna Chaturdashi

March 1988 Phalguna – Chaitra

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Mar Thu Holika Dahan

The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna.

Shukla Purnima
4 Mar Fri Dhulivandan (Holi)

The festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan.

Krishna Pratipada
8 Mar Tue Rang Panchami

Dry gulal is thrown on Phalguna Krishna Panchami, the colourful finale of the Holi festivities five days after Holika Dahan.

Krishna Panchami
18 Mar Fri Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year)

The Maharashtrian new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, when the gudi is raised.

Krishna Amavasya
26 Mar Sat Shriram Navami

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami.

Shukla Navami

April 1988 Chaitra – Vaishakha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
2 Apr Sat Hanuman Jayanti

The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra.

Shukla Purnima
19 Apr Tue Akshaya Tritiya

Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year.

Shukla Tritiya
30 Apr Sat Narasimha Jayanti

The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Chaturdashi

June 1988 Jyeshtha (Adhik) – Ashadha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
29 Jun Wed Vat Purnima (Vat Pournima) Vrat Shukla Purnima

July 1988 Ashadha – Shravana

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
25 Jul Mon Ashadhi Ekadashi (Devshayani) Vrat Shukla Ekadashi
29 Jul Fri Guru Purnima

The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa.

Shukla Purnima

August 1988 Shravana – Bhadrapada

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
12 Aug Fri Gatari Amavasya

The Ashadha new moon of feasting before the austerities of Shravan.

Krishna Amavasya
17 Aug Wed Nag Panchami

Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami.

Shukla Panchami
27 Aug Sat Narali Purnima (Nariyal Purnima)

On Shravana Purnima, coastal communities offer coconuts (naral / nariyal) to the sea god Varuna, marking the end of the monsoon and the return to fishing.

Shukla Purnima

September 1988 Bhadrapada – Ashwina

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
3 Sep Sat Krishna Janmashtami

The midnight birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtami
4 Sep Sun Gopalkala (Dahi Handi)

The day after Janmashtami, when human pyramids break the curd-filled dahi-handi hung high, re-enacting young Krishna's butter-stealing pranks.

Krishna Navami
11 Sep Sun Pithori Amavasya Vrat Krishna Amavasya
14 Sep Wed Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat Shukla Tritiya
15 Sep Thu Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav)

Maharashtra's grandest festival begins with the installation of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

Shukla Chaturthi
18 Sep Sun Jyeshtha Gauri Pujan

During Ganeshotsav, Goddess Gauri (Mahalakshmi) is welcomed as a daughter and worshipped with haldi-kumkum and a feast for prosperity and family well-being.

Shukla Saptami
24 Sep Sat Anant Chaturdashi (Ganpati Visarjan)

The immersion of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi.

Shukla Trayodashi
26 Sep Mon Pitru Paksha Begins

The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors begins.

Krishna Pratipada

October 1988 Ashwina – Kartika

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
10 Oct Mon Sarvapitri Amavasya

The Mahalaya new moon closing Pitru Paksha.

Krishna Amavasya
11 Oct Tue Ghatasthapana (Navratri Begins)

The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin.

Shukla Pratipada
20 Oct Thu Dasara (Vijayadashami)

The triumph of good over evil and the crossing of the seemollanghan.

Shukla Dashami
24 Oct Mon Kojagiri Purnima

The bright Ashwina full moon, kept awake for Goddess Lakshmi.

Shukla Chaturdashi
28 Oct Fri Karwa Chauth Vrat Krishna Chaturthi

November 1988 Kartika – Margashirsha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
5 Nov Sat Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)

The first day of Diwali, when cows and their calves are worshipped in gratitude for their nourishment — kept as Vasubaras in Maharashtra and Vagh Baras in Gujarat, where traders close the old account books.

Krishna Ekadashi
6 Nov Sun Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras)

The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth on Kartika Krishna Trayodashi.

Krishna Dwadashi
8 Nov Tue Narak Chaturdashi

The abhyanga snan marking Krishna's slaying of Narakasura.

Krishna Chaturdashi
9 Nov Wed Laxmi Pujan (Diwali)

The worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kartika Amavasya.

Krishna Amavasya
10 Nov Thu Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas)

The Diwali Padwa honouring King Bali's return; wives perform aukshan (aarti) for their husbands and new account books and ventures are begun. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year.

Shukla Pratipada
20 Nov Sun Tulsi Vivah

The ceremonial marriage of the holy Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu (Shaligram) on Kartik Dwadashi, the day after Prabodhini Ekadashi, which opens the Hindu wedding season.

Shukla Ekadashi
23 Nov Wed Tripurari Purnima

The Kartika full moon, when Shiva slew Tripurasura, lit with deepdan.

Shukla Purnima

December 1988 Margashirsha – Pausha

Date Day Festival / Vrat Tithi
14 Dec Wed Champa Shashti

A six-day festival to Lord Khandoba (Martand Bhairav, a form of Shiva) concludes on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi, worshipped by farmers and warriors.

Shukla Shashthi
22 Dec Thu Datta Jayanti

The birth of Lord Dattatreya — the combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh — on Margashirsha Purnima, revered as the adi-guru.

Shukla Chaturdashi

Months of the Marathi Calendar in 1988

The Marathi 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 1988, covering Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.

Month Begins Ends Days
Pausha part 1 Jan 1988 14 Jan 1988 14
Magha 15 Jan 1988 13 Feb 1988 30
Phalguna 14 Feb 1988 14 Mar 1988 30
Chaitra 15 Mar 1988 13 Apr 1988 30
Vaishakha 14 Apr 1988 14 May 1988 31
Jyeshtha 15 May 1988 15 May 1988 1
Jyeshtha (Adhik) 16 May 1988 14 Jun 1988 30
Ashadha 15 Jun 1988 16 Jul 1988 32
Shravana 17 Jul 1988 16 Aug 1988 31
Bhadrapada 17 Aug 1988 16 Sep 1988 31
Ashwina 17 Sep 1988 16 Oct 1988 30
Kartika 17 Oct 1988 15 Nov 1988 30
Margashirsha 16 Nov 1988 15 Dec 1988 30
Pausha part 16 Dec 1988 31 Dec 1988 16

What happened in the sky in 1988

Beyond the dates the Marathi Calendar lists, 1988 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 1988 to 14 June 1988. Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) fell on 18 March, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1987 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 1988

Date (IST) Eclipse Marathi date Seen from India
3 Mar 9:42 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Holika Dahan Phalguna Purnima Penumbral only
18 Mar 7:28 AM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) Chaitra Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
27 Aug 4:34 PM Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Narali Purnima (Nariyal Purnima) Bhadrapada Purnima Yes - Sutak observed
11 Sep 10:13 AM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Bhadrapada Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed

Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 1988

Date Graha Sign change
3 Feb 2:40 AM Guru (Jupiter) Meena → Mesha
19 Jun 11:10 PM Guru (Jupiter) Mesha → Vrishabha

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Kumbha on 6 March 1988, carrying the eclipse axis with it.

Frequently asked questions about the Marathi Calendar 1988

How many festivals and vrats does the Marathi Calendar list in 1988?

The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 1988, of which 5 are vrats. The first is Makar Sankranti on Friday, 15 January 1988, and the last is Datta Jayanti on Thursday, 22 December 1988.

What are the main festival dates in the Marathi Calendar for 1988?

The first major observances of 1988 are:

  • Makar Sankranti - Friday, 15 January 1988
  • Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi) - Friday, 22 January 1988
  • Vasant Panchami - Saturday, 23 January 1988
  • Ratha Saptami - Monday, 25 January 1988
  • Maha Shivratri - Tuesday, 16 February 1988
  • Holika Dahan - Thursday, 3 March 1988
Which month of 1988 has the most observances in the Marathi Calendar?

September 1988 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Krishna Janmashtami, Gopalkala (Dahi Handi), Pithori Amavasya, Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij), Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav), Jyeshtha Gauri Pujan, Anant Chaturdashi (Ganpati Visarjan), Pitru Paksha Begins.

Which traditional year does 1988 correspond to in the Marathi Calendar?

The Gregorian year 1988 spans Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 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 1988 have an Adhik Maas?

Yes. 1988 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (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 1988 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.

Were there any eclipses in 1988?

1988 had 4 eclipses:

  • 3 March 1988 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
  • 18 March 1988 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 27 August 1988 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 11 September 1988 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed

Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 3 of these were kept in India.

Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1988?

Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1988:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 3 February 1988
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 19 June 1988

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 1988?

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 Marathi Calendar opens on the current month.

About the Marathi Calendar

The Marathi festival calendar (Gudi Padwa new year). Maharashtrian 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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