Marathi Calendar 2003
The Marathi festival calendar (Gudi Padwa new year). Maharashtrian festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
June 2003
Shaka Samvat 1925 (Subhanu)
Jyeshtha – Ashadha
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 2003 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 2003, opening with Makar Sankranti on 14 January and closing with Datta Jayanti on 8 December. Of these, 5 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925.
January 2003 Pausha – Magha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Tue |
Makar Sankranti The Sun's entry into Makara, kept with tilgul sweets. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
February 2003 Magha – Phalguna
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Feb | Wed |
Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi) The birth of Ganesha on Magha Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 6 Feb | Thu |
Vasant Panchami
The worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami The turning of Surya's chariot, on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
March 2003 Phalguna – Chaitra
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Sat |
Maha Shivratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 18 Mar | Tue |
Holika Dahan The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 19 Mar | Wed |
Dhulivandan (Holi) The festival of colours, the day after Holika Dahan. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 22 Mar | Sat |
Rang Panchami Dry gulal is thrown on Phalguna Krishna Panchami, the colourful finale of the Holi festivities five days after Holika Dahan. |
Krishna Panchami |
April 2003 Chaitra – Vaishakha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Wed |
Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) The Maharashtrian new year on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, when the gudi is raised. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 11 Apr | Fri |
Shriram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 16 Apr | Wed |
Hanuman Jayanti
The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 2003 Vaishakha – Jyeshtha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May | Sun |
Akshaya Tritiya Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, among the most auspicious days of the year. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 May | Thu |
Narasimha Jayanti The advent of Lord Narasimha on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2003 Jyeshtha – Ashadha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun | Fri | Vat Purnima (Vat Pournima) Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
July 2003 Ashadha – Shravana
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jul | Thu | Ashadhi Ekadashi (Devshayani) Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 13 Jul | Sun |
Guru Purnima The full moon of Ashadha honouring teachers and sage Veda Vyasa. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 29 Jul | Tue |
Gatari Amavasya The Ashadha new moon of feasting before the austerities of Shravan. |
Krishna Amavasya |
August 2003 Shravana – Bhadrapada
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Sun |
Nag Panchami Serpent deities are worshipped on Shravana Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Aug | Tue |
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 |
| 20 Aug | Wed |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 21 Aug | Thu |
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 |
| 27 Aug | Wed | Pithori Amavasya Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 30 Aug | Sat | Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 31 Aug | Sun |
Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav)
Maharashtra's grandest festival begins with the installation of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
September 2003 Bhadrapada – Ashwina
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep | Thu |
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 Navami |
| 9 Sep | Tue |
Anant Chaturdashi (Ganpati Visarjan) The immersion of Ganpati on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 11 Sep | Thu |
Pitru Paksha Begins The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors begins. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 25 Sep | Thu |
Sarvapitri Amavasya The Mahalaya new moon closing Pitru Paksha. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 26 Sep | Fri |
Ghatasthapana (Navratri Begins)
The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Krishna Amavasya |
October 2003 Ashwina – Kartika
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct | Sat |
Dasara (Vijayadashami) The triumph of good over evil and the crossing of the seemollanghan. |
Shukla Navami |
| 9 Oct | Thu |
Kojagiri Purnima The bright Ashwina full moon, kept awake for Goddess Lakshmi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Oct | Tue | Karwa Chauth Vrat | Krishna Chaturthi |
| 22 Oct | Wed |
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 Dwadashi |
| 23 Oct | Thu |
Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras) The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth on Kartika Krishna Trayodashi. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 24 Oct | Fri |
Narak Chaturdashi The abhyanga snan marking Krishna's slaying of Narakasura. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 25 Oct | Sat |
Laxmi Pujan (Diwali) The worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kartika Amavasya. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 26 Oct | Sun |
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 |
November 2003 Kartika – Margashirsha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Wed |
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 Dwadashi |
| 8 Nov | Sat |
Tripurari Purnima The Kartika full moon, when Shiva slew Tripurasura, lit with deepdan. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 29 Nov | Sat |
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 |
December 2003 Margashirsha – Pausha
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Dec | Mon |
Datta Jayanti The birth of Lord Dattatreya — the combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh — on Margashirsha Purnima, revered as the adi-guru. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Marathi Calendar in 2003
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 2003, covering Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925. 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 2003 | 14 Jan 2003 | 14 |
| Magha | 15 Jan 2003 | 12 Feb 2003 | 29 |
| Phalguna | 13 Feb 2003 | 14 Mar 2003 | 30 |
| Chaitra | 15 Mar 2003 | 14 Apr 2003 | 31 |
| Vaishakha | 15 Apr 2003 | 15 May 2003 | 31 |
| Jyeshtha | 16 May 2003 | 15 Jun 2003 | 31 |
| Ashadha | 16 Jun 2003 | 16 Jul 2003 | 31 |
| Shravana | 17 Jul 2003 | 17 Aug 2003 | 32 |
| Bhadrapada | 18 Aug 2003 | 17 Sep 2003 | 31 |
| Ashwina | 18 Sep 2003 | 17 Oct 2003 | 30 |
| Kartika | 18 Oct 2003 | 16 Nov 2003 | 30 |
| Margashirsha | 17 Nov 2003 | 16 Dec 2003 | 30 |
| Pausha part | 17 Dec 2003 | 31 Dec 2003 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2003
Beyond the dates the Marathi Calendar lists, 2003 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) fell on 2 April, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2002 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2003
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Marathi date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 9:10 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Narasimha Jayanti | Jyeshtha Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 May 9:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jyeshtha Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Nov 6:48 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Tripurari Purnima | Kartika Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Nov 4:19 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margashirsha Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2003
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 2:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
| 7 Apr 8:20 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Jul 12:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mesha on 6 September 2003, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Marathi Calendar 2003
How many festivals and vrats does the Marathi Calendar list in 2003?
The Marathi Calendar lists 41 dates in 2003, of which 5 are vrats. The first is Makar Sankranti on Tuesday, 14 January 2003, and the last is Datta Jayanti on Monday, 8 December 2003.
What are the main festival dates in the Marathi Calendar for 2003?
The first major observances of 2003 are:
- Makar Sankranti - Tuesday, 14 January 2003
- Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi) - Wednesday, 5 February 2003
- Vasant Panchami - Thursday, 6 February 2003
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 8 February 2003
- Maha Shivratri - Saturday, 1 March 2003
- Holika Dahan - Tuesday, 18 March 2003
Which month of 2003 has the most observances in the Marathi Calendar?
October 2003 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Dasara (Vijayadashami), Kojagiri Purnima, Karwa Chauth, Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras), Narak Chaturdashi, Laxmi Pujan (Diwali), Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas).
Which traditional year does 2003 correspond to in the Marathi Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2003 spans Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925. 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 2003 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2003 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 2003?
2003 had 4 eclipses:
- 16 May 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 May 2003 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 November 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 November 2003 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2003?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2003:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 8 January 2003, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mithuna on 7 April 2003
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 30 July 2003
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 2003?
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.
