Punjabi Calendar 1979
The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
September 1979
Nanakshahi 511
Bhadon – Assu
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.
Punjabi Calendar 1979 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Punjabi Calendar lists 41 dates in 1979, opening with Lohri on 13 January and closing with Gita Jayanti on 29 November. Of these, 8 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 9 dates. The year runs through Nanakshahi 510 – 511.
January 1979 Poh – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan | Sat |
Lohri The bonfire harvest festival on the eve of Maghi (Makar Sankranti). |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Jan | Sun |
Maghi (Makar Sankranti) The Sun's entry into Makara, kept as Maghi. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 16 Jan | Tue | Sakat Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
| 28 Jan | Sun | Mauni Amavasya Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
February 1979 Magh – Phagan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Thu |
Basant Panchami
The kite-flying festival of spring and Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Feb | Sun |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 1979 Phagan – Chet
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Mar | Tue |
Holika Dahan The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Mar | Wed |
Hola Mohalla The Nihang Sikhs' festival of martial valour and mock battles, the day after Holi. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 20 Mar | Tue | Sheetala Saptami Vrat | Krishna Shashthi |
| 28 Mar | Wed |
Chet Navratri
The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. |
Krishna Amavasya |
April 1979 Chet – Vaisakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | Mon |
Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti) The river goddess Yamuna is worshipped on Chaitra Shukla Shashthi, with holy baths in her waters at Mathura and Vrindavan. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 5 Apr | Thu |
Ram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 12 Apr | Thu |
Hanuman Jayanti
The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Apr | Sat |
Vaisakhi The Punjabi spring harvest new year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth, on Mesha Sankranti. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
May 1979 Vaisakh – Jeth
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May | Thu |
Ganga Saptami Ganga Jayanti — the rebirth of the holy Ganga on Vaishakha Shukla Saptami, when the river emerged from sage Jahnu's ear; riverside baths and Ganga aarti are held. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 25 May | Fri | Vat Savitri Vrat Vrat | Krishna Chaturdashi |
June 1979 Jeth – Harh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Tue |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 6 Jun | Wed | Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 10 Jun | Sun |
Kabirdas Jayanti The birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas, the great mystic poet-saint, observed on Jyeshtha Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
July 1979 Harh – Sawan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul | Thu |
Hariyali Teej (Chhoti Teej) On Shravana Shukla Tritiya women celebrate the union of Shiva and Parvati with swings, songs and green attire; in Rajasthan it is Chhoti Teej, marked by the royal Teej Mata procession through Jaipur. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 27 Jul | Fri |
Teej (Teeyan) The Punjabi women's monsoon festival of swings and song on Shravana Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
August 1979 Sawan – Bhadon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug | Wed |
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri) Sisters tie the rakhri on their brothers' wrists on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 10 Aug | Fri |
Kajari Teej (Badi / Satudi Teej)
On Bhadrapada Krishna Tritiya, fifteen days after Hariyali Teej, married women fast for their husbands' long life; in Rajasthan this is Badi Teej (Satudi Teej), and Sindhis keep the same day as Teejri, applying mehndi and breaking the fast after sighting the moon. |
Krishna Tritiya |
| 15 Aug | Wed |
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 16 Aug | Thu |
Goga Navami (Gogaji) On Bhadrapada Krishna Navami the folk snake-deity Gogaji (Goga Maharaj) is worshipped for protection from snakes; the great Gogamedi fair is held at his shrine in Rajasthan. |
Krishna Navami |
| 25 Aug | Sat | Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
September 1979 Bhadon – Assu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep | Fri |
Shradh Paksha (Pitru Paksha) The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 17 Sep | Mon |
Vishwakarma Puja Vishwakarma, the divine architect, is worshipped by artisans, engineers and craftsmen on Kanya Sankranti. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 22 Sep | Sat |
Sharad Navratri The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1979 Assu – Katak
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Mon |
Dussehra The burning of Ravana on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 5 Oct | Fri |
Meerabai Jayanti The birth anniversary of the saint-poetess Meerabai, the devotee of Lord Krishna, observed on Sharad Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 8 Oct | Mon | Karva Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
| 12 Oct | Fri | Ahoi Ashtami Vrat | Krishna Saptami |
| 18 Oct | Thu |
Dhanteras The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 20 Oct | Sat |
Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas) The festival of lights, also Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikh tradition. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 21 Oct | Sun |
Govardhan Puja / Annakut Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 23 Oct | Tue |
Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka) Sisters apply the tikka to their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 30 Oct | Tue |
Kansa Vadh Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Dashami, with processions and re-enactments in Mathura. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1979 Katak – Maghar
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov | Sun |
Guru Nanak Jayanti The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on Kartika Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Nov | Sat |
Vivah Panchami The wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, celebrated grandly in Janakpur and Ayodhya. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Nov | Thu |
Gita Jayanti The day the Bhagavad Gita was revealed, on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Dashami |
Months of the Punjabi Calendar in 1979
The Punjabi 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 1979, covering Nanakshahi 510 – 511. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poh part | 1 Jan 1979 | 14 Jan 1979 | 14 |
| Magh | 15 Jan 1979 | 12 Feb 1979 | 29 |
| Phagan | 13 Feb 1979 | 14 Mar 1979 | 30 |
| Chet | 15 Mar 1979 | 14 Apr 1979 | 31 |
| Vaisakh | 15 Apr 1979 | 14 May 1979 | 30 |
| Jeth | 15 May 1979 | 15 Jun 1979 | 32 |
| Harh | 16 Jun 1979 | 16 Jul 1979 | 31 |
| Sawan | 17 Jul 1979 | 17 Aug 1979 | 32 |
| Bhadon | 18 Aug 1979 | 17 Sep 1979 | 31 |
| Assu | 18 Sep 1979 | 17 Oct 1979 | 30 |
| Katak | 18 Oct 1979 | 16 Nov 1979 | 30 |
| Maghar | 17 Nov 1979 | 16 Dec 1979 | 30 |
| Poh part | 17 Dec 1979 | 31 Dec 1979 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 1979
Beyond the dates the Punjabi Calendar lists, 1979 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Basant Panchami fell on 1 February, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1978 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1979
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Punjabi date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 10:24 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Maha Shivaratri | Phagan Amavasya | Not visible |
| 14 Mar 2:38 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Hola Mohalla | Phagan Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Aug 10:51 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadon Amavasya | Not visible |
| 6 Sep 4:24 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day before Shradh Paksha (Pitru Paksha) | Bhadon Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1979
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 7:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
| 4 Nov 1:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Frequently asked questions about the Punjabi Calendar 1979
How many festivals and vrats does the Punjabi Calendar list in 1979?
The Punjabi Calendar lists 41 dates in 1979, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Lohri on Saturday, 13 January 1979, and the last is Gita Jayanti on Thursday, 29 November 1979.
What are the main festival dates in the Punjabi Calendar for 1979?
The first major observances of 1979 are:
- Lohri - Saturday, 13 January 1979
- Maghi (Makar Sankranti) - Sunday, 14 January 1979
- Basant Panchami - Thursday, 1 February 1979
- Maha Shivaratri - Sunday, 25 February 1979
- Holika Dahan - Tuesday, 13 March 1979
- Hola Mohalla - Wednesday, 14 March 1979
Which month of 1979 has the most observances in the Punjabi Calendar?
October 1979 is the fullest month with 9 dates, including Dussehra, Meerabai Jayanti, Karva Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Dhanteras, Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas), Govardhan Puja / Annakut, Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka).
Which traditional year does 1979 correspond to in the Punjabi Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1979 spans Nanakshahi 510 – 511. 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 1979 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1979 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 1979?
1979 had 4 eclipses:
- 26 February 1979 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 14 March 1979 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 22 August 1979 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 6 September 1979 - 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 1979?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1979:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 29 August 1979
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 4 November 1979
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 1979?
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 Punjabi Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Punjabi Calendar
The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi 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.


