Punjabi Calendar 1981
The Punjabi festival calendar (Nanakshahi / Bikrami). Punjabi festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 1981
Nanakshahi 512
Poh – Magh
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 1981 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 1981, opening with Lohri on 13 January and closing with Gita Jayanti on 7 December. Of these, 8 are vrats (fasting observances). October is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Nanakshahi 512 – 513.
January 1981 Poh – Magh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan | Tue |
Lohri The bonfire harvest festival on the eve of Maghi (Makar Sankranti). |
Shukla Ashtami |
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Maghi (Makar Sankranti) The Sun's entry into Makara, kept as Maghi. |
Shukla Navami |
| 23 Jan | Fri | Sakat Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
February 1981 Magh – Phagan
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Feb | Wed | Mauni Amavasya Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 Feb | Mon |
Basant Panchami
The kite-flying festival of spring and Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. |
Shukla Panchami |
March 1981 Phagan – Chet
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar | Wed |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 20 Mar | Fri |
Holika Dahan The bonfire of Holika on the full moon of Phalguna. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 21 Mar | Sat |
Hola Mohalla The Nihang Sikhs' festival of martial valour and mock battles, the day after Holi. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 27 Mar | Fri | Sheetala Saptami Vrat | Krishna Shashthi |
April 1981 Chet – Vaisakh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr | Sun |
Chet Navratri
The spring nine nights of Devi worship begin on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 10 Apr | Fri |
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 |
| 12 Apr | Sun |
Ram Navami The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Vaisakhi The Punjabi spring harvest new year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth, on Mesha Sankranti. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 19 Apr | Sun |
Hanuman Jayanti
The birth of Lord Hanuman on the full moon of Chaitra. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 1981 Vaisakh – Jeth
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May | Sun |
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 |
June 1981 Jeth – Harh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun | Mon | Vat Savitri Vrat Vrat | Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 12 Jun | Fri |
Ganga Dussehra The descent of the Ganga, on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 13 Jun | Sat | Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 17 Jun | Wed |
Kabirdas Jayanti The birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas, the great mystic poet-saint, observed on Jyeshtha Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
August 1981 Sawan – Bhadon
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Sun |
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 |
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Teej (Teeyan) The Punjabi women's monsoon festival of swings and song on Shravana Shukla Tritiya. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Aug | Sat |
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhri) Sisters tie the rakhri on their brothers' wrists on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 18 Aug | Tue |
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 |
| 23 Aug | Sun |
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 Ashtami |
September 1981 Bhadon – Assu
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Tue | Hartalika Teej (Kevda Trij) Vrat | Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Sep | Tue |
Shradh Paksha (Pitru Paksha) The fortnight of offerings to the ancestors. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 16 Sep | Wed |
Vishwakarma Puja Vishwakarma, the divine architect, is worshipped by artisans, engineers and craftsmen on Kanya Sankranti. |
Krishna Tritiya |
| 29 Sep | Tue |
Sharad Navratri The autumn nine nights of Devi worship begin. |
Shukla Pratipada |
October 1981 Assu – Katak
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct | Thu |
Dussehra The burning of Ravana on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 13 Oct | Tue |
Meerabai Jayanti The birth anniversary of the saint-poetess Meerabai, the devotee of Lord Krishna, observed on Sharad Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 16 Oct | Fri | Karva Chauth Vrat | Krishna Tritiya |
| 19 Oct | Mon | Ahoi Ashtami Vrat | Krishna Saptami |
| 25 Oct | Sun |
Dhanteras The worship of Dhanvantari and wealth. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 27 Oct | Tue |
Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas) The festival of lights, also Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikh tradition. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 28 Oct | Wed |
Govardhan Puja / Annakut Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity. |
Shukla Pratipada |
| 29 Oct | Thu |
Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka) Sisters apply the tikka to their brothers two days after Diwali. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
November 1981 Katak – Maghar
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov | Sat |
Kansa Vadh Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Dashami, with processions and re-enactments in Mathura. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 11 Nov | Wed |
Guru Nanak Jayanti The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on Kartika Purnima. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
December 1981 Maghar – Poh
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Tue |
Vivah Panchami The wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, celebrated grandly in Janakpur and Ayodhya. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 7 Dec | Mon |
Gita Jayanti The day the Bhagavad Gita was revealed, on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
Months of the Punjabi Calendar in 1981
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 1981, covering Nanakshahi 512 – 513. 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 1981 | 13 Jan 1981 | 13 |
| Magh | 14 Jan 1981 | 12 Feb 1981 | 30 |
| Phagan | 13 Feb 1981 | 14 Mar 1981 | 30 |
| Chet | 15 Mar 1981 | 13 Apr 1981 | 30 |
| Vaisakh | 14 Apr 1981 | 14 May 1981 | 31 |
| Jeth | 15 May 1981 | 14 Jun 1981 | 31 |
| Harh | 15 Jun 1981 | 16 Jul 1981 | 32 |
| Sawan | 17 Jul 1981 | 16 Aug 1981 | 31 |
| Bhadon | 17 Aug 1981 | 16 Sep 1981 | 31 |
| Assu | 17 Sep 1981 | 17 Oct 1981 | 31 |
| Katak | 18 Oct 1981 | 16 Nov 1981 | 30 |
| Maghar | 17 Nov 1981 | 15 Dec 1981 | 29 |
| Poh part | 16 Dec 1981 | 31 Dec 1981 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1981
Beyond the dates the Punjabi Calendar lists, 1981 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Lohri fell on 13 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1980 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1981
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Punjabi date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1:19 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magh Purnima | Not visible |
| 5 Feb 3:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magh Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Jul 10:16 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Sawan Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 Jul 9:15 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Hariyali Teej (Chhoti Teej) | Sawan Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1981
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mithuna on 24 December 1981, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Punjabi Calendar 1981
How many festivals and vrats does the Punjabi Calendar list in 1981?
The Punjabi Calendar lists 40 dates in 1981, of which 8 are vrats. The first is Lohri on Tuesday, 13 January 1981, and the last is Gita Jayanti on Monday, 7 December 1981.
What are the main festival dates in the Punjabi Calendar for 1981?
The first major observances of 1981 are:
- Lohri - Tuesday, 13 January 1981
- Maghi (Makar Sankranti) - Wednesday, 14 January 1981
- Basant Panchami - Monday, 9 February 1981
- Maha Shivaratri - Wednesday, 4 March 1981
- Holika Dahan - Friday, 20 March 1981
- Hola Mohalla - Saturday, 21 March 1981
Which month of 1981 has the most observances in the Punjabi Calendar?
October 1981 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Dussehra, Meerabai Jayanti, Karva Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Dhanteras, Diwali (Bandi Chhor Divas), Govardhan Puja / Annakut, Bhaiya Dooj (Tikka).
Which traditional year does 1981 correspond to in the Punjabi Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1981 spans Nanakshahi 512 – 513. 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 1981 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1981 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 1981?
1981 had 4 eclipses:
- 20 January 1981 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 February 1981 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 July 1981 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 July 1981 - Total 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 1 of these was kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1981?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1981:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Tula on 27 October 1981
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 1981?
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.
