Shardiya Navratri Calendar

Shardiya Navratri Calendar 1998

The Shardiya (autumn) Navratri festival calendar - the nine nights of Devi worship in Ashwin, from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.

The Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists 7 dates in 1998, from Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) on 21 September through Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) on 1 October. September holds the most with 5 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2054 – 2055.

September 1998

  • Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)

    Monday, 21 September 1998 Shukla Pratipada

    Tithi 10:30 PM, Sep 20 12:36 AM, Sep 22

    Nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga begin on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, opened by the Ghatasthapana (kalash) ritual in Maharashtra and the garba and dandiya-raas nights of Gujarat; in Rajasthan the Karni Mata fair at Deshnok and the Jeen Mata fair draw great crowds.

  • Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi

    Saturday, 26 September 1998 Shukla Panchami

    Tithi 8:08 AM, Sep 25 10:26 AM, Sep 26

    Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.

  • Durga Puja — Maha Saptami

    Monday, 28 September 1998 Shukla Saptami

    Tithi 12:37 PM, Sep 27 2:08 PM, Sep 28

    Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.

  • Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami

    Tuesday, 29 September 1998 Shukla Ashtami

    Tithi 2:14 PM, Sep 28 3:07 PM, Sep 29

    The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.

  • Durga Puja — Maha Navami

    Wednesday, 30 September 1998 Shukla Navami

    Tithi 3:13 PM, Sep 29 3:22 PM, Sep 30

    The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.

October 1998

  • Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)

    Thursday, 1 October 1998 Shukla Dashami

    Tithi 3:29 PM, Sep 30 2:49 PM, Oct 1

    The victory of good over evil — effigies of Ravana are burnt and Durga is bid farewell.

  • Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja

    Thursday, 1 October 1998 Shukla Dashami

    Tithi 3:29 PM, Sep 30 2:49 PM, Oct 1

    Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.

Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).

What happened in the sky in 1998

Beyond the dates the Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists, 1998 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) fell on 21 September, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1997 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.

Eclipses of 1998

Date (IST) Eclipse Hindu date Seen from India
26 Feb 10:58 PM Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Phalguna Amavasya Not visible
13 Mar 9:50 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Phalguna Purnima Not visible
8 Aug 7:54 AM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Shravana Purnima Not visible
22 Aug 7:36 AM Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) Bhadrapada Amavasya Yes - Sutak observed
6 Sep 4:40 PM Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) Bhadrapada Purnima Penumbral only

Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.

Guru and Shani in 1998

Date Graha Sign change
8 Jan 4:00 PM Guru (Jupiter) Makara → Kumbha
17 Apr 1:10 PM Shani (Saturn) Meena → Mesha
26 May 4:20 AM Guru (Jupiter) Kumbha → Meena
10 Sep 11:20 AM Guru (Jupiter) Meena → Kumbha re-entry while retrograde

Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.

Frequently asked questions about the Shardiya Navratri Calendar 1998

How many festivals and vrats does the Shardiya Navratri Calendar list in 1998?

The Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists 7 dates in 1998. The first is Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) on Monday, 21 September 1998, and the last is Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) on Thursday, 1 October 1998.

What are the main festival dates in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar for 1998?

The first major observances of 1998 are:

  • Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Monday, 21 September 1998
  • Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Saturday, 26 September 1998
  • Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Monday, 28 September 1998
  • Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Tuesday, 29 September 1998
  • Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Wednesday, 30 September 1998
  • Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja - Thursday, 1 October 1998
Which month of 1998 has the most observances in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar?

September 1998 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami.

Which traditional year does 1998 correspond to in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar?

The Gregorian year 1998 spans Vikram Samvat 2054 – 2055. 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 1998 have an Adhik Maas?

No. 1998 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 1998?

1998 had 5 eclipses:

  • 26 February 1998 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
  • 13 March 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
  • 8 August 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
  • 22 August 1998 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
  • 6 September 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak 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 1998?

Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1998:

  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 8 January 1998
  • Shani (Saturn) entered Mesha on 17 April 1998
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Meena on 26 May 1998
  • Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 10 September 1998, moving retrograde

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.

Are these 1998 dates the same everywhere?

The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.

About the Shardiya Navratri Calendar

The Shardiya (autumn) Navratri festival calendar - the nine nights of Devi worship in Ashwin, from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.

Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.

This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.

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