Tamil Calendar 1948
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
November 1948
Shaka Samvat 1870 (Sarvadhari)
Aippasi – Karthikai
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.
Tamil Calendar 1948 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 1948, opening with Thai Pongal on 14 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 17 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1869 – 1870.
January 1948 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 17 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Jan | Mon |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1948 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 17 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 24 Feb | Tue |
Masi Magam On the Magham star of the Tamil month Maasi, temple deities are taken in procession to the sea and rivers for a holy bath. |
Shukla Purnima |
March 1948 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 16 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Mar | Thu |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 1948 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Tue |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Apr | Fri |
Chithirai Thiruvizha Madurai's Chithirai festival peaks on the Chitra full moon of the Tamil month Chithirai with the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 1948 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 22 May | Sat |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 1948 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 1948 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Jul | Mon |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 31 Jul | Sat |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Dashami |
August 1948 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 5 Aug | Thu | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 7 Aug | Sat |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 9 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 13 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 19 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Aug | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1948 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep | Mon |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 8 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1948 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Oct | Tue |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 31 Oct | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 1948 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Nov | Sat |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 Nov | Tue |
Karthigai Deepam The Tamil festival of lights on the Krittika star of Karthigai — rows of agal vilakku are lit, and the Maha Deepam blazes atop Tiruvannamalai. |
Shukla Purnima |
December 1948 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 6 Dec | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 17 Dec | Fri |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Krishna Pratipada |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 1948
The Tamil 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 1948, covering Shaka Samvat 1869 – 1870. A month marked part is one the Gregorian year cuts short at its own start or end.
| Month | Begins | Ends | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margazhi part | 1 Jan 1948 | 14 Jan 1948 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 1948 | 12 Feb 1948 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1948 | 13 Mar 1948 | 30 |
| Panguni | 14 Mar 1948 | 13 Apr 1948 | 31 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1948 | 14 May 1948 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1948 | 14 Jun 1948 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 1948 | 15 Jul 1948 | 31 |
| Aadi | 16 Jul 1948 | 16 Aug 1948 | 32 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1948 | 16 Sep 1948 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1948 | 16 Oct 1948 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 1948 | 15 Nov 1948 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 1948 | 15 Dec 1948 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1948 | 31 Dec 1948 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1948
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1948 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Thaipusam fell on 26 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1947 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1948
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 7:08 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Chithirai Thiruvizha | Chithirai Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 May 7:55 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chithirai Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 18 Oct 8:05 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aippasi Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 1 Nov 11:28 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Aippasi 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 1948
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 11:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
| 22 Jun 8:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Vrishchika re-entry while retrograde |
| 26 Jul 1:40 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Karka → Simha |
| 8 Oct 1:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1948
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1948?
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 1948, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Thai Pongal on Wednesday, 14 January 1948, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Friday, 17 December 1948.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1948?
The first major observances of 1948 are:
- Thai Pongal - Wednesday, 14 January 1948
- Mattu Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 1948
- Thaipusam - Monday, 26 January 1948
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 17 February 1948
- Masi Magam - Tuesday, 24 February 1948
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 8 March 1948
Which month of 1948 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 1948 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Aadi Perukku, Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Pooram, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami).
Which traditional year does 1948 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1948 spans Shaka Samvat 1869 – 1870. 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 1948 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1948 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 1948?
1948 had 4 eclipses:
- 23 April 1948 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 May 1948 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 18 October 1948 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 1 November 1948 - 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 3 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1948?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1948:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 11 February 1948
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 22 June 1948, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Simha on 26 July 1948
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 8 October 1948
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 1948?
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 Tamil Calendar opens on the current month.
About the Tamil Calendar
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil 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.
