Tamil Calendar 1949
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
October 1949
Shaka Samvat 1871 (Virodhi)
Purattasi – Aippasi
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 1949 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 1949, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 5 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 31 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). July is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1870 – 1871.
January 1949 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 Jan | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 14 Jan | Fri |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Jan | Sat |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 15 Jan | Sat |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 1949 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 5 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 14 Feb | Mon |
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. |
Krishna Pratipada |
| 25 Feb | Fri |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
March 1949 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 15 Mar | Tue |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Krishna Pratipada |
April 1949 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 11 Apr | Mon |
Panguni Uthiram The celestial weddings on the Uthiram star of the full moon of Panguni. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 13 Apr | Wed |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Shukla Purnima |
May 1949 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 May | Thu |
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 |
June 1949 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 9 Jun | Thu |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
July 1949 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 2 Jul | Sat |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 21 Jul | Thu |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 25 Jul | Mon | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 29 Jul | Fri |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 30 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1949 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Tue |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Shukla Navami |
| 5 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dwadashi |
| 8 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 17 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 27 Aug | Sat |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 28 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 1949 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Sat |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 21 Oct | Fri |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 26 Oct | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Oct | Thu |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
November 1949 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Nov | Fri |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 1949 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec | Sun |
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 Chaturdashi |
| 15 Dec | Thu |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Dashami |
| 25 Dec | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 31 Dec | Sat |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 1949
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 1949, covering Shaka Samvat 1870 – 1871. 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 1949 | 13 Jan 1949 | 13 |
| Thai | 14 Jan 1949 | 12 Feb 1949 | 30 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1949 | 14 Mar 1949 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1949 | 13 Apr 1949 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1949 | 14 May 1949 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1949 | 14 Jun 1949 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 1949 | 16 Jul 1949 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1949 | 16 Aug 1949 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1949 | 16 Sep 1949 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1949 | 16 Oct 1949 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 1949 | 15 Nov 1949 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 1949 | 15 Dec 1949 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1949 | 31 Dec 1949 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1949
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1949 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 1 was above the horizon somewhere in India. Puthandu (Tamil New Year) fell on 13 April, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1948 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1949
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 9:40 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Puthandu (Tamil New Year) | Panguni Purnima | Not visible |
| 28 Apr 1:18 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chithirai Amavasya | Not visible |
| 7 Oct 8:26 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Purattasi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Oct 2:42 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Aippasi Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1949
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Feb 8:10 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
| 27 Aug 7:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Dhanu re-entry while retrograde |
| 11 Oct 2:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Makara |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 6 June 1949, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1949
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1949?
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 1949, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Wednesday, 5 January 1949, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Saturday, 31 December 1949.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1949?
The first major observances of 1949 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Tuesday, 11 January 1949
- Thai Pongal - Friday, 14 January 1949
- Mattu Pongal - Saturday, 15 January 1949
- Thaipusam - Saturday, 15 January 1949
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 5 February 1949
- Masi Magam - Monday, 14 February 1949
Which month of 1949 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
July 1949 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Skanda Shashthi, Ani Thirumanjanam, Aadi Krithigai, Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Pooram.
Which traditional year does 1949 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1949 spans Shaka Samvat 1870 – 1871. 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 1949 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1949 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 1949?
1949 had 4 eclipses:
- 13 April 1949 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 April 1949 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 7 October 1949 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 22 October 1949 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 1949?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1949:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 28 February 1949
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 27 August 1949, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 11 October 1949
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 1949?
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.


