Tamil Calendar 1953
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 1953
Shaka Samvat 1875 (Vijaya)
Chithirai – Vaikasi
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 1953 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 1953, opening with Thai Pongal on 14 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 21 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1874 – 1875. 1953 carries an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1953 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 20 Jan | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 21 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 29 Jan | Thu |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1953 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Thu |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 18 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 28 Feb | Sat |
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 1953 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mar | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Mar | Sun |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
April 1953 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr | Mon |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 18 Apr | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Apr | Wed |
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 1953 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 May | Wed |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 1953 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 19 Jun | Fri |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Ashtami |
July 1953 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1953 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Sun |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 9 Aug | Sun | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 12 Aug | Wed |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Aug | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 21 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 24 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 31 Aug | Mon |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 1953 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep | Sat |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Sep | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1953 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 18 Oct | Sun |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1953 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Thu |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 12 Nov | Thu |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 20 Nov | Fri |
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 |
December 1953 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Dec | Sat |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Dec | Tue |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 16 Dec | Wed |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 21 Dec | Mon |
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 1953
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 1953, covering Shaka Samvat 1874 – 1875. 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 1953 | 13 Jan 1953 | 13 |
| Thai | 14 Jan 1953 | 12 Feb 1953 | 30 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1953 | 14 Mar 1953 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1953 | 13 Apr 1953 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1953 | 14 May 1953 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1953 | 14 Jun 1953 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 1953 | 16 Jul 1953 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1953 | 16 Aug 1953 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1953 | 16 Sep 1953 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1953 | 16 Oct 1953 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 1953 | 15 Nov 1953 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 1953 | 15 Dec 1953 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1953 | 31 Dec 1953 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1953
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1953 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Vaishakha, running from 14 April 1953 to 13 May 1953. Puthandu (Tamil New Year) fell on 13 April, 1 day earlier in the year than in 1952 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1953
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jan 5:17 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Thaipusam | Thai Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Feb 6:28 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days after Maha Shivaratri | Maasi Shukla Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Jul 8:13 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aani Amavasya | Not visible |
| 26 Jul 5:50 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aadi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Aug 9:24 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Aadi Pooram | Aadi Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1953
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 7:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 24 Apr 10:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde |
| 21 Aug 12:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Kanya → Tula |
| 30 Aug 9:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Nov 6:50 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1953
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1953?
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 1953, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Thai Pongal on Wednesday, 14 January 1953, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Monday, 21 December 1953.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1953?
The first major observances of 1953 are:
- Thai Pongal - Wednesday, 14 January 1953
- Mattu Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 1953
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 21 January 1953
- Thaipusam - Thursday, 29 January 1953
- Maha Shivaratri - Thursday, 12 February 1953
- Masi Magam - Saturday, 28 February 1953
Which month of 1953 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 1953 is the fullest month with 8 dates, including Aadi Perukku, Aadi Krithigai, Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Pooram, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami).
Which traditional year does 1953 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1953 spans Shaka Samvat 1874 – 1875. 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 1953 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1953 carried an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month inserted roughly every third year to keep the lunar calendar in step with the solar one. Festivals falling after it shift later in the Gregorian year, which is why 1953 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1953?
1953 had 5 eclipses:
- 30 January 1953 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 February 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 July 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 July 1953 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 August 1953 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 1953?
Yes - 5 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1953:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 9 April 1953
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 24 April 1953, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 21 August 1953
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 30 August 1953
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 30 November 1953, 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.
How do I see the tithi and nakshatra for a specific date in 1953?
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.
