Tamil Calendar 1955
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
August 1955
Shaka Samvat 1877 (Manmatha)
Aadi – Aavani
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 1955 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 39 dates in 1955, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 4 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 29 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). January is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1876 – 1877. 1955 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1955 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jan | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 8 Jan | Sat |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Jan | Fri |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Shashthi |
| 15 Jan | Sat |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 29 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 30 Jan | Sun |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 1955 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Feb | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 20 Feb | Sun |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 27 Feb | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 1955 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar | 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. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 29 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 1955 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr | Wed |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Apr | Thu |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 27 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
May 1955 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May | 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 |
| 26 May | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1955 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun | Fri |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 4 Jun | Sat |
Vaikasi Visakam The birth star of Lord Murugan, the Visakam nakshatra of Vaikasi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 25 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Jun | Sun |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Saptami |
July 1955 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Tue | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 23 Jul | Sat |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 24 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
August 1955 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 Chaturdashi |
| 3 Aug | Wed |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 11 Aug | Thu |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 12 Aug | Fri |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 23 Aug | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
September 1955 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep | Mon |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 21 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 1955 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1955 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 20 Nov | Sun |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 1955 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Fri |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 20 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 20 Dec | Tue |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Dec | Sun |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 29 Dec | Thu |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 1955
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 1955, covering Shaka Samvat 1876 – 1877. 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 1955 | 14 Jan 1955 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 1955 | 12 Feb 1955 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1955 | 14 Mar 1955 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1955 | 13 Apr 1955 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1955 | 14 May 1955 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1955 | 15 Jun 1955 | 32 |
| Aani | 16 Jun 1955 | 16 Jul 1955 | 31 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1955 | 16 Aug 1955 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1955 | 16 Sep 1955 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1955 | 17 Oct 1955 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 1955 | 16 Nov 1955 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 1955 | 15 Dec 1955 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1955 | 31 Dec 1955 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1955
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1955 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 5 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 1955 to 16 September 1955. Ratha Saptami fell on 30 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1954 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1955
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 6:02 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) | Margazhi Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 5 Jun 7:52 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Vaikasi Visakam | Vaikasi Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 20 Jun 9:40 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aani Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 29 Nov 10:29 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Karthikai Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Dec 12:31 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 2 days before Dhanurmasam Begins | Karthikai 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 1955
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jan 6:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Mithuna re-entry while retrograde |
| 3 May 4:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Karka |
| 1 Oct 5:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
| 12 Nov 12:10 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Vrishchika |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Vrishchika on 19 August 1955, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1955
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1955?
The Tamil Calendar lists 39 dates in 1955, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Tuesday, 4 January 1955, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Thursday, 29 December 1955.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1955?
The first major observances of 1955 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Tuesday, 4 January 1955
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Saturday, 8 January 1955
- Thai Pongal - Friday, 14 January 1955
- Mattu Pongal - Saturday, 15 January 1955
- Ratha Saptami - Sunday, 30 January 1955
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 6 February 1955
Which month of 1955 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
January 1955 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Vaikunta Ekadashi, Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan), Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal, Skanda Shashthi, Ratha Saptami.
Which traditional year does 1955 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1955 spans Shaka Samvat 1876 – 1877. 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 1955 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1955 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 1955 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1955?
1955 had 5 eclipses:
- 8 January 1955 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 5 June 1955 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 20 June 1955 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 29 November 1955 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 December 1955 - Annular 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 1955?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1955:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 28 January 1955, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Karka on 3 May 1955
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 1 October 1955
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishchika on 12 November 1955
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 1955?
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.
