Tamil Calendar 1988
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
January 1988
Shaka Samvat 1909 (Prabhava)
Margazhi – Thai
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 1988 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 1988, opening with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 3 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 24 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 1988 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1988 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Sun |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Jan | Fri |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 16 Jan | Sat |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 24 Jan | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Jan | Mon |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 1988 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 16 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 22 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 1988 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar | Wed |
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 |
| 23 Mar | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
April 1988 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Fri |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 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. |
Krishna Dwadashi |
| 21 Apr | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
May 1988 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Sun |
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 |
| 21 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 30 May | Mon |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 1988 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 22 Jun | Wed |
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 1988 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul | Mon |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 19 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1988 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. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 6 Aug | Sat |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 12 Aug | Fri | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 18 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 26 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 27 Aug | Sat |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 1988 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 15 Sep | Thu |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 17 Sep | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 1988 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1988 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 15 Nov | Tue |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 23 Nov | Wed |
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 1988 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Dec | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Dec | Wed |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Dec | Thu |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 19 Dec | Mon |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 24 Dec | Sat |
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 1988
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 1988, covering Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 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 1988 | 14 Jan 1988 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 1988 | 13 Feb 1988 | 30 |
| Maasi | 14 Feb 1988 | 14 Mar 1988 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1988 | 13 Apr 1988 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1988 | 14 May 1988 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1988 | 14 Jun 1988 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 1988 | 16 Jul 1988 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1988 | 16 Aug 1988 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1988 | 16 Sep 1988 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1988 | 16 Oct 1988 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 1988 | 15 Nov 1988 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 1988 | 15 Dec 1988 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1988 | 31 Dec 1988 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1988
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1988 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 1988 to 14 June 1988. Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) fell on 3 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1987 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1988
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar 9:42 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Masi Magam | Maasi Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 18 Mar 7:28 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Panguni Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 27 Aug 4:34 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Aavani Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Sep 10:13 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aavani 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 1988
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Mesha |
| 19 Jun 11:10 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Kumbha on 6 March 1988, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1988
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1988?
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 1988, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Sunday, 3 January 1988, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Saturday, 24 December 1988.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1988?
The first major observances of 1988 are:
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Sunday, 3 January 1988
- Thai Pongal - Friday, 15 January 1988
- Mattu Pongal - Saturday, 16 January 1988
- Ratha Saptami - Monday, 25 January 1988
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 2 February 1988
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 16 February 1988
Which month of 1988 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 1988 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Aadi Perukku, Aadi Krithigai, Aadi Amavasai, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma).
Which traditional year does 1988 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1988 spans Shaka Samvat 1909 – 1910. 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 1988 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1988 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (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 1988 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1988?
1988 had 4 eclipses:
- 3 March 1988 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 18 March 1988 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 27 August 1988 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 September 1988 - 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 1988?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1988:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mesha on 3 February 1988
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 19 June 1988
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 1988?
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.
