Tamil Calendar 1991
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 1991
Shaka Samvat 1913 (Prajapati)
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 1991 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 1991, opening with Thai Pongal on 14 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 22 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1912 – 1913. 1991 carries an Adhik Maas (Vaishakha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 1991 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Mon |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Amavasya |
| 21 Jan | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 30 Jan | Wed |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 1991 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 20 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Feb | Thu |
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 1991 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Mar | Fri |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
April 1991 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr | Sun |
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 |
| 19 Apr | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 28 Apr | 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 |
May 1991 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 May | Mon |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 1991 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 19 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 1991 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 1991 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Sat |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 5 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Dashami |
| 10 Aug | Sat | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 12 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 23 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 25 Aug | Sun |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 1991 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Mon |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 11 Sep | Wed |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 13 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 1991 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct | Fri |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 1991 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 12 Nov | Tue |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 21 Nov | Thu |
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 1991 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 12 Dec | Thu |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 Dec | Mon |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 17 Dec | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 22 Dec | Sun |
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 1991
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 1991, covering Shaka Samvat 1912 – 1913. 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 1991 | 14 Jan 1991 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 1991 | 12 Feb 1991 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1991 | 14 Mar 1991 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1991 | 14 Apr 1991 | 31 |
| Chithirai | 15 Apr 1991 | 15 May 1991 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 16 May 1991 | 15 Jun 1991 | 31 |
| Aani | 16 Jun 1991 | 16 Jul 1991 | 31 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1991 | 17 Aug 1991 | 32 |
| Aavani | 18 Aug 1991 | 17 Sep 1991 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 18 Sep 1991 | 17 Oct 1991 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 1991 | 16 Nov 1991 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 1991 | 16 Dec 1991 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 17 Dec 1991 | 31 Dec 1991 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 1991
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1991 brought 6 eclipses - 2 solar and 4 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Vaishakha, running from 15 April 1991 to 14 May 1991. Ratha Saptami fell on 23 January, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1990 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1991
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 5:22 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Mattu Pongal | Thai Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 30 Jan 11:28 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Thaipusam | Thai Purnima | Not visible |
| 27 Jun 8:44 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aani Purnima | Not visible |
| 12 Jul 12:36 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aani Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 26 Jul 11:37 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aadi Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 21 Dec 4:03 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day before Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) | Margazhi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 1991
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Aug 3:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Dhanu on 13 April 1991, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 1991
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1991?
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 1991, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Thai Pongal on Monday, 14 January 1991, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Sunday, 22 December 1991.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1991?
The first major observances of 1991 are:
- Thai Pongal - Monday, 14 January 1991
- Mattu Pongal - Tuesday, 15 January 1991
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 23 January 1991
- Thaipusam - Wednesday, 30 January 1991
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 12 February 1991
- Masi Magam - Thursday, 28 February 1991
Which month of 1991 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 1991 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Aadi Perukku, Aadi Krithigai, Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Pooram, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma).
Which traditional year does 1991 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1991 spans Shaka Samvat 1912 – 1913. 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 1991 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 1991 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 1991 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 1991?
1991 had 6 eclipses:
- 16 January 1991 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 30 January 1991 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 27 June 1991 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 12 July 1991 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 July 1991 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 21 December 1991 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
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 1991?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1991:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 14 August 1991
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 1991?
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.
