Tamil Calendar 1998
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
November 1998
Shaka Samvat 1920 (Bahudhanya)
Aippasi – Karthikai
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 1998 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 1998, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 3 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 29 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). January is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1919 – 1920.
January 1998 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Jan | Thu |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 11 Jan | Sun |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 12 Jan | Mon |
Arudra Darisanam The cosmic dance of Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Tritiya |
February 1998 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 3 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 10 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 25 Feb | Wed |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 1998 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 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 |
April 1998 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 10 Apr | Fri |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Apr | Tue |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
May 1998 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 11 May | Mon |
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 |
| 30 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 1998 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun | Mon |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 29 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 1998 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul | Wed |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 19 Jul | Sun |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 23 Jul | Thu | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 27 Jul | Mon |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 29 Jul | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
August 1998 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 7 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 8 Aug | Sat |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Aug | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 25 Aug | Tue |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 27 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 1998 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Thu |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 19 Oct | Mon |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 26 Oct | Mon |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
November 1998 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Nov | Wed |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 1998 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec | 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 Chaturdashi |
| 16 Dec | Wed |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 24 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 29 Dec | Tue |
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 1998
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 1998, covering Shaka Samvat 1919 – 1920. 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 1998 | 14 Jan 1998 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 1998 | 12 Feb 1998 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 1998 | 14 Mar 1998 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 1998 | 13 Apr 1998 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 1998 | 14 May 1998 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 1998 | 15 Jun 1998 | 32 |
| Aani | 16 Jun 1998 | 16 Jul 1998 | 31 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 1998 | 16 Aug 1998 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 1998 | 16 Sep 1998 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 1998 | 17 Oct 1998 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 1998 | 16 Nov 1998 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 1998 | 15 Dec 1998 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 1998 | 31 Dec 1998 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 1998
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 1998 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ratha Saptami fell on 3 February, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1997 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1998
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 10:58 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Maha Shivaratri | Maasi Amavasya | Not visible |
| 13 Mar 9:50 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 2 days after Masi Magam | Maasi Purnima | Not visible |
| 8 Aug 7:54 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Aadi Purnima | Not visible |
| 22 Aug 7:36 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Vinayagar Chaturthi | Aavani Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 6 Sep 4:40 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aavani Purnima | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 1998
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 4:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 17 Apr 1:10 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Meena → Mesha |
| 26 May 4:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kumbha → Meena |
| 10 Sep 11:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Meena → Kumbha 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 1998
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 1998?
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 1998, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Saturday, 3 January 1998, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Tuesday, 29 December 1998.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 1998?
The first major observances of 1998 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 8 January 1998
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Sunday, 11 January 1998
- Arudra Darisanam - Monday, 12 January 1998
- Thai Pongal - Wednesday, 14 January 1998
- Mattu Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 1998
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 3 February 1998
Which month of 1998 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
January 1998 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Skanda Shashthi, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan), Arudra Darisanam, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal.
Which traditional year does 1998 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1998 spans Shaka Samvat 1919 – 1920. 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 1998 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1998 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 1998?
1998 had 5 eclipses:
- 26 February 1998 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 March 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 8 August 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 22 August 1998 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 6 September 1998 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak 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 1998?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1998:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 8 January 1998
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mesha on 17 April 1998
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Meena on 26 May 1998
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 10 September 1998, 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 1998?
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.
