Tamil Calendar 2003
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
February 2003
Shaka Samvat 1924 (Chitrabhanu)
Thai – Maasi
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 2003 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 2003, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 8 January and closing with Skanda Shashthi on 28 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925.
January 2003 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 14 Jan | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 15 Jan | Wed |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
| 19 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Krishna Pratipada |
February 2003 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 8 Feb | Sat |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 17 Feb | 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. |
Krishna Pratipada |
March 2003 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Sat |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 9 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 Mar | Tue |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2003 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 14 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. |
Shukla Dwadashi |
| 16 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 2003 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 May | Fri |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Purnima |
June 2003 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
July 2003 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 6 Jul | 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 |
| 24 Jul | Thu |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Dashami |
| 29 Jul | Tue | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
August 2003 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Fri |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 3 Aug | Sun |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 3 Aug | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Aug | Tue |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 20 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 31 Aug | Sun |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
September 2003 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Sep | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 2003 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct | Sat |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 24 Oct | Fri |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 30 Oct | Thu |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
November 2003 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Nov | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Nov | Sat |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 2003 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Dec | Sun |
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 | Tue |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 28 Dec | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 2003
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 2003, covering Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925. 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 2003 | 14 Jan 2003 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 2003 | 12 Feb 2003 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 2003 | 14 Mar 2003 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2003 | 14 Apr 2003 | 31 |
| Chithirai | 15 Apr 2003 | 15 May 2003 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 16 May 2003 | 15 Jun 2003 | 31 |
| Aani | 16 Jun 2003 | 16 Jul 2003 | 31 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2003 | 17 Aug 2003 | 32 |
| Aavani | 18 Aug 2003 | 17 Sep 2003 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 18 Sep 2003 | 17 Oct 2003 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 2003 | 16 Nov 2003 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 2003 | 16 Dec 2003 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 17 Dec 2003 | 31 Dec 2003 | 15 |
What happened in the sky in 2003
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2003 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Ratha Saptami fell on 8 February, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2002 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2003
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 9:10 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Vaikasi Visakam | Vaikasi Purnima | Not visible |
| 31 May 9:38 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Vaikasi Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Nov 6:48 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aippasi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 24 Nov 4:19 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Karthikai Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2003
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 2:00 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
| 7 Apr 8:20 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 30 Jul 12:00 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Karka → Simha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mesha on 6 September 2003, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2003
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2003?
The Tamil Calendar lists 37 dates in 2003, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Wednesday, 8 January 2003, and the last is Skanda Shashthi on Sunday, 28 December 2003.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2003?
The first major observances of 2003 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Tuesday, 14 January 2003
- Mattu Pongal - Wednesday, 15 January 2003
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 19 January 2003
- Ratha Saptami - Saturday, 8 February 2003
- Masi Magam - Monday, 17 February 2003
- Maha Shivaratri - Saturday, 1 March 2003
Which month of 2003 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 2003 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Aadi Pooram, Aadi Perukku, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami), Vinayagar Chaturthi.
Which traditional year does 2003 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2003 spans Shaka Samvat 1924 – 1925. 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 2003 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2003 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 2003?
2003 had 4 eclipses:
- 16 May 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 31 May 2003 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 November 2003 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 24 November 2003 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2003?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2003:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Vrishabha on 8 January 2003, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mithuna on 7 April 2003
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Simha on 30 July 2003
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 2003?
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.
