Tamil Calendar 2004
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
August 2004
Shaka Samvat 1926 (Tarana)
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 2004 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 39 dates in 2004, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 3 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 27 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). January is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1925 – 1926. 2004 carries an Adhik Maas (Shravana (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2004 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan | Sat |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 7 Jan | Wed |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 16 Jan | Fri |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Navami |
| 27 Jan | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 2004 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Feb | Thu |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 18 Feb | Wed |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 25 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 2004 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | Sat |
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 |
| 26 Mar | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 2004 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr | Sun |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 13 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 Navami |
| 25 Apr | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
May 2004 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May | Tue |
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 |
| 25 May | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 2004 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun | Wed |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 23 Jun | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 25 Jun | Fri |
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 2004 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul | Sat | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 21 Jul | Wed |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 23 Jul | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
August 2004 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Krishna Dwitiya |
| 9 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 21 Aug | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dwadashi |
| 30 Aug | Mon |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 2004 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep | Tue |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 18 Sep | Sat |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 19 Sep | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 2004 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct | Fri |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2004 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov | Thu |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 17 Nov | Wed |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 26 Nov | Fri |
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 2004 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Thu |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Dec | Fri |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 22 Dec | Wed |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 27 Dec | Mon |
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 2004
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 2004, covering Shaka Samvat 1925 – 1926. 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 2004 | 14 Jan 2004 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 2004 | 13 Feb 2004 | 30 |
| Maasi | 14 Feb 2004 | 14 Mar 2004 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2004 | 13 Apr 2004 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2004 | 14 May 2004 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2004 | 14 Jun 2004 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2004 | 16 Jul 2004 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2004 | 16 Aug 2004 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2004 | 16 Sep 2004 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2004 | 16 Oct 2004 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 2004 | 15 Nov 2004 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 2004 | 15 Dec 2004 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2004 | 31 Dec 2004 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2004
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2004 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Shravana, running from 18 July 2004 to 16 August 2004. Vaikunta Ekadashi fell on 3 January, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2003 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2004
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 7:04 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chithirai Amavasya | Not visible |
| 5 May 2:00 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Chithirai Thiruvizha | Chithirai Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Oct 8:29 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Purattasi Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Oct 8:34 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aippasi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2004
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 11:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
| 6 Sep 4:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Mithuna → Karka |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2004
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2004?
The Tamil Calendar lists 39 dates in 2004, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Saturday, 3 January 2004, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Monday, 27 December 2004.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2004?
The first major observances of 2004 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Saturday, 3 January 2004
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Wednesday, 7 January 2004
- Thai Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 2004
- Mattu Pongal - Friday, 16 January 2004
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 28 January 2004
- Thaipusam - Thursday, 5 February 2004
Which month of 2004 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
January 2004 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 2004 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2004 spans Shaka Samvat 1925 – 1926. 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 2004 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2004 carried an Adhik Maas (Shravana (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 2004 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2004?
2004 had 4 eclipses:
- 19 April 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 5 May 2004 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 October 2004 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 October 2004 - Total 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 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2004?
Yes - 2 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2004:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 27 August 2004
- Shani (Saturn) entered Karka on 6 September 2004
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 2004?
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.
