Tamil Calendar 2009
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
December 2009
Shaka Samvat 1931 (Virodhi)
Karthikai – Margazhi
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 2009 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 2009, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 2 January and closing with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 28 December. Of these, 14 are vrats (fasting observances). The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1930 – 1931.
January 2009 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 7 Jan | Wed |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 10 Jan | Sat |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 14 Jan | Wed |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Chaturthi |
| 15 Jan | Thu |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Panchami |
February 2009 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 2 Feb | Mon |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 8 Feb | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 23 Feb | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
March 2009 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 10 Mar | Tue |
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 |
| 31 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 2009 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr | Wed |
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 Panchami |
| 30 Apr | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
May 2009 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May | Sat |
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 |
| 29 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
June 2009 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun | Sat |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 27 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 29 Jun | Mon |
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 2009 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul | Sat |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 22 Jul | Wed | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 25 Jul | Sat |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 26 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 31 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
August 2009 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 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 Dwadashi |
| 5 Aug | Wed |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Aug | Fri |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 23 Aug | Sun |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 25 Aug | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
September 2009 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Sep | Mon |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
October 2009 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct | Sat |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 23 Oct | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Oct | Sat |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
November 2009 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Nov | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 23 Nov | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 2009 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | Tue |
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 Amavasya |
| 22 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 Dec | Mon |
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 2009
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 2009, covering Shaka Samvat 1930 – 1931. 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 2009 | 13 Jan 2009 | 13 |
| Thai | 14 Jan 2009 | 12 Feb 2009 | 30 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 2009 | 14 Mar 2009 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2009 | 13 Apr 2009 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2009 | 14 May 2009 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2009 | 14 Jun 2009 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2009 | 16 Jul 2009 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2009 | 16 Aug 2009 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2009 | 16 Sep 2009 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2009 | 17 Oct 2009 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 2009 | 16 Nov 2009 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 2009 | 15 Dec 2009 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2009 | 31 Dec 2009 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2009
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2009 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 4 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Thai Pongal fell on 14 January, 1 day earlier in the year than in 2008 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2009
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jan 1:28 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Thai Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 9 Feb 8:08 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Thaipusam | Thai Purnima | Penumbral only |
| 7 Jul 3:08 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aani Purnima | Not visible |
| 22 Jul 8:05 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days before Aadi Pooram | Aadi Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 6 Aug 6:09 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Avani Avittam (Upakarma) | Aadi Purnima | Penumbral only |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2009
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 6:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 30 Jul 7:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kumbha → Makara re-entry while retrograde |
| 10 Sep 12:10 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Simha → Kanya |
| 20 Dec 12:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Dhanu on 17 November 2009, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2009
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2009?
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 2009, of which 14 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Friday, 2 January 2009, and the last is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Monday, 28 December 2009.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2009?
The first major observances of 2009 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Wednesday, 7 January 2009
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Saturday, 10 January 2009
- Thai Pongal - Wednesday, 14 January 2009
- Mattu Pongal - Thursday, 15 January 2009
- Ratha Saptami - Monday, 2 February 2009
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 8 February 2009
Which traditional year does 2009 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2009 spans Shaka Samvat 1930 – 1931. 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 2009 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2009 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 2009?
2009 had 5 eclipses:
- 26 January 2009 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 9 February 2009 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 7 July 2009 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 22 July 2009 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 6 August 2009 - 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 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 2009?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2009:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 1 May 2009
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 30 July 2009, moving retrograde
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 10 September 2009
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 20 December 2009
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 2009?
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.
