Tamil Calendar 2012
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
March 2012
Shaka Samvat 1933 (Khara) · Shaka Samvat 1934 (Nandana)
Maasi – Panguni
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 2012 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 2012, opening with Vaikunta Ekadashi on 5 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 28 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). January is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 2012 carries an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2012 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan | Thu |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 8 Jan | Sun |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 15 Jan | Sun |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Saptami |
| 16 Jan | Mon |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 28 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 30 Jan | Mon |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
February 2012 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Tue |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 20 Feb | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 27 Feb | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
March 2012 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 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 |
| 28 Mar | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
April 2012 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr | Thu |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Trayodashi |
| 14 Apr | Sat |
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 |
| 27 Apr | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
May 2012 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May | 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 |
| 26 May | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
June 2012 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun | Sun |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 25 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 27 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 2012 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul | Thu | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 23 Jul | Mon |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 24 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Jul | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
August 2012 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Thu |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 2 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 10 Aug | Fri |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 11 Aug | Sat |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 22 Aug | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
September 2012 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep | Wed |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 21 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 2012 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Oct | Wed |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2012 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 18 Nov | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 19 Nov | Mon |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 27 Nov | 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 |
December 2012 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec | Sun |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 18 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 Dec | Tue |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 23 Dec | Sun |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Ekadashi |
| 28 Dec | Fri |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 2012
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 2012, covering Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 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 2012 | 14 Jan 2012 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 2012 | 13 Feb 2012 | 30 |
| Maasi | 14 Feb 2012 | 14 Mar 2012 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2012 | 13 Apr 2012 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2012 | 14 May 2012 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2012 | 14 Jun 2012 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2012 | 16 Jul 2012 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2012 | 16 Aug 2012 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2012 | 16 Sep 2012 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2012 | 16 Oct 2012 | 30 |
| Aippasi | 17 Oct 2012 | 15 Nov 2012 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 16 Nov 2012 | 15 Dec 2012 | 30 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2012 | 31 Dec 2012 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2012
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2012 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 3 were above the horizon somewhere in India. The year also carried an Adhik Maas, the extra lunar month of Bhadrapada, running from 18 August 2012 to 16 September 2012. Puthandu (Tamil New Year) fell on 14 April, 1 day later in the year than in 2011 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2012
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 5:22 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Vaikasi Shukla Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Jun 4:33 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Vaikasi Visakam | Vaikasi Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 14 Nov 3:41 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Aippasi Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 28 Nov 8:03 PM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Karthigai Deepam | Karthikai 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 2012
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 16 May 6:40 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Tula → Kanya re-entry while retrograde |
| 17 May 9:40 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 4 Aug 8:50 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Tula on 23 December 2012, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2012
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2012?
The Tamil Calendar lists 40 dates in 2012, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Vaikunta Ekadashi on Thursday, 5 January 2012, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Friday, 28 December 2012.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2012?
The first major observances of 2012 are:
- Vaikunta Ekadashi - Thursday, 5 January 2012
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Sunday, 8 January 2012
- Thai Pongal - Sunday, 15 January 2012
- Mattu Pongal - Monday, 16 January 2012
- Ratha Saptami - Monday, 30 January 2012
- Thaipusam - Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Which month of 2012 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
January 2012 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 2012 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2012 spans Shaka Samvat 1933 – 1934. 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 2012 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2012 carried an Adhik Maas (Bhadrapada (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 2012 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2012?
2012 had 4 eclipses:
- 21 May 2012 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 June 2012 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 14 November 2012 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 November 2012 - 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 2012?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2012:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Kanya on 16 May 2012, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishabha on 17 May 2012
- Shani (Saturn) entered Tula on 4 August 2012
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 2012?
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.
