Tamil Calendar 2013
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
May 2013
Shaka Samvat 1935 (Vijaya)
Chithirai – Vaikasi
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 2013 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 36 dates in 2013, opening with Thai Pongal on 14 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 18 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 7 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1934 – 1935.
January 2013 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan | Mon |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 16 Jan | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 27 Jan | Sun |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 2013 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Feb | Sun |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 25 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. |
Shukla Purnima |
March 2013 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar | Sun |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 17 Mar | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 27 Mar | Wed |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2013 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr | Sun |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) The Tamil solar new year begins as the Sun enters Mesha; homes are decorated with kolam and the Maruvilakku. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 16 Apr | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 25 Apr | Thu |
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 2013 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 24 May | Fri |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2013 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 17 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 2013 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 31 Jul | Wed |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
August 2013 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Aug | Fri |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Krishna Ekadashi |
| 6 Aug | Tue | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 9 Aug | Fri |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Dwitiya |
| 12 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 16 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Dashami |
| 21 Aug | Wed |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 28 Aug | Wed |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2013 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep | Mon |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 10 Sep | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 2013 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct | Sun |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
November 2013 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov | Sat |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 8 Nov | Fri |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 17 Nov | 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 Purnima |
December 2013 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Dec | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Dec | Sun |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 Dec | Mon |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
| 18 Dec | Wed |
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 2013
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 2013, covering Shaka Samvat 1934 – 1935. 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 2013 | 13 Jan 2013 | 13 |
| Thai | 14 Jan 2013 | 12 Feb 2013 | 30 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 2013 | 14 Mar 2013 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2013 | 13 Apr 2013 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2013 | 14 May 2013 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2013 | 14 Jun 2013 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2013 | 16 Jul 2013 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2013 | 16 Aug 2013 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2013 | 16 Sep 2013 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2013 | 17 Oct 2013 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 2013 | 16 Nov 2013 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 2013 | 15 Dec 2013 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2013 | 31 Dec 2013 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2013
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2013 brought 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Puthandu (Tamil New Year) fell on 14 April, 1 day earlier in the year than in 2012 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2013
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Apr 1:37 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Chithirai Thiruvizha | Chithirai Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 10 May 5:55 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chithirai Amavasya | Not visible |
| 25 May 9:40 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Vaikasi Visakam | Vaikasi Purnima | Not visible |
| 19 Oct 5:20 AM | Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aippasi Krishna Pratipada | Penumbral only |
| 3 Nov 6:16 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day after Deepavali | Aippasi Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 1 of these. A penumbral (Upachhaya) eclipse is not counted as a grahan.
Guru and Shani in 2013
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 7:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2013
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2013?
The Tamil Calendar lists 36 dates in 2013, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Thai Pongal on Monday, 14 January 2013, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Wednesday, 18 December 2013.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2013?
The first major observances of 2013 are:
- Thai Pongal - Monday, 14 January 2013
- Mattu Pongal - Tuesday, 15 January 2013
- Thaipusam - Sunday, 27 January 2013
- Ratha Saptami - Sunday, 17 February 2013
- Masi Magam - Monday, 25 February 2013
- Maha Shivaratri - Sunday, 10 March 2013
Which month of 2013 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 2013 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Aadi Perukku, Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Pooram, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami).
Which traditional year does 2013 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2013 spans Shaka Samvat 1934 – 1935. 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 2013 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2013 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 2013?
2013 had 5 eclipses:
- 26 April 2013 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 10 May 2013 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 25 May 2013 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 19 October 2013 - Penumbral lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), penumbral only, so no Sutak was observed
- 3 November 2013 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2013?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2013:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Mithuna on 31 May 2013
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 2013?
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.
