Tamil Calendar 2018
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
July 2018
Shaka Samvat 1940 (Vilambi)
Aani – Aadi
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 2018 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 2018, opening with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 2 January and closing with Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on 23 December. Of these, 12 are vrats (fasting observances). January is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 2018 carries an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (Adhik)), the extra lunar month that pushes several festivals later than usual.
January 2018 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan | Tue |
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) Arudra Darshan celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai (Ardra) star of Margazhi. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 14 Jan | Sun |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 15 Jan | Mon |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 22 Jan | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 24 Jan | Wed |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 31 Jan | Wed |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 2018 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb | Tue |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 21 Feb | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
March 2018 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Thu |
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 |
| 22 Mar | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 31 Mar | Sat |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2018 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Trayodashi |
| 21 Apr | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 30 Apr | Mon |
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 2018 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 28 May | Mon |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Chaturdashi |
June 2018 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 20 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 2018 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul | Tue |
Aadi Pooram The birth of Andal (Kodhai) on the Pooram star of Aadi, celebrated grandly at Srivilliputhur. |
Shukla Panchami |
| 17 Jul | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
August 2018 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 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 Shashthi |
| 6 Aug | Mon |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Navami |
| 11 Aug | Sat | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 16 Aug | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 24 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Trayodashi |
| 26 Aug | Sun |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
September 2018 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Mon |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
| 13 Sep | Thu |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 14 Sep | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
October 2018 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct | Fri |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Dashami |
November 2018 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Nov | Tue |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
| 13 Nov | Tue |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 22 Nov | Thu |
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 2018 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Dec | Thu | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 13 Dec | Thu |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 16 Dec | Sun |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Shukla Navami |
| 18 Dec | Tue |
Vaikunta Ekadashi
The Margazhi Ekadashi when the gates of Vaikuntha are said to open; Vishnu devotees fast and keep vigil. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 23 Dec | Sun |
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 2018
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 2018, covering Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 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 2018 | 13 Jan 2018 | 13 |
| Thai | 14 Jan 2018 | 12 Feb 2018 | 30 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 2018 | 14 Mar 2018 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2018 | 13 Apr 2018 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2018 | 14 May 2018 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2018 | 14 Jun 2018 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2018 | 16 Jul 2018 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2018 | 16 Aug 2018 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2018 | 16 Sep 2018 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2018 | 17 Oct 2018 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 2018 | 16 Nov 2018 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 2018 | 15 Dec 2018 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2018 | 31 Dec 2018 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2018
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2018 brought 5 eclipses - 3 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 Jyeshtha, running from 16 May 2018 to 13 June 2018. Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) fell on 2 January, 9 days earlier in the year than in 2017 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2018
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 6:59 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Thaipusam | Thai Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 16 Feb 2:21 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 3 days after Maha Shivaratri | Maasi Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 13 Jul 8:31 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aani Amavasya | Not visible |
| 28 Jul 1:51 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aadi Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 11 Aug 3:16 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aadi Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2018
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 7:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Tula → Vrishchika |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2018
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2018?
The Tamil Calendar lists 38 dates in 2018, of which 12 are vrats. The first is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Tuesday, 2 January 2018, and the last is Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) on Sunday, 23 December 2018.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2018?
The first major observances of 2018 are:
- Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) - Tuesday, 2 January 2018
- Thai Pongal - Sunday, 14 January 2018
- Mattu Pongal - Monday, 15 January 2018
- Ratha Saptami - Wednesday, 24 January 2018
- Thaipusam - Wednesday, 31 January 2018
- Maha Shivaratri - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Which month of 2018 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
January 2018 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan), Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal, Skanda Shashthi, Ratha Saptami, Thaipusam.
Which traditional year does 2018 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2018 spans Shaka Samvat 1939 – 1940. 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 2018 have an Adhik Maas?
Yes. 2018 carried an Adhik Maas (Jyeshtha (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 2018 dates can look out of place beside a neighbouring year.
Were there any eclipses in 2018?
2018 had 5 eclipses:
- 31 January 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 16 February 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 July 2018 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 28 July 2018 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 11 August 2018 - Partial 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 2018?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 2018:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 11 October 2018
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 2018?
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.
