Tamil Calendar 2019
The Tamil festival calendar. Tamil festivals and vrats month by month, with the date and tithi timing of each observance.
July 2019
Shaka Samvat 1941 (Vikari)
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 2019 - festivals and vrats through the year
The Tamil Calendar lists 35 dates in 2019, opening with Skanda Shashthi on 12 January and closing with Skanda Shashthi on 31 December. Of these, 13 are vrats (fasting observances). August is the fullest month with 6 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1940 – 1941.
January 2019 Margazhi – Thai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 15 Jan | Tue |
Thai Pongal The Tamil harvest thanksgiving on the Sun's entry into Makara. |
Shukla Navami |
| 16 Jan | Wed |
Mattu Pongal The third day of Pongal, when cattle are bathed, decorated and honoured for their role in farming. |
Shukla Dashami |
| 21 Jan | Mon |
Thaipusam Devotees of Lord Murugan carry kavadi in penance and thanksgiving on the Pusam star of Thai. |
Shukla Purnima |
February 2019 Thai – Maasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 12 Feb | Tue |
Ratha Saptami Surya's chariot turns north — devotees bathe at dawn and worship the Sun god on Magha Shukla Saptami. |
Shukla Saptami |
| 20 Feb | 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. |
Krishna Pratipada |
March 2019 Maasi – Panguni
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar | Mon |
Maha Shivaratri
The great night of Lord Shiva. |
Krishna Trayodashi |
| 12 Mar | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 21 Mar | Thu |
Panguni Uthiram The Uthiram star of Panguni, celebrating the celestial weddings of Murugan-Deivanai and Shiva-Parvati. |
Shukla Purnima |
April 2019 Panguni – Chithirai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 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 Navami |
| 19 Apr | Fri |
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 2019 Chithirai – Vaikasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May | Fri | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 18 May | Sat |
Vaikasi Visakam The Visakam star of Vaikasi, celebrated as the birth star of Lord Murugan with special temple worship. |
Shukla Purnima |
June 2019 Vaikasi – Aani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun | Sat | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
July 2019 Aani – Aadi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jul | Sun | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 8 Jul | Mon |
Ani Thirumanjanam The grand sacred anointing of Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram on the Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) star of the Tamil month Aani. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 27 Jul | Sat |
Aadi Krithigai Lord Murugan is worshipped with lamps and abhishekam on the Krittika star of the Tamil month Aadi. |
Krishna Dashami |
August 2019 Aadi – Aavani
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug | Thu | Aadi Amavasai Vrat | Krishna Amavasya |
| 3 Aug | Sat |
Aadi Perukku On the 18th of Aadi, the swelling of the Cauvery and other rivers is celebrated with prayers to the waters. |
Shukla Tritiya |
| 5 Aug | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
| 9 Aug | Fri | Varalakshmi Vratham Vrat | Shukla Navami |
| 15 Aug | Thu |
Avani Avittam (Upakarma) Brahmins renew the sacred thread (Yajur Upakarma) on Shravana Purnima. |
Shukla Purnima |
| 24 Aug | Sat |
Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) The midnight birth of Lord Krishna. |
Krishna Ashtami |
September 2019 Aavani – Purattasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep | Mon |
Vinayagar Chaturthi The birth of Lord Ganesha on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. |
Shukla Chaturthi |
| 4 Sep | Wed | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
October 2019 Purattasi – Aippasi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct | Mon |
Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami. |
Shukla Navami |
| 27 Oct | Sun |
Deepavali The festival of lights, kept with the Ganga snanam at dawn (Naraka Chaturdashi). |
Krishna Chaturdashi |
November 2019 Aippasi – Karthikai
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov | Sat |
Skanda Sashti (Soorasamharam) Six days of worship of Lord Murugan culminate in Soorasamharam — his victory over the demon Surapadman. |
Shukla Shashthi |
December 2019 Karthikai – Margazhi
| Date | Day | Festival / Vrat | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec | Mon | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Shashthi |
| 2 Dec | Mon |
Subramanya Shashti Lord Subramanya (Kartikeya) is worshipped at Kukke and beyond on Margashirsha Shukla Shashthi. |
Shukla Shashthi |
| 10 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 Trayodashi |
| 16 Dec | Mon |
Dhanurmasam Begins The month of dawn Vishnu worship (Tiruppavai / Dhanurmasa) begins as the Sun enters Dhanu. |
Krishna Panchami |
| 31 Dec | Tue | Skanda Shashthi Vrat | Shukla Panchami |
Months of the Tamil Calendar in 2019
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 2019, covering Shaka Samvat 1940 – 1941. 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 2019 | 14 Jan 2019 | 14 |
| Thai | 15 Jan 2019 | 12 Feb 2019 | 29 |
| Maasi | 13 Feb 2019 | 14 Mar 2019 | 30 |
| Panguni | 15 Mar 2019 | 13 Apr 2019 | 30 |
| Chithirai | 14 Apr 2019 | 14 May 2019 | 31 |
| Vaikasi | 15 May 2019 | 14 Jun 2019 | 31 |
| Aani | 15 Jun 2019 | 16 Jul 2019 | 32 |
| Aadi | 17 Jul 2019 | 16 Aug 2019 | 31 |
| Aavani | 17 Aug 2019 | 16 Sep 2019 | 31 |
| Purattasi | 17 Sep 2019 | 17 Oct 2019 | 31 |
| Aippasi | 18 Oct 2019 | 16 Nov 2019 | 30 |
| Karthikai | 17 Nov 2019 | 15 Dec 2019 | 29 |
| Margazhi part | 16 Dec 2019 | 31 Dec 2019 | 16 |
What happened in the sky in 2019
Beyond the dates the Tamil Calendar lists, 2019 brought 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Thai Pongal fell on 15 January, 1 day later in the year than in 2018 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2019
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Tamil date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan 7:11 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margazhi Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 21 Jan 10:42 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) on Thaipusam | Thai Purnima | Not visible |
| 3 Jul 12:52 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Aani Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 17 Jul 3:00 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Aadi Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 26 Dec 10:47 AM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margazhi Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2019
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 8:10 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
| 23 Apr 1:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Dhanu → Vrishchika re-entry while retrograde |
| 5 Nov 5:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishchika → Dhanu |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Mithuna on 7 March 2019, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Tamil Calendar 2019
How many festivals and vrats does the Tamil Calendar list in 2019?
The Tamil Calendar lists 35 dates in 2019, of which 13 are vrats. The first is Skanda Shashthi on Saturday, 12 January 2019, and the last is Skanda Shashthi on Tuesday, 31 December 2019.
What are the main festival dates in the Tamil Calendar for 2019?
The first major observances of 2019 are:
- Thai Pongal - Tuesday, 15 January 2019
- Mattu Pongal - Wednesday, 16 January 2019
- Thaipusam - Monday, 21 January 2019
- Ratha Saptami - Tuesday, 12 February 2019
- Masi Magam - Wednesday, 20 February 2019
- Maha Shivaratri - Monday, 4 March 2019
Which month of 2019 has the most observances in the Tamil Calendar?
August 2019 is the fullest month with 6 dates, including Aadi Amavasai, Aadi Perukku, Skanda Shashthi, Varalakshmi Vratham, Avani Avittam (Upakarma), Sri Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami).
Which traditional year does 2019 correspond to in the Tamil Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2019 spans Shaka Samvat 1940 – 1941. 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 2019 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2019 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 2019?
2019 had 5 eclipses:
- 6 January 2019 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 21 January 2019 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 3 July 2019 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 17 July 2019 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 26 December 2019 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya 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 2019?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2019:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 29 March 2019
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Vrishchika on 23 April 2019, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Dhanu on 5 November 2019
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 2019?
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.
