Hindu Festival Calendar 1985
January 1985
17 festivals
Wed
2
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Fri
4
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
6
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
10
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
10
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
Sun
13
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Sun
13
Jan
Tamil harvest festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti
Wed
16
Jan
Ekadashi for victory and success
Fri
18
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
18
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
20
Jan
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Sun
20
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
24
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
25
Jan
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Sat
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Mon
28
Jan
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Tue
29
Jan
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
February 1985
11 festivals
Fri
1
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Sun
3
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
5
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
8
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
12
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Fri
15
Feb
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Sun
17
Feb
The great night of Lord Shiva
Sun
17
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
17
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
19
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
23
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
March 1985
21 festivals
Sun
3
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Mon
4
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
6
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Wed
6
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
7
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Sun
10
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
13
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
Thu
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Sat
16
Mar
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Mon
18
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
19
Mar
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
20
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
21
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
22
Mar
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Fri
22
Mar
Telugu and Kannada New Year
Fri
22
Mar
Marathi New Year
Sun
24
Mar
Rajasthani festival celebrating Gauri (Parvati) and Shiva
Mon
25
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
27
Mar
Birthday of River Yamuna
Sat
30
Mar
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Sat
30
Mar
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
April 1985
16 festivals
Mon
1
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Wed
3
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
5
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Fri
5
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
8
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Mon
15
Apr
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Wed
17
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
17
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
19
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
22
Apr
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Tue
23
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Wed
24
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
27
Apr
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Mon
29
Apr
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Tue
30
Apr
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
May 1985
16 festivals
Thu
2
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Thu
2
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
4
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Sat
4
May
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
5
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Tue
7
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Wed
15
May
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Fri
17
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
17
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
19
May
Married women fast for husband's longevity (North Indian tradition)
Sun
19
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
19
May
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Thu
23
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
29
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Thu
30
May
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
June 1985
13 festivals
Sat
1
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
2
Jun
Married women fast for husband's longevity (South/West Indian tradition)
Sun
2
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
6
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
13
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
Fri
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Sat
15
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
16
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
18
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
20
Jun
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Sat
22
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
28
Jun
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Sun
30
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
July 1985
11 festivals
Tue
2
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Tue
2
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
5
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
13
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Mon
15
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
15
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Wed
17
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
21
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
29
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
31
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
August 1985
13 festivals
Sun
4
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
14
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
14
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Fri
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Sun
18
Aug
Monsoon festival for married women celebrating Parvati and Shiva's union
Mon
19
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
20
Aug
Day of serpent worship
Mon
26
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Tue
27
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
29
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Thu
29
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
29
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
September 1985
19 festivals
Mon
2
Sep
Women's festival with singing of Kajari songs
Tue
3
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
6
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Tue
10
Sep
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Thu
12
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
12
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
14
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
16
Sep
Women's fasting day with strict nirjala fast for husband's well-being
Mon
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Tue
17
Sep
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Tue
17
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
18
Sep
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Thu
19
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Sat
21
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Tue
24
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Thu
26
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
27
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Sat
28
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
29
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
October 1985
17 festivals
Wed
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Wed
2
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
10
Oct
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Sat
12
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
13
Oct
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Sun
13
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
14
Oct
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Thu
17
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Sun
20
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Mon
21
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Tue
22
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Wed
23
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Fri
25
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
26
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
28
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Mon
28
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
November 1985
21 festivals
Fri
1
Nov
Fasting by married women for husband's longevity
Fri
1
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Tue
5
Nov
Mothers fast for the well-being of their children
Fri
8
Nov
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Sat
9
Nov
Worship of cow and calf
Sun
10
Nov
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Sun
10
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
10
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
11
Nov
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Tue
12
Nov
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Tue
12
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
13
Nov
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Fri
15
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Sun
17
Nov
Major festival of Bihar/UP dedicated to the Sun God
Thu
21
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Fri
22
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Sat
23
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Sun
24
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
26
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
27
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
December 1985
14 festivals
Sun
1
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
4
Dec
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Sun
8
Dec
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Mon
9
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
11
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
15
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Mon
16
Dec
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Sun
22
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Sun
22
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Tue
24
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
26
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Thu
26
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
30
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
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