Tamil Festival Calendar 2005
January 2005
12 festivals
Thu
6
Jan
Ekadashi observed with sesame seeds (tila) offering
Sat
8
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
8
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
13
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Fri
14
Jan
Tamil harvest festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti
Thu
20
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Sat
22
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
24
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Sat
29
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
29
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
February 2005
12 festivals
Fri
4
Feb
Ekadashi for victory and success
Sun
6
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
8
Feb
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Tue
8
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
12
Feb
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Sat
12
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Mon
14
Feb
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Wed
16
Feb
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
Sat
19
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Mon
21
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
23
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
27
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
March 2005
12 festivals
Sun
6
Mar
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Tue
8
Mar
The great night of Lord Shiva
Tue
8
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
8
Mar
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
13
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Mon
21
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Wed
23
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
24
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Fri
25
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Fri
25
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
29
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
April 2005
15 festivals
Sat
2
Apr
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
Mon
4
Apr
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Wed
6
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
6
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
8
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
9
Apr
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Tue
12
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Thu
14
Apr
Birthday of River Yamuna
Sun
17
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Sun
17
Apr
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Tue
19
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Fri
22
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
23
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Wed
27
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
May 2005
15 festivals
Wed
4
May
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Fri
6
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
7
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Tue
10
May
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Wed
11
May
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Thu
12
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Sun
15
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Tue
17
May
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Thu
19
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Sat
21
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Sat
21
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
23
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Mon
23
May
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
24
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
June 2005
12 festivals
Thu
2
Jun
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Sat
4
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
4
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
6
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
6
Jun
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Fri
10
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Fri
17
Jun
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Sat
18
Jun
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
Mon
20
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
21
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
25
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
July 2005
14 festivals
Fri
1
Jul
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
Sun
3
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
4
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
5
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
6
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
8
Jul
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Sun
10
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Sun
17
Jul
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Tue
19
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
21
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Thu
21
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
24
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
31
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
August 2005
16 festivals
Tue
2
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
2
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
4
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
8
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
9
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
10
Aug
Day of serpent worship
Mon
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Mon
15
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Tue
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Wed
17
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
19
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Fri
19
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
19
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Mon
22
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
25
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Mon
29
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
September 2005
16 festivals
Thu
1
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
1
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
3
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
7
Sep
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Wed
7
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
8
Sep
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Fri
9
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Sun
11
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Wed
14
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Fri
16
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Fri
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Sat
17
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
18
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
Wed
21
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
28
Sep
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Fri
30
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
October 2005
21 festivals
Sat
1
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
2
Oct
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Sun
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Sun
2
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
3
Oct
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Fri
7
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
10
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Tue
11
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Wed
12
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Thu
13
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Sat
15
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
17
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Mon
17
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Thu
20
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
28
Oct
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Sat
29
Oct
Worship of cow and calf
Sun
30
Oct
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Sun
30
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
30
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
31
Oct
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
November 2005
16 festivals
Tue
1
Nov
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Tue
1
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
2
Nov
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Thu
3
Nov
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Sat
5
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
10
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Fri
11
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Sat
12
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Sun
13
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
15
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Sat
19
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
23
Nov
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Sun
27
Nov
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Tue
29
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
29
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
December 2005
13 festivals
Thu
1
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
4
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
5
Dec
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Sun
11
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Sun
11
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Tue
13
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
15
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Thu
15
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Mon
19
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
28
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
29
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
30
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
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