Tamil Festival Calendar 2008
January 2008
13 festivals
Thu
3
Jan
Ekadashi observed with sesame seeds (tila) offering
Sat
5
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
6
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
7
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
11
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Mon
14
Jan
Tamil harvest festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti
Fri
18
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Sun
20
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
22
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
25
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
25
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
Sat
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
February 2008
14 festivals
Sat
2
Feb
Ekadashi for victory and success
Mon
4
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
4
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
6
Feb
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Wed
6
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
10
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
11
Feb
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Wed
13
Feb
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Wed
13
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Thu
14
Feb
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
Sat
16
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Mon
18
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
20
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
24
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
March 2008
14 festivals
Mon
3
Mar
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Wed
5
Mar
The great night of Lord Shiva
Wed
5
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
5
Mar
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
7
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
10
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Mon
17
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Wed
19
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
20
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Fri
21
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Fri
21
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
25
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
29
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
April 2008
15 festivals
Wed
2
Apr
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Thu
3
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
4
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
5
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
6
Apr
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Wed
9
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
10
Apr
Birthday of River Yamuna
Sun
13
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Sun
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Sun
13
Apr
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Tue
15
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Thu
17
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
19
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Sat
19
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
24
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
May 2008
19 festivals
Thu
1
May
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Sat
3
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
3
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
5
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
7
May
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Wed
7
May
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Thu
8
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
11
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Tue
13
May
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Wed
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Thu
15
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Sat
17
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Sat
17
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
19
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Mon
19
May
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
20
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Fri
23
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
24
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
30
May
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
June 2008
12 festivals
Sun
1
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
1
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
3
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Tue
3
Jun
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Fri
6
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
12
Jun
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Fri
13
Jun
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
Sat
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Mon
16
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
18
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
22
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
29
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
July 2008
13 festivals
Tue
1
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
2
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
4
Jul
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Sun
6
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
13
Jul
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Tue
15
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Thu
17
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Thu
17
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
22
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
28
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Wed
30
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
30
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
August 2008
15 festivals
Mon
4
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
5
Aug
Day of serpent worship
Tue
12
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Thu
14
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Sat
16
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Sat
16
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
16
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Sat
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Wed
20
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
23
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Tue
26
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Thu
28
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
28
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sat
30
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
September 2008
18 festivals
Wed
3
Sep
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Wed
3
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
4
Sep
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Fri
5
Sep
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Sun
7
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Wed
10
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Fri
12
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
13
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Sun
14
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
15
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
Tue
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Thu
18
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
24
Sep
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Fri
26
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
27
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
28
Sep
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Sun
28
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
29
Sep
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
October 2008
22 festivals
Thu
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Thu
2
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
3
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
7
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Wed
8
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Thu
9
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Fri
10
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Sun
12
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
14
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Tue
14
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
Fri
17
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Fri
24
Oct
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Sat
25
Oct
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Sat
25
Oct
Worship of cow and calf
Sun
26
Oct
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Sun
26
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
26
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
27
Oct
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Tue
28
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
29
Oct
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Thu
30
Oct
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
November 2008
14 festivals
Sat
1
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
8
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Sun
9
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Mon
10
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Tue
11
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
12
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
16
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Wed
19
Nov
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Sat
22
Nov
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Mon
24
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
25
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
25
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
27
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
December 2008
13 festivals
Mon
1
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Tue
2
Dec
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Mon
8
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Mon
8
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Wed
10
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
12
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Fri
12
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
15
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Wed
24
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
25
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
26
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
31
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
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