Tamil Festival Calendar 2012
January 2012
17 festivals
Wed
4
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Fri
6
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
8
Jan
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
12
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
12
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
Sat
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Sat
14
Jan
Tamil harvest festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti
Thu
19
Jan
Ekadashi for victory and success
Fri
20
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
21
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
22
Jan
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Sun
22
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Thu
26
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
27
Jan
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Mon
30
Jan
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Tue
31
Jan
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
February 2012
11 festivals
Fri
3
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Sun
5
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
7
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
11
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
13
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Fri
17
Feb
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Sun
19
Feb
The great night of Lord Shiva
Sun
19
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
19
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
21
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
25
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
March 2012
17 festivals
Sun
4
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Tue
6
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
7
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Thu
8
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Sun
11
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Thu
15
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
Sat
17
Mar
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Mon
19
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
20
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
20
Mar
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
22
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
23
Mar
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Mon
26
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
28
Mar
Birthday of River Yamuna
Sat
31
Mar
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Sat
31
Mar
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
April 2012
15 festivals
Mon
2
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Wed
4
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
6
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Fri
6
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
9
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Mon
16
Apr
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Wed
18
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
18
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
20
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
23
Apr
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Tue
24
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Wed
25
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
28
Apr
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Mon
30
Apr
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
May 2012
16 festivals
Wed
2
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Fri
4
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Fri
4
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
5
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Sat
5
May
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
6
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Wed
9
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Wed
16
May
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Fri
18
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
18
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
20
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
20
May
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Thu
24
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
30
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Thu
31
May
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
June 2012
12 festivals
Sat
2
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
4
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
7
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
14
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
Thu
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Sat
16
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
17
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
17
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
19
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
21
Jun
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Sat
23
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
29
Jun
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
July 2012
13 festivals
Sun
1
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
3
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Tue
3
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Sat
7
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
14
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Mon
16
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
16
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Wed
18
Jul
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
22
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
23
Jul
Day of serpent worship
Sun
29
Jul
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Mon
30
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
August 2012
15 festivals
Wed
1
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Wed
1
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
1
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Sun
5
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
9
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Mon
13
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Wed
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Wed
15
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
15
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Fri
17
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Mon
20
Aug
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Wed
22
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Wed
29
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
31
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
September 2012
12 festivals
Tue
4
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
13
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
15
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Wed
19
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
20
Sep
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Sat
22
Sep
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
Tue
25
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Thu
27
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
28
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Sat
29
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
30
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
October 2012
17 festivals
Tue
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Wed
3
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Thu
11
Oct
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Sat
13
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
13
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
15
Oct
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Mon
15
Oct
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Mon
15
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Thu
18
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
21
Oct
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Mon
22
Oct
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Tue
23
Oct
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
Thu
25
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Sat
27
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
29
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Mon
29
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
November 2012
18 festivals
Fri
2
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
9
Nov
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Sat
10
Nov
Worship of cow and calf
Sun
11
Nov
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Sun
11
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sun
11
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
12
Nov
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Tue
13
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
14
Nov
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Thu
15
Nov
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Fri
16
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Fri
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Thu
22
Nov
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Fri
23
Nov
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
Sat
24
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Sun
25
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Tue
27
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
28
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
December 2012
14 festivals
Sun
2
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
5
Dec
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Sun
9
Dec
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Tue
11
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
11
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
12
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sat
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Sun
16
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
17
Dec
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Sun
23
Dec
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Sun
23
Dec
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
Tue
25
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
27
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Thu
27
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
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