Tamil Festival Calendar 2017
January 2017
14 festivals
Sun
1
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sun
8
Jan
Ekadashi for blessing of sons and spiritual merit
Tue
10
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
14
Jan
Sun's entry into Capricorn - beginning of Uttarayan
Sat
14
Jan
Tamil harvest festival coinciding with Makar Sankranti
Sun
15
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
15
Jan
Chaturthi for removing obstacles, dedicated to Lord Ganesha
Mon
23
Jan
Ekadashi for victory and success
Wed
25
Jan
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Wed
25
Jan
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
26
Jan
India's Republic Day - Constitution came into effect
Fri
27
Jan
Auspicious Amavasya for silent meditation and holy bath
Fri
27
Jan
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Tue
31
Jan
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
February 2017
13 festivals
Wed
1
Feb
Festival marking the arrival of spring, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
Fri
3
Feb
Celebrating the Sun God's chariot — marks change of season
Sat
4
Feb
Remembering Bhishma Pitamah's departure on his chosen day
Mon
6
Feb
Ekadashi that removes sins and grants victory
Wed
8
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
10
Feb
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
12
Feb
Sun enters Aquarius
Tue
14
Feb
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
22
Feb
Ekadashi that destroys all sins
Fri
24
Feb
The great night of Lord Shiva
Fri
24
Feb
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
24
Feb
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Sun
26
Feb
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
March 2017
14 festivals
Wed
1
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
8
Mar
Ekadashi celebrated with Amalaki (gooseberry) tree worship
Fri
10
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
11
Mar
Bonfire on the eve of Holi celebrating triumph of devotion
Sun
12
Mar
Festival of colors celebrating spring and victory of good over evil
Sun
12
Mar
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
14
Mar
Sun enters Pisces
Thu
16
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
20
Mar
Worship of Goddess Sheetala for protection from diseases
Thu
23
Mar
Ekadashi for protection and prosperity
Sat
25
Mar
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
27
Mar
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Tue
28
Mar
Spring Navratri — nine days dedicated to Goddess Durga
Fri
31
Mar
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
April 2017
16 festivals
Sat
1
Apr
Birthday of River Yamuna
Tue
4
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama
Tue
4
Apr
Birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Thu
6
Apr
Ekadashi that fulfills desires
Sat
8
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
10
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman
Mon
10
Apr
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
13
Apr
Sun enters Aries — beginning of Hindu Solar New Year
Sat
15
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sat
22
Apr
Ekadashi that grants unlimited merit
Mon
24
Apr
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
24
Apr
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
26
Apr
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
28
Apr
Extremely auspicious day for new beginnings and charity
Fri
28
Apr
Birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu
Sat
29
Apr
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
May 2017
16 festivals
Tue
2
May
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Thu
4
May
Birth anniversary of Goddess Sita
Sat
6
May
Ekadashi named after Lord Vishnu's Mohini avatar
Mon
8
May
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha, half-man half-lion avatar of Vishnu
Mon
8
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Wed
10
May
Birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha
Wed
10
May
Full Moon fasting day
Thu
11
May
Birth anniversary of Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger
Sun
14
May
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
14
May
Sun enters Taurus
Sun
21
May
Ekadashi for spiritual advancement
Tue
23
May
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
23
May
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
25
May
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
25
May
Birth anniversary of Shani Dev, lord of Saturn
Sun
28
May
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
June 2017
12 festivals
Sat
3
Jun
Celebrating the descent of Goddess Ganga to earth
Sun
4
Jun
Most austere Ekadashi - complete fast without water
Tue
6
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Fri
9
Jun
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
13
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
14
Jun
Sun enters Gemini
Tue
20
Jun
Ekadashi during Chaturmas period
Thu
22
Jun
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
22
Jun
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
23
Jun
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Sun
25
Jun
Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath in Puri
Tue
27
Jun
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
July 2017
11 festivals
Tue
4
Jul
Lord Vishnu goes to sleep - beginning of Chaturmas
Thu
6
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sat
8
Jul
Festival honoring spiritual and academic teachers
Sat
8
Jul
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
12
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
16
Jul
Sun enters Cancer — beginning of Dakshinayana (southward journey)
Wed
19
Jul
Ekadashi named after King Aja
Fri
21
Jul
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
21
Jul
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Wed
26
Jul
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
27
Jul
Day of serpent worship
August 2017
18 festivals
Thu
3
Aug
Ekadashi for blessing of sons
Sat
5
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
7
Aug
Festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters
Mon
7
Aug
Full Moon fasting day
Mon
7
Aug
Day the Gayatri Mantra was revealed to sage Vishwamitra
Fri
11
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Mon
14
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna
Tue
15
Aug
India's Independence Day
Wed
16
Aug
Sun enters Leo
Thu
17
Aug
Ekadashi for liberation of ancestors
Sat
19
Aug
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Sat
19
Aug
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Mon
21
Aug
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Thu
24
Aug
Birth of Lord Ganesha
Fri
25
Aug
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Sat
26
Aug
Day honoring the Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages)
Sun
27
Aug
Birth anniversary of Lord Balarama, elder brother of Krishna
Tue
29
Aug
Birth anniversary of Radha, consort of Lord Krishna
September 2017
17 festivals
Fri
1
Sep
Lord Vishnu turns to his side in cosmic sleep
Sun
3
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Mon
4
Sep
Last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh Visarjan
Tue
5
Sep
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
6
Sep
Beginning of the 15-day ancestor worship fortnight
Sat
9
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
15
Sep
Ekadashi for peace and prosperity
Sat
16
Sep
Sun enters Virgo — Vishwakarma Puja day in many regions
Sun
17
Sep
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Mon
18
Sep
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
19
Sep
Main day for ancestor worship — last day of Pitrupaksha
Tue
19
Sep
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
20
Sep
Nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga
Sat
23
Sep
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Wed
27
Sep
Eighth day of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga
Thu
28
Sep
Ninth day of Navratri, culmination of Durga worship
Sat
30
Sep
Victory of Rama over Ravana, end of Navratri
October 2017
20 festivals
Sun
1
Oct
Ekadashi that destroys sins like an arrow
Mon
2
Oct
Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Tue
3
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Thu
5
Oct
Autumn full moon — night of Lakshmi worship and moon bathing
Thu
5
Oct
Full Moon fasting day
Sun
8
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Sun
15
Oct
Birth of Ekadashi Devi
Mon
16
Oct
First day of Diwali festivities — worship of wealth and health
Mon
16
Oct
Worship of cow and calf
Tue
17
Oct
Day before Diwali — Krishna's victory over Narakasura
Tue
17
Oct
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Tue
17
Oct
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Tue
17
Oct
Sun enters Libra
Wed
18
Oct
Festival of lights celebrating victory of good over evil
Thu
19
Oct
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
20
Oct
Day after Diwali — celebrating Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill
Sat
21
Oct
Brother-sister festival — sisters pray for brothers' well-being
Mon
23
Oct
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Mon
30
Oct
Celebrating Krishna's slaying of the tyrant Kansa
Tue
31
Oct
Lord Vishnu wakes up - end of Chaturmas, Tulsi Vivah
November 2017
13 festivals
Wed
1
Nov
Ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant to Lord Vishnu
Fri
3
Nov
Full Moon fasting day
Tue
7
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Fri
10
Nov
Appearance day of Kalabhairava, fierce form of Lord Shiva
Mon
13
Nov
Ekadashi for success in endeavors
Wed
15
Nov
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Thu
16
Nov
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Thu
16
Nov
Sun enters Scorpio
Fri
17
Nov
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Wed
22
Nov
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
Thu
23
Nov
Wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita
Wed
29
Nov
Ekadashi that grants liberation, Gita Jayanti
Wed
29
Nov
Day the Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
December 2017
10 festivals
Fri
1
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of bright fortnight
Sun
3
Dec
Birth anniversary of Lord Dattatreya, combined form of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
Sun
3
Dec
Full Moon fasting day
Wed
6
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi vrat for Lord Ganesha
Wed
13
Dec
Ekadashi observed with sesame seeds (tila) offering
Fri
15
Dec
Pradosh Vrat on the 13th day of dark fortnight
Fri
15
Dec
Monthly Shivaratri on the 14th day of dark fortnight
Fri
15
Dec
Sun enters Sagittarius
Sun
17
Dec
New Moon day - Pitru Tarpan
Fri
22
Dec
Monthly Chaturthi on the bright fortnight
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