Tamil calendar · solar
Tamil calendar: this month, festivals and months
The Tamil calendar is a solar calendar: each month begins when the Sun moves into the next sidereal sign. The year starts with Chithirai, in mid-April, and each year carries a name from the 60-year cycle.
Today: 10 Aippasi, Pratipada · Samvatsara Parabhava
Tamil calendar, October 2026
- Months: Purattasi (புரட்டாசி) · Aippasi (ஐப்பசி)
- Samvatsara: Parabhava
S = Shukla paksha, K = Krishna paksha. The tithi is the one at sunrise, with the time it ends when it changes before the next sunrise. ☆ nakshatra, ☾ Moon sign, ☼ sunrise and sunset, for Chennai, in IST.
Days to note in October 2026
| Date | Month | What |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Oct, Tue | Purattasi 20 | Krishna Ekadashi |
| 10 Oct, Sat | Purattasi 24 | Amavasya |
| 11 Oct, Sun | Purattasi 25 | Sharad Navratri begins |
| 17 Oct, Sat | Purattasi 31 | Tula Sankranti, 7:56 pm |
| 19 Oct, Mon | Aippasi 2 | Durga Ashtami |
| 20 Oct, Tue | Aippasi 3 | Dussehra (Vijayadashami) |
| 22 Oct, Thu | Aippasi 5 | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 26 Oct, Mon | Aippasi 9 | Purnima |
Tamil festivals 2026
The main festivals of 2026, worked out for Chennai. Open a festival to see its month.
| Date | Festivals |
|---|---|
| 14 January, Wed | Makar Sankranti |
| 14 January, Wed | Thai Pongal |
| 1 February, Sun | Thaipusam |
| 15 February, Sun | Maha Shivaratri |
| 26 March, Thu | Ram Navami |
| 14 April, Tue | Puthandu (Tamil New Year) |
| 19 April, Sun | Akshaya Tritiya |
| 29 July, Wed | Guru Purnima |
| 4 September, Fri | Krishna Janmashtami |
| 14 September, Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 11 October, Sun | Sharad Navratri begins |
| 19 October, Mon | Durga Ashtami |
| 20 October, Tue | Dussehra (Vijayadashami) |
| 8 November, Sun | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) |
| 24 November, Tue | Kartik Purnima |
| 24 November, Tue | Karthigai Deepam |
Tithi times, muhurat and days for each major festival: Hindu festivals 2026 and 2027.
Tamil calendar 2026, month by month
How the Tamil calendar works
The month begins on the day of the Sankranti when the Sun changes sign before sunset, and on the next day when it changes sign after sunset. So months have 29 to 32 days. Festivals that follow the Moon, such as Deepavali and Vinayaka Chathurthi, are fixed by tithi; Thai Pongal and Puthandu by the Sun.
Puthandu, the Tamil New Year, is 1 Chithirai, when the Sun enters Mesha (Aries) in mid-April.
| # | Month | Tamil | Sun in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chithirai | சித்திரை | Mesha |
| 2 | Vaikasi | வைகாசி | Vrishabha |
| 3 | Aani | ஆனி | Mithuna |
| 4 | Aadi | ஆடி | Karka |
| 5 | Avani | ஆவணி | Simha |
| 6 | Purattasi | புரட்டாசி | Kanya |
| 7 | Aippasi | ஐப்பசி | Tula |
| 8 | Karthigai | கார்த்திகை | Vrishchika |
| 9 | Margazhi | மார்கழி | Dhanu |
| 10 | Thai | தை | Makara |
| 11 | Maasi | மாசி | Kumbha |
| 12 | Panguni | பங்குனி | Meena |
Other regional calendars
- Hindu calendar
- Telugu calendar
- Kannada calendar
- Malayalam calendar
- Marathi calendar
- Gujarati calendar
- Bengali calendar
- Odia calendar
For the full day (yoga, karana, Rahu kaal) see today's panchang, and the full lists of Amavasya, Purnima and eclipse dates.
Questions about the Tamil calendar
When is the Tamil New Year in 2026?
On 14 April 2026 (Puthandu (Tamil New Year)). Puthandu, the Tamil New Year, is 1 Chithirai, when the Sun enters Mesha (Aries) in mid-April.
What are the months of the Tamil calendar?
Chithirai (சித்திரை), Vaikasi (வைகாசி), Aani (ஆனி), Aadi (ஆடி), Avani (ஆவணி), Purattasi (புரட்டாசி), Aippasi (ஐப்பசி), Karthigai (கார்த்திகை), Margazhi (மார்கழி), Thai (தை), Maasi (மாசி), Panguni (பங்குனி).
Is the Tamil calendar solar or lunar?
Solar: each month begins when the Sun moves into the next sign. The month begins on the day of the Sankranti when the Sun changes sign before sunset, and on the next day when it changes sign after sunset. So months have 29 to 32 days. Festivals that follow the Moon, such as Deepavali and Vinayaka Chathurthi, are fixed by tithi; Thai Pongal and Puthandu by the Sun.
Which city are the times for?
Sunrise, sunset and the tithi of each day are worked out for Chennai, in IST. In other cities sunrise moves by some minutes, and now and then the tithi at sunrise can differ too.
Why can a festival date differ from my local panchang?
Each festival is kept on the day its tithi runs at a set time of day (sunrise, midday, pradosh or midnight). Traditions apply these rules a little differently, so confirm with your family tradition or priest.