Tamil calendar · solar
Tamil calendar May 2026
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.
Tamil calendar, May 2026
- Months: Chithirai (சித்திரை) · Vaikasi (வைகாசி)
- 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 May 2026
| Date | Month | What |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May, Fri | Chithirai 18 | Purnima |
| 13 May, Wed | Chithirai 30 | Krishna Ekadashi |
| 15 May, Fri | Vaikasi 1 | Vrishabha Sankranti, 6:27 am |
| 16 May, Sat | Vaikasi 2 | Amavasya |
| 26 May, Tue | Vaikasi 12 | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 27 May, Wed | Vaikasi 13 | Shukla Ekadashi |
| 31 May, Sun | Vaikasi 17 | Purnima |
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.