Thula Masam 2026: Malayalam Calendar Dates and Guide

If you are arranging a temple visit, family observance, vrata, or Malayalam calendar entry for Thula Masam in 2026, the boundary dates are the first thing to settle. The month does not follow the beginning and end of October.

In 2026, Thula Masam runs from October 18 through November 16. Treat both dates as part of the month when marking a calendar.

Exact Thula Masam dates for 2026

This gives you a 30-day inclusive calendar span. October 18 is the first day, not merely an announcement that the month will begin later. November 16 remains within Thula Masam; the range ends after that date.

Use “Thula Masam” and “Thulam” as names for the same Malayalam month. Recognising both spellings matters when you are checking family notes, temple notices, printed calendars, or online event listings.

Why Thula Sankramanam fixes the opening date

Thula Masam is the third month of the traditional Malayalam calendar followed in Kerala and in some Malabar regions of Karnataka. Its opening is set by Thula Sankramanam, when the Sun transits into Thula rashi, or Libra.

That solar transition explains why the month crosses two Gregorian months. “Thula Masam in October” is therefore incomplete shorthand: the 2026 month begins in the latter part of October and continues well into November.

The practical distinction is simple. Use October 18 when you need the first civil date of Thula Masam. If a ritual requires the exact Sankramanam moment, a tithi, a nakshatra, or a muhurta, the month boundary by itself is not enough. Consult the Malayalam panchangam used by your temple or household for the relevant location rather than inventing a clock time from the date alone.

How to enter the month in your calendar correctly

A single recurring label can hide the two boundary dates, especially in a calendar displayed by Gregorian month. Enter the range in a way that keeps the beginning visible.

1. Create an all-day entry beginning on October 18, 2026.
2. Set the final included date as November 16, 2026. If your calendar treats an end date as exclusive, make sure November 16 still appears inside the event.
3. Name the entry “Thula Masam (Thulam) 2026” so either spelling remains searchable.
4. Add a separate all-day marker on October 18 reading “Thula Sankramanam / Thulam 1.”
5. Keep ritual timings in separate entries after confirming them with the appropriate local panchangam or temple calendar.

This separation prevents a common planning error: treating the month date as though it were also the complete timing instruction for every observance. The date range tells you whether a day falls within Thula Masam. It does not, by itself, select an auspicious hour or establish a festival schedule.

Avoid these calendar mix-ups

• Do not equate Thula Masam with October. In 2026, the month continues through November 16.
• Do not start the entry on October 1. The Malayalam month begins on October 18 in this year.
• Do not omit November 16. It is the closing date of the stated range, not the first day after it.
• Do not assume every Indian calendar labels the period identically. Thula Masam here refers specifically to the traditional Malayalam calendar context used in Kerala and parts of the Malabar region of Karnataka.
• Do not derive an exact ritual time from an all-day date. Sankramanam gives the basis for the monthly boundary, while time-sensitive observances require the relevant local calendar details.

If you are coordinating relatives in different places, send the Gregorian dates together with the Malayalam name. “Thula Masam, October 18 to November 16, 2026” is much harder to misread than “during Thulam.”

Key takeaways

• Thula Masam begins on October 18, 2026.
• It ends on November 16, 2026.
• October 18 is Thula Sankramanam and the opening of the Malayalam month.
• Thula Masam, Thulam, and the third Malayalam calendar month refer to the same monthly period in this context.
• Use a local Malayalam panchangam or temple calendar for exact ritual timings and observance-specific details.

Put the full October 18–November 16 range into your calendar now, then add individual observances only after their date and timing have been confirmed. That one boundary entry will keep the rest of your Thulam planning anchored to the correct month.

References

• HinduPad — Thula Masam 2026 | Thulam Month in Malayalam Calendar