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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_calendar

Hindu calendar
Hindu calendar is a collective name for most of the luni-sidereal calendars and sidereal calendars used in India since ancient times.
Since ancient times it has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Hindu
calendars. It has also been standardized as Indian national calendar. Some of the more prominent regional Hindu calendars include
the Nepali calendar, Assamese Calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, and Kannada
calendar.[1][2] The common feature of all regional Hindu calendars is that the names of the twelve months are the same (because the
names are based in Sanskrit) though the spelling and pronunciation have come to vary slightly from region to region over thousands
of years. The month which starts the year also varies from region to region. The Buddhist calendar and the traditional lunisolar
calendars of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand are also based on an older version of the Hindu calendar.
Most of the Hindu calendars are inherited from a system first enunciated in Vedga Jyotia's of Lagadha, a late BC adjunct to the
Veda-s, standardized in the Srya Siddhnta (3rd century) and subsequently reformed by astronomers such as ryabhaa (AD 499),
Varhamihira (6th century), and Bhskara II (12th century). Differences and regional variations abound in these computations, but the
following is a general overview of Hindu lunisolar calendar.

Contents
[hide]

Day[edit]
In the Hindu calendar, the day starts with the sunrise. It is allotted five " properties" or "limbs", called aga-s. They are:
1. the Tithi (one of 30 divisions of a synodic month) active at sunrise
2. the Vsara (ancient nomeclature), vra (modern nomeclature), like in ravi-vra, som-vra, etc. or weekday
3. the Nakatra (one of 27 divisions of the celestial ecliptic) in which the moon resides at sunrise
4. the Yoga (one of 27 divisions based on the ecliptic longitude of the sun and moon) active at sunrise time
5. the Karaa (divisions based on tithis) active at sunrise.
Together 5 limbs or properties are labelled under as the pacga-s (Sanskrit: paca = five). An explanation of the terms follows.

Vsara[edit]
Vsara refers to the weekdays and the names of the week in many western cultures bear striking similarities with the Vsara:

A page from the Hindu calendar 1871-72.

No.

Sanskrit
name of
the day
(Day
begins at
sunrise)

Bengali
name

Hindi name

Marathi
name

Kannada
name

Telugu name

Tamil name

Malayalam
name

Punjabi name

English & Latin

names of the
approximate
day
(Day begins at
00:00Hrs)

Celestial
object

Ravi
vsara

Rbibar

Ravivra

Ravivra

Bhnuvra

divra

Nyayiru

Njaayar

Aitvra

Sunday/dies
Solis

Ravi,
Aditya =
Sun

Soma
vsara

Sombar

Somavra

Somavra

Smavra

Smavra

Thingal

Thinkal

Somavra

Monday/dies
Lunae

Soma =
Moon

Magala
vsara

Mngglbar

Magalavra

Magaavra

Magaavra

Magaavra Chevvai

Chovva

Magalavra

Tuesday/dies
Martis

Magala
= Mars

Budha
vsara

Budhbar

Budhavra

Budhavra

Budhavra

Budhavra

Arivan (Tamil Budhan

tradition) or

Buthan
(religious
tradition)
(

Buddhavra

Wednesday/dies
Mercurii

Budha =
Mercury

Guru
Brihsptibar Guruvra
vsara



or
Brhaspati
vsara

Guruvra

Guruvra

Guruvra,
Brhaspativra
,

Vyazhan

Vyaazham

Vravra

Thursday/dies
Iovis

DevaGuru
Bhaspati
= Jupiter

ukra
vsara

Shukrbar

ukravra

ukravra

ukravra

ukravra

Velli

Velli

ukkaravra

Friday/dies
Veneris

ukra =
Venus

ani
vsara

Shnibar

anivra

anivra

anivra

anivra

Kaari (Tamil
tradition) or
Sani
(religious
tradition)
(
)

Shani

anvra
Saturday/dies

Saturnis
Chhanicchharavra

ani =
Saturn

The term -vsara is often realized as vra or vaar in Sanskrit-derived and influenced languages. There are many variations of the names in the regional languages, mostly using
alternate names of the celestial bodies involved.

Nakatra[edit]
The ecliptic is divided into 27 Nakatra-s, which are variously called lunar houses or asterisms. These reflect the moon's cycle against the fixed stars, 27 days and 7 hours, the
fractional part being compensated by an intercalary 28th nakatra titled Abhijit. Nakatra's computation appears to have been well known at the time of the igveda (2nd1st
millennium BC).
The ecliptic is divided into the nakatras eastwards starting from a reference point which is traditionally a point on the ecliptic directly opposite the star Spica called Citr in Sanskrit.
(Other slightly different definitions exist.) It is called Medi - "start of Aries"; this is when the equinox where the ecliptic meets the equator was in Aries (today it is in Pisces, 28
degrees before Aries starts). The difference between Medi and the present equinox is known as Ayana - denoting by how much of a fraction of degrees & minutes the ecliptic
has progressed from its fixed (sidereal) position. Given the 25,800 year cycle for the precession of the equinoxes, the equinox was directly opposite Spica in AD 285, around the date
of the Srya Siddhnta.[3][4]
The nakatra-s with their corresponding regions of sky are given below, following Basham.[5] As always, there are many versions with minor differences. The names on the righthand column give roughly the correspondence of the nakatra-s to modern names of stars. Note that nakatras are (in this context) not just single stars but are segments on the
ecliptic characterised by one or more stars. Hence there are more than one star mentioned for each nakatra.

Sanskrit/Hindi

Bengali name

Malayalam
name

Tamil name

Telugu name

Kannada
name

Western star name

Avin

Avin

Ashvati

Aswini

Avin

Avin

and Arietis

Bhara

Bhara

Bharai

Barai

Bharai

Bharai

35, 39, and 41 Arietis

Kttik

Kttik

Krttika

Krthikai

Kttika

Kruthike

Pleiades

Rohi

Rohi

Rhii

Rhii

Rhii

Rhii

Aldebaran

Mgairas
- this is also a month in Marathi
calender

Mgairas

Makayiram

Mirugasridam

Mgaira

Mgaira

, Orionis

rdr

rdr

tira or
Tiruvtira
( )

Thiruvdhirai

Arudra

Aridra

Betelgeuse

Punarvasu

Punarvasu

Puartam

Punarpoosam

Punarvasu

Punarvasu

Castor and Pollux

Puya

Puya
( )

Pyam

Poosam

Puyami

Puya

, and Cancri

Ale
/

Ale

yilyam

Ayilyam

Alea

Alea

, , , , and Hydrae

10

Magh

Magh

Makam

Magam

Makha or Magha
or

Makha

Regulus

11

Prva or Prva Phalgu

Prva or Prva
Phalgu

Pram

Pooram

Prva Phalgu or
Pubba
or

Pubba

and Leonis

12

Uttara or Uttara Phalgu

Uttara or Uttara
Phalgu

Utram

Uthiram

Uttara Phalgui or
Uttara
or

Utthara

Denebola

13

Hasta

Hasta

Attam

Astham

Hasta

Hasta

, , , and Corvi

14

Citr
14

Citr

Chittira (Chitra)
( )

Chithirai

Chitt or Chitr
or

Chitta

Spica

15

Svti

Svti

Chti

Swathi

Svti

Svti

Arcturus

16

Vikha

Vikha

Vishkham

Visakam

Vikha

Vikhe

, , and Librae

17

Anurdh

Anurdh

Anizham

Anusham

Anurdh

Anurdh

, and Scorpionis

18

Jyeha

Jyeha

Ka
(Trikka)
( )

Kettai

Jyeha

Jyeha

, , and Scorpionis

19

Mla
/

Mla

Mlam

Mlam

Mla

Mla

, , , , , , , and
Scorpionis

20

Prvha

Prvha

Pram

Pradam

Prvha

Prvha

and Sagittarii

21

Uttarha

Uttarha

Utram

Uthirdam

Uttarha

Uttarha

and Sagittarii

22

ravaa

ravaa

Tiruvnam
( )

Tiruvnam

ravaa

ravaa

, and Aquilae

23

ravih or Dhaniha
or

ravih or
Dhaniha
( )

Aviam

Aviam

Dhaniha

Dhaniha

to Delphinus

24

atabhiak or atatrak
/

atabhiak or
atatrak

Chatayam

Sadayam

atabhia

atabhia

Aquarii

25

Prva Bhdrapad
/

Prva Bhdrapad

Pruruti

Pradhi

Prvbhdra

Prvbhdra

and Pegasi

26

Uttara Bhdrapad
/

Uttara Bhdrapad

Uttti

Uttdhi

Uttarbhdra

Uttarbhdra

Pegasi and Andromedae

27

Revat

Revat

Rvati

Rvathi

Rvati

Rvati

Piscium

Yoga[edit]
The Sanskrit word Yoga means "union", but in astronomical calculations it is used in the sense of "alignment". First one computes the angular distance along the ecliptic of each
object, taking the ecliptic to start at Mea or Aries ( Medi, as defined above): this is called the longitude of that object. The longitude of the sun and the longitude of the moon are
added, and normalized to a value ranging between 0 to 360 (if greater than 360, one subtracts 360). This sum is divided into 27 parts. Each part will now equal 800' (where ' is the
symbol of the arcminute which means 1/60 of a degree). These parts are called the yogas. They are labeled:
1. Vikambha
2. Prti
3. yumn
4. Saubhgya
5. obhana
6. Atigaa
7. Sukarma
8. Dhti
9. la

10. Gaa
11. Vddhi
12. Dhruva
13. Vyghat
14. Haraa
15. Vajra
16. Siddhi
17. Vyatipta
18. Variyas

19. Parigha
20. iva
21. Siddha
22. Sdhya
23. ubha
24. ukla
25. Brahma
26. Mhendra
27. Vaidhti

Again, minor variations may exist. The yoga that is active during sunrise of a day is the prevailing yoga for the day.

Karaa[edit]
A karaa is half of a tithi. To be precise, a karaas is the time required for the angular distance between the sun and the moon to increase in steps of 6 starting from 0. (Compare
with the definition of a tithi above.)
Since the tithis are 30 in number, and since 1 tithi = 2 karaa, therefore one would logically expect there to be 60 karaa-s. But there are only 11 such karaa which fill up those
slots to accommodate for those '30 tithi'-s. There are actually 4 "fixed" (sthira) karaa-s and 7 "repeating" (cara) karaa.
The 4 "fixed" karaa-s are:
1. akuni ()
2. Catupda ( )
3. Nga ()
4. Kistughna( )
The 7 "repeating" karaa-s are:
1. Vava or Bava ()
2. Valava or Blava ()
3. Kaulava ()
4. Taitila or Taitula ()
5. Gara or Garaja ()
6. Vaija ()
7. Vii (Bhadra) ( )
Now the first half of the 1st tithi (of ukla Paka) is always Kitughna karaa. Hence this karaa' is "fixed".
Next, the 7-repeating karaa-s repeat eight times to cover the next 56 half-tithis. Thus these are the "repeating" (cara) karaa-s.
The 3 remaining half-tithi-s take the remaining "fixed" karaa-s in order. Thus these are also "fixed" (sthira).
Thus one gets 60 karaa-s from those 11 preset karaa-s.
The karaa-s at sunrise of a particular day shall be the prevailing karaa-s for the whole day. Note. The day changes at every sunrise i.e. from Sunrise 1 to Sunrise 2 - is 1 Vedic
day.

Months of the lunisolar calendar[edit]

The astronomical basis of the Hindu lunar day. Also illustrates Kshaya Tithi (Vaishaka-Krishna-Chaturdashi (i.e. 14th)) and Adhika Tithi (Jyeshta- Shukla-Dashami(i.e. 10th))
When a new moon occurs before sunrise on a day, that day is said to be the first day of the lunar month. So it is evident that the end of the lunar month will coincide with a new moon.
A lunar month has 29 or 30 days (according to the movement of the moon).
The tithi at sunrise of a day is the only label of the day. There is no running day number from the first day to the last day of the month. This has some unique results, as explained
below:
Sometimes two successive days have the same tithi. In such a case, the latter is called an adhika tithi where adhika means "extra". Sometimes, one tithi may never touch a sunrise,
and hence no day will be labeled by that tithi. It is then said to be a Tithi Kaya where Kaya means "loss".

Month names[edit]
There are 12 months in Hindu lunar Calendar:
1. Chaitra [(Mna-Mea),(Pisces-Aries)]
2. Vaikha [(Mea-Vabha),(Aries-Taurus)]
3. Jyeha [(Vabha-Mithuna),(Taurus-Gemini)]
4. ha [(Mithuna-Kadaga),(Gemini-Cancer)]

5. rvaa [(Kadaga-Siha),(Cancer-Leo)]
6. Bhdrapada or Bhdra also Prohapada [(Siha-Kany),(Leo-Virgo)]
7. vina [(Kany-Tul),(Virgo-Libra)]
8. Krtika [(Tul-Vcika),(Libra-Scorpio)]
9. Agrahyaa or, Mrgara [(Vcika-Dhanur),(Scorpio-Sagitarius)]
10. Paua [(Dhanur-Makara),(Sagitarius-Capricorn)]
11. Mgha [(Makara-Kumbha),(Capricorn-Aquarius)]
12. Phlguna [(Kumbha-Mna),(Aquarius-Pisces)]
Determining, which name a lunar month takes is somewhat indirect. It is based on the rshi (Zodiac sign) into which the sun transits within a lunar month, i.e. before the new moon
ending the month.
There are 12 ri names, there are twelve lunar month names. When the sun transits into the Mea ri in a lunar month, then the name of the lunar month is Chaitra which has both
Mna ri and Mea ri . When the sun transits into Vabha ri, then the lunar month is Vaikha which has both Mea ri and Vabha ri. So on.

Seasons[edit]
If the transits of the Sun through various constellations of the zodiac (Ri) are used, then we get Solar months, which do not shift with reference to the Gregorian calendar. The Solar
months along with the corresponding Hindu seasons and Gregorian months are:
(Ri)
Saura Msa
(solar
months)

tu
(season)

Mea

Grma

Vabha

(summer)

Mithuna

Var

Karkaa

(monsoon)

Siha

arad

Kany

(autumn)

Tul

Hemanta

Vcika

(winter)

Dhanu

iira

Makara

(prevernal)

Kumbha

Vasanta

Mna

(spring)

Bengali
name

(Grishm)
(Brsha)

(Shrt)

Kannada name
(Vasata
tu)
(Grma tu)

(Vara tu)

Telugu name

tuvu)

(Vasata

(Grma tuvu)

(Vara tuvu)

(Hemnt)

(aradtu)

(Shth)

(Hmata
tu)

tuvu)

(iira tu)

(Bsnt)

(aradtuvu)

(Hmata

(iira tuvu)

Malayalam
name

Tamil name

(Grmam)

(ilavenil)

(Varm)

(arat)

Sidereal Vedic
Zodiac

Apr-May

Aries

MayJune

Taurus

(mudhuvenil)

JuneJuly

Gemini

July-Aug

Cancer

(kaar)

Aug-Sept

Leo

Sept-Oct

Virgo

Oct-Nov

Libra

Nov-Dec

Scorpius

Dec-Jan

Sagittarius

Jan-Feb

Capricornus

Feb-Mar

Aquarius

Mar-Apr

Pisces

(Hemantam)

(kulir)

(iiram)

(munpani)

(Vasatam)

Gregorian
Tropical
months

(pinpani)

The Sanskrit grammatical derivation of the lunar month names Chaitra etc., is: the (lunar) month which has its central full moon occurring at or near the Citr nakatra is called
Chaitra. Another example is let's say when Prim occurs in or near Vikha nakatra, this in turn results to the initiation of the lunar month titled Vaikha Msa.[6]
Similarly, for the nakatra-s Vikha, Jyeh, (Prva) h, ravaa, Bhdrapad, Avin (old name Avayuj), Kttik, Mgairas, Puya, Megh and (Prva/Uttara) Phalgu
the names Vaikha etc. at prim, the other Lunar names are derived subsequently.
The lunar months are split into two Pakas of 15 days. The waxing paksha is called ukla Paka, light half, and the waning paksha the Ka Paka, dark half. There are two
different systems for making the lunar calendar:
Amvsyanta or mukhya mana system a month begins with a new moon and ends at new moon, mostly followed in the southern states
Primnta or gauna mana system a month begins with a full moon and ends at full moon, followed more in the North.
p.s. Primnta is also known as uklnta Msa. And this system is recommended by Varhamihira.

[edit]
The astronomical basis of the Hindu lunar months. Also illustrates Adhika Masa (Year 2-Bhadrapada) repeats twice; the first time the Sun moves entirely within Simha Rashi thus
rendering it an Ashika Masa
When the sun does not at all transit into any ri but simply keeps moving within a ri in a lunar month (i.e. before a new moon), then that lunar month will be named according to
the first upcoming transit. It will also take the epithet of adhika or "extra". For example, if a lunar month elapsed without a solar transit and the next transit is into Mea, then this
month without transit is labeled Adhika Chaitra Msa. The next month will be labeled according to its transit as usual and will get the epithet nija ("original") or uddha ("unmixed"). In
the animation above, Year 2 illustrates this concept with Bhadrapada repeating twice; the first time the Sun stays entirely within Simha rashi thus resulting in an Adhika
Bhakradapada.
Extra Month, or adhika msa (msa = lunar month in this context) falls every 32.5 months. It is also known as puruottama msa, so as to give it a devotional name. Thus 12 Hindu
mas (msa) is equal to approximate 356 days, while solar year have 365 or 366 (in leap year) which create difference of 9 to 10 days, which is offset every 3rd year. No adhika msa
falls during Krtika to Mgh.
A month long fair is celebrated in Machhegaun during adhika msa. It is general belief that one can wash away all one's sins by taking a bath in the Machhenarayan's pond.

Lost months (Kaya Msa)[edit]

If the sun transits into two rshis within a lunar month, then the month will have to be labeled by both transits and will take the epithet kaya or "loss". There is considered to be a
"loss" because in this case, there is only one month labeled by both transits. If the sun had transited into only one raashi in a lunar month as is usual, there would have been two
separate months labeled by the two transits in question.
For example, if the sun transits into Mea and Vabha in a lunar month, then it will be called Chaitra-Vaikha kaya-msa. There will be no separate months labeled Chaitra and
Vaikha.

A Kaya-Msa occurs very rarely. Known gaps between occurrence of Kaya-Msas are 19 and 141 years. The last was in 1983. January 15 through February 12 were PauaMgha kaya-msa. February 13 onwards was (Adhika) Phlguna.
Special Case:
If there is no solar transit in one lunar month but there are two transits in the next lunar month,
the first month will be labelled by the first transit of the second month and take the epithet Adhika and
the next month will be labelled by both its transits as is usual for a Kaya-Msa
This is a very very rare occurrence. The last was in 1315. October 8 to November 5 were Krtika Adhika-Msa. November 6 to December 5 were Krtika-Mrgara KayaMsa. December 6 onwards was Paua.

Religious observances in case of extra and lost months[edit]

Among normal months, adhika months, and kshaya months, the earlier are considered "better" for religious purposes. That means, if a festival should fall on the 10th tithi of the
shvayuja month (this is called Vijayadasham) and there are two vayuja (vina)' months caused by the existence of an adhika vayuja, the first adhika month will not see
the festival, and the festival will be observed only in the second nija month. However, if the second month is shvayuja kshaya then the festival will be observed in the first adhika
month itself.
When two months are rolled into one in the case of a kshaya msa, the festivals of both months will also be rolled into this Kaya Msa'. For example, the festival of Mahshivartri
which is to be observed on the fourteenth tithi of the Mgha Ka-Paka was, in 1983, observed on the corresponding tithi of Paua-Mgha Kaya Ka-Paka, since in that
year, Paua and Mgha were rolled into one, as mentioned above. When two months are rolled into one in the case of a Kaya Msa, the festivals of both months will also be rolled
into this kaya msa.

Vaiava calendar[edit]
Main article: Gaurabda

Month

Presiding Deity
of the month

Agrahyaa

Keava

Paua

Nryaa

Magh

Mdhava

Phlguna

Govinda

Chaitra

Viu

Vaikha

Madhusudana

Jyeha

Trivikrama

ha

Vmana

rvaa

rdhara

Bhdrapada

Hkea

vina

Padmanbha

Krtika

Dmodara

Year of the lunisolar calendar[edit]

The new year day is the first day of the shukla paksha of Chaitra. In the case of adhika or kshaya months relating to Chaitra, the aforementioned religious rules apply giving rise to the
following results:
If an adhika Chaitra is followed by a nija Chaitra, the new year starts with the nija Chaitra.
If an adhika Chaitra is followed by a Chaitra-Vaishkha kshaya, the new year starts with the adhika Chaitra.
If a Chaitra-Vaikha Kaya occurs with no adhika Chaitra before it, then it starts the new year.
If a Chaitra-Phlguna Kaya' occurs, it starts the new year.

Another kind of lunisolar calendar[edit]

There is another kind of lunisolar calendar which differs from the former in the way the months are named. When a full moon (instead of new moon) occurs before sunrise on a day,
that day is said to be the first day of the lunar month. In this case, the end of the lunar month will coincide with a full moon. This is called the primnta mna - full-moon-ending
reckoning, as against the amnta mna - new-moon-ending reckoning used before.
This definition leads to a lot of complications:
The first paka of the month will fall on Ka-Paka whilst the second will be ukla-Paka in Primnta system.
The new year is still on the first day of the Chaitra ukla-Paka. The subsequentPaka-s will, for example, be Lunar Month
Candra Msa

First Paka

Ending (2nd) Paka

Vaikha

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Jyaiha

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

ha

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

rvaa

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Bhdrapada

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

vina

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Krtika

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Mrgara

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Paua

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Mgha

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Phlguna

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Chaitra

Ka-Paka

ukla-Paka

Note:
1. Phlguna Msa is the last Lunar month, with the last paka of the year in this primnta system being Phlguna ukla-Paka.
The ukla Paka of a given month, say Chaitra, comprises the same actual days in both systems, as can be deduces from a careful analysis of the rules. However, the
Chaitra Ka-Paka-s defined by the 2 systems will be on different days, since the Chaitra Ka-Paka precedes the Chaitra ukla-Paka in the prnimnta system but
follows it in the amnta system.
Though the regular months are defined by the full moon, the adhika and kaya lunar months are still defined by the new moon. That is, even if the prnimnta system is
followed, adhika or kaya months will start with the first sunrise after the new moon, and end with the new moon.
The adhika month will therefore get sandwiched between the 2paka-s of the nija months. For example, a rvaa Adhika Msa will be inserted as follows:
1. nija rvaa Ka-Paka
2. adhika rvaa ukla-Paka
3. adhika rvaa Ka-Paka and
4. nija Shrvana ukla-Paka
after which Bhdrapada Ka-Paka will follow subsequently as usual.
If there is an adhika Chaitra, then it will follow the (nija) Chaitra Kra-Paka at the end of the year. Only with the nija Chaitra ukla-Paka will the new year start. The only
exception is when it is followed by a kaya, and that will be mentioned later.
The kaya month is more complicated. If in the amnta system there is a Paua-Mgha Kaya Msa, then in the prnimnta system there will be the following paka-s:
1. Paua Ka-Paka
2. Paua-Maagha kshaya ukla-Paka
3. Mgha-Phlguna Kaya Ka-Paka and a
4. Phlguna ukla-Paka.
The special Kaya case where an adhika msa precedes a kshaya msa gets even more convoluted. First, we should remember that the vina ukla-Paka is the same in
both the systems. After this come the following Paka-s:
1. nija Krtika Ka-Paka
2. adhika Krtika ukla-Paka
3. adhika Krtika Ka-Paka
4. Krtika-Mgara Kaya ukla-Paka
5. Mgarsa-Paua Kaya Ka-Paka
6. Paua ukla-Paka
followed by the Mgha Ka-Paka etc., as usual.
The considerations for the new year are:
1. If there is a Chaitra-Vaikha Kaya ukla-Paka:
1. if an adhika Chaitra' precedes it, then the adhika Chaitra ukla-Paka starts the new year
2. if not, the Kaya ukla-Paka starts the new year
2. If there is a Phlguna-Chaitra Kaya ukla-Paka then it starts the new year
However, none of these above complications cause a change in the day of religious observances. Since only the name of the Ka-Paka-s of the months will change in the two
systems, festivals which fall on the Ka-Paka will be defined by the appropriate changed name. That is, the Mahivartri, defined in the amnta mna to be observed on the
fourteenth of the Mgha krishna paksha will now (in the prnimnta mna) be defined by the Phlguna krishna paksha.

Correspondence of the lunisolar calendar to the solar calendar[edit]

A lunisolar calendar is always a calendar based on the moon's celestial motion, which in a way keeps itself close to a solar calendar based on the sun's (apparent) celestial motion.
That is, the lunisolar calendar's new year is to kept always close (within certain limits) to a solar calendar's new year.
Since the Hindu lunar month names are based on solar transits, and the month of Chaitra will, as defined above, always be close to the solar month of Mea (Aries), the Hindu
lunisolar calendar will always keep in track with the Hindu solar calendar.
The Hindu solar calendar by contrast starts on April 1415 each year. This signifies the sun's "entry" into Mesha rashi and is celebrated as the New Year in Assam, Bengal, Odisha,
Manipur, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. The first month of the year is called "Chitterai ()" in Tamil, "Medam" in Malayalam and Bohag in Assamese, Baisakh in
Bengali/Punjabi and Nepali. This solar new year is celebrated on the same day in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and Thailand.

Year numbering[edit]
The epoch (starting point or first day of the zeroth year) of the current era of Hindu calendar (both solar and lunisolar) is February 18, 3102 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar or
January 23, 3102 BC in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. According to the Pura-s this was the moment when r Ka returned to his eternal abode. [7][8] Both the solar and
lunisolar calendars started on this date. After that, each year is labeled by the number of years elapsed since the epoch.
This is an unusual feature of the Hindu calendar. Most systems use the current ordinal number of the year as the year label. But just as a person's true age is measured by the
number of years that have elapsed starting from the date of the person's birth, the Hindu calendar measures the number of years elapsed. As of August 31, 2014, 5116 years have
elapsed in the Hindu calendar. However, the lunisolar calendar year usually starts earlier than the solar calendar year,[citation needed] so the exact year will not begin on the same day
every year.

Year names[edit]

Apart from the numbering system outlined above, there is also a cycle of 60 calendar year names, called Samvatsaras, which started at the first year (at elapsed years zero) and
runs continuously:
1. Prabhava
2. Vibhava
3. Shukla
4. Pramoda
5. Prajpati
6. ngirasa
7. Shrmukha
8. Bhva
9. Yuva
10. Dhtri
11. shvara
12. Bahudhnya
13. Pramdhi
14. Vikrama (2000-2001)
15. Vrisha (2001-02)
16. Chitrabhnu (2002-03)
17. Svabhnu (2003-04)
18. Trana (2004-05)
19. Prthiva (2005-06)
20. Vyaya (2006-2007)

21. Sarvajeeth (2007-08)

22. Sarvadhri (2008-09)
23. Virodhi (2009-10)
24. Vikrita (2010-11)
25. Khara (2011-12)
26. Nandana (2012-13)
27. Vijaya (2013-14)
28. Jaya (2014-15)
29. Manmadha
30. Durmukhi
31. Hevilambi
32. Vilambi
33. Vikri
34. Shrvari
35. Plava
36. Shubhakruti
37. Sobhakruthi
38. Krodhi
39. Vishvvasu
40. Parbhava

41. Plavanga
42. Klaka
43. Saumya
44. Sdhrana
45. Virodhikruthi
46. Paridhvi
47. Pramdicha
48. nanda
49. Rkshasa
50. Anala
51. Pingala
52. Klayukthi
53. Siddhrthi
54. Raudra
55. Durmathi
56. Dundubhi
57. Rudhirodgri
58. Raktkshi
59. Krodhana
60. Akshaya

This system contains the concept of leap year also.Every 4th year will have 366 days and the others only 365.The starting point is Meshadi or Mesha Sankranti, ( 1st of the month
Mea or the Hindu solar new year).It is also calculated a day by day mode.beginning from 1 presently it runs 1864000+.... days.This means these much days have passed in the
present Kaliyuga (1/10 of Catur-Yuga's total)

Eras[edit]
Hinduism follows Hindu units of time containing four eras (or yuga, meaning age). The four yugas are:
They are often translated into English as the Golden, Silver, Bronze and Iron Ages, respectively. The ages follow a gradual decline of dharma, wisdom, knowledge, intellectual
capability, life span and emotional and physical strength. The Kali Yuga began approximately five thousand years ago, and it has a duration of 432,000 years years long. The
Dvpara, Tret, and Kta Yugas are two, three, and four times the length of the Kali Yuga, respectively. Thus, the ages together constitute a 1,200,000 year periodhalf the time
required for the Sun to orbit the Galactic Sun which resides at the centre of the universe.
A thousand and a thousand (i.e. two thousand) Catur-Yugas are said to be one day and night of the creator Brahm. Brahm lives for 100 years of 360 "days" and at the end, he is
said to dissolve, along with his entire Creation, into the Eternal Soul or Paramtman.

History[edit]
The Hindu Calendar descends from the Vedic times. There are many references to calendrics in the Vedas. The (6) Vedga-s (auto Veda) called Jyotia (literally, "celestial body
study") prescribed all the aspects of the Hindu calendars. After the Vedic period, there were many scholars such as ryabhaa (5th century), Varhamihira (6th century) and Bhskara
(12th century) who were experts scholars in Jyotia and contributed to the development of the Hindu Calendar.
The most widely used authoritative text for the Hindu Calendars is the "Srya Siddhnta", a text of uncertain age, though some place it at 10th century.
The traditional Vedic calendar used to start with the month of agrahayan (agra=first + ayan = travel of the sun, equinox) or Mrgaa. This is the month where the Sun crosses the
equator, i.e. the vernal equinox. This month was called mrgashirsha after the fifth nakshatra (around lambda orionis). Due to the precession of the Earth's axis, the vernal equinox is
now in Pisces, and corresponds to the month of chaitra. This shift over the years is what has led to various calendar reforms in different regions to assert different months as the start
month for the year. Thus, some calendars (e.g. Vikram) start with Chaitra, which is the present-day month of the vernal equinox, as the first month. Others may start with Vaikha
(e.g. Bangabda). The shift in the vernal equinox by nearly four months from Agrahyaa to Chaitra in sidereal terms seems to indicate that the original naming conventions may
date to the fourth or fifth millennium BC, since the period of precession in the Earth's axis is about 25,800 years.

Regional variants[edit]
The Indian Calendar Reform Committee, appointed in 1952, identified more than thirty well-developed calendars, all variants of the Surya Siddhanta calendar outlined here, in
systematic use across different parts of India. These include the widespread Vikrama and Shalivahana calendars and regional variations thereof. The Tamil calendar, a solar
calendar, is used in Tamil Nadu and Kollavarsham Calendar is used in Kerala.

Vikrama and Shalivahana calendars[edit]

The two calendars most widely used in India today are the Vikrama calendar followed in Western and Northern India and Nepal, and the Shalivahana or Saka calendar which is
followed in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.
In the year 56 BC, Vikrama Samvat era was founded by the emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain following his victory over the Sakas. Later, in a similar fashion, Satavahana king
Gautamiputra Satakarni initiated the Saka era to celebrate his victory against the Sakas in the year AD 78.
Both the Vikrama and the Shalivahana are lunisolar calendars, and feature annual cycles of twelve lunar months, each month divided into two phases: the 'bright half' ( ukla Paka)
and the 'dark half' (Ka Paka); these correspond respectively to the periods of the 'waxing' and the 'waning' of the moon. Thus, the period beginning from the first day after the
new moon and ending on the full moon day constitutes the ukla Paka, 'bright part' of the month; the period beginning from the day after Prim (the full moon) until and including
the next new moon day constitutes the Ka Paka, the'dark part' of the month.
The names of the 12 months, as also their sequence, are the same in both calendars; however, the new year is celebrated at separate points during the year and the "year zero" for
the two calendars is different. In the Vikrama calendar, the zero year corresponds to 56 BC, while in the Shalivahana calendar, it corresponds to AD 78. The Vikrama calendar begins
with the month of Baikha or Vaikha (April), or Kartak (October/November) in Gujarat. The Shalivahana calendar begins with the month of Chaitra (March) and the Ugadi/Gudi
Padwa festivals mark the new year.
Another little-known difference between the two calendars exists: while each month in the Shalivahana calendar begins with the 'bright half' and is followed by the 'dark half', the
opposite obtains in the Vikrama calendar. Thus, each month of the Shalivahana calendar ends with the no-moon day and the new month begins on the day after that, while the fullmoon day brings each month of the Vikrama calendar to a close (This is an exception in Gujarati Calendar, its month (and hence new year) starts on a sunrise of the day after new
moon, and ends on the new moon, though it follows Vikram Samvat).
In Gujarat, Diwali is held on the final day of the Vikram Calendar and the next day marks the beginning of the New Year and is also referred as Annakut or Nutan Varsh or Bestu
Varash. In the Hindu calendar popularly used in North India the year begins with Chaitra Shukala Pratipadha (March April).

[edit]
Samvat is one of the several Hindu calendars in India:

Most holidays in India are based on the first two calendars. A few are based on the solar cycle, Sankranti (solar sidereal) and Baisakhi (solar tropical).

Months and approximate correspondence[edit]

*** It is occording to Saka Calendar
Indian months are listed below. Shaka and Chaitradi Vikram (UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra etc.) start with Chaitra, Kartikadi Vikram (Gujarat) start in Kartika.
#

Indian

Gregorian

Chaitra

MarchApril

Vaiskha

AprilMay

Jyeshta

MayJune

shda

JuneJuly

Shraavana

JulyAugust

Bhdrapada

AugustSeptember

Ashwina

SeptemberOctober

Kartika

OctoberNovember

Mrgasirsa
(Agrahayana)

NovemberDecember

10

Pausha

DecemberJanuary

11

Mgha

JanuaryFebruary

12

Phlguna

FebruaryMarch

Nakshatras are divisions of ecliptic, each 13 20', starting from 0 Aries. The purnima of each month is synchronized with a nakshatra.

Time cycles in India[edit]

The time cycles in India are:
60-year cycle
Year
6 seasons of a year
about 60 days (2 months) in a season
Month (lunar)
2 pakshas in a month, shukla (waxing) and krishna (waning)
15 tithis in a paksha (1-14, 15th is purnima or amavasya)
60 ghatikas (or 30 muhurtas or 8 praharas) in a 24-hour period (ahoratra).
30 Kala (approx) in 1 muhurta
30 Kastha in 1 kala
15 Nimisha in 1 kastha
Years are synchronized with the solar sidereal year by adding a month every three years. The extra month is termed as "Adhik Mass" (extra month). This extra month is called Mala
Masa (impure month) in Eastern India.

Date conversion[edit]
Converting a date from an Indian calendar to the common era can require a complex computation. To obtain the approximate year in AD):
Chaitradi Vikram (past) : Chaitra-Pausha: subtract 57; Pausha-Phalguna: subtract 56.
Shaka: add 78-79
Kalachuri: add 248-249
Gupta/Valabhi: add 319-320
Bangla: add 593-594
Vira Nirvana Samvat: subtract 527-526
Yudhishthira Samvat: Subtract 3101 (Ascension of Lord Krishna at age 125) from AD
Sri Krishna Samvat: Subtract 3226 (Birth of Lord Sri Krishna) from AD
Balabhi Samvat: add 320 to AD
Kyoto University Panchanga Converter Program

Variations[edit]
In Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and many northern region of India months are Purnimanta (means month ends on Purnima or Full Moon). In Gujarat, Maharashtra, and
other parts of many south Indian region, months are Amanta (months end on Amavasya).
In inscriptions, the years may be gata (past) or current.

National calendars in South and South East Asia[edit]

A variant of the Shalivahana Calendar was reformed and standardized as the Indian National calendar in 1957. This official calendar follows the Shalivahan Shak calendar in
beginning from the month of Chaitra and counting years with AD 78 being year zero. It features a constant number of days in every month (with leap years).
The Bengali Calendar, or Bengali calendar (introduced 1584), is widely used in eastern India in the state of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. A reformation of this calendar was
introduced in present-day Bangladesh in 1966, with constant days in each month and a leap year system; this serves as the national calendar for Bangladesh. Nepal follows the
Bikram Sambat. Parallel months and roughly the same periods apply to the Buddhist calendars used in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

[edit]
As an indicator of this variation, Whitaker's Almanac reports that the Gregorian year AD 2000 corresponds, respectively with:

See also[edit]
References[edit]
1. Jump up ^ Mughal, Muhammad Aurang Zeb. (2014). Time, Space and Social Change in Rural Pakistan: An Ethnographic Study of Jhokwala Village, Lodhran District . PhD
thesis. Durham University.
2. Jump up ^ Time Measurement and Calendar Construction. Brill Archive . Retrieved 2011-09-18.
3. Jump up ^ Chatterjee, S.K. (1998). Indian Calendric System. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
4. Jump up ^ Chia Daphne and Helmer Aslaksen (April 2001). "Indian Calendars: Comparing the Surya Siddhanta and the Astronomical Ephemeris" (PDF). Retrieved 2004-0404.
5. Jump up ^ Basham, A.L. (1954). The Wonder that was India. Macmillan (Rupa and Co, Calcutta, reprint),., Appendix II: Astronomy
6. Jump up ^ Hindu Lunar Month Names
7. Jump up ^ Bhgavata Pura 12.2.29-33
8. Jump up ^ Yano, Michio, "Calendar, astrology and astronomy" in Flood, Gavin (Ed) (2003). Blackwell companion to Hinduism. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-631-21535-2.

Further reading[edit]
Reingold and Dershowitz, Calendrical Calculations, Millennium Edition, Cambridge University Press, latest 2nd edition 3rd printing released November 2004. ISBN 0-52177752-6
S. Balachandra Rao, Indian Astronomy: An Introduction , Universities Press, Hyderabad, 2000.
Rai Bahadur Pandit Gaurishankar Hirachand Ojha, The Paleography of India, 2 ed., Ajmer, 1918, reprinted Manshuram Manoharlal publishers, 1993.
Mughal, Muhammad Aurang Zeb. (2012). Temporal rhythm of change in Village Jhokwala, Pakistan: Ethnographic insights from calendars . Giovanni Bennardo (ed.), Cultural
Models of Nature and the Environment: Self, Space, and Causality Workshop. ESE Working Paper No. 1. DeKalb, IL: Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability,
and Energy, Northern Illinois University, pp. 6165.