Types of Hindu calendars and years

Article by ex IIT Prof. Dr. A. P. Rao

I: INTRODUCTION:

There are many systems or calendars for marking the years. The popular one used for many purposes is the Gregarian Calendar named after Pope Gregory who has introduced many important reforms in that calendar. Presently it is year 2004 in this. In addition there are many other types of calendars – more importantly for religious purposes. The religious and social ceremonies and rituals in all religions are connected with seasons – which in turn are linked with astronomical phenomenon. The reforms in each type of calendar to link with astronomical phenomenon are a separate subject. Thus calendar is closely linked with the rules and their linkage with astronomical events. In addition there are many methods of reckoning the years and calendars like Hijary year of Islamic calendar, Hindu calendar system with its elaborate panchanga system etc. In fact each religion or ethnic group has got its own calendar and methods for naming the years and associated rules and reforms. Another popular method used is to name the calendar after a particular ruler – like Vikramarka Saka, Yudhisthara Saka, Salivahana Saka etc.

II.HINDU CALENDAR

Hindu calendar is an elaborate system with its own subsystem of divisions, rules and reforms – it is popularly called Pancanga – ie it has five portions of Tithi vaara Nakshatra yoga and karanams to define the particulars of day. In addition it has different names for months, seasons, Aayanam to reckon suns apparent movement in northerly or southerly directions and years. The system has again subdivisions of solar (based on sun) and Lunar (based on moon). This classification of panchanga is of vital importance in the daily life of a Hindu – for astrology, for rituals, for festivals and for seasonal activities.

While the starting date of a year differs the definition and classification of a year in Hindu system is mainly based on astronomical phenomenon of movement of celestial objects of sun moon and Jupiter. The different types of years are discussed below:

III.TYPES OF YEARS

The years are classified into nine ways as – Braahmyam, daivam, maanushanca, pitryam, sauranca, saavanam, caandra maarkshaam guroor maana miti manaani vai navah.

Eeshaantu nava maanaanaam vyavaharootra pancabhih
teeshaam prudhathkaaryam vakshatee vyavahaaratah.

Grahanam nikhilam kaaryam gruhyatee saura maanatah
Vidheer vidhaanam strii garbham saavanee naiva gruhyatee

PraharshaNam meegha garbhoo naakshatreenaapi gruhyatee
Yaatroo dvaaha vrata kshaura tithi varNaadi nirNayam

Parva vaastuu pavaasaadika krutsnam caandreeNa gruhyatee
Gruhyatee gurumaneena prabhavaadyabdha lakshaNam

Bha chakra gatirarkshasyaat saavanam trim Sataadinaih
Sauram samkramaNam prooktam caandram prati pradaadikam

Tattan maasair dvaadaSi bhisatattadabdoo bavee ttatah
Guru caareeNa sambhuutaah shashTbhyabdaah prabhavaadayah.

For popular use the years are classified into the following six types

1.Chaandra Maana or Lunar Year : Consists of 12 maasaa starting with Chaitra maasa from Sukla Paksha Prathama to Bahula Amaavaasya. It is about 354 days. This is followed in Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka and Gujarat etc. The calendar adjustment here is done by adhika additional maasa ( month ) and Kshaya masa or lack of a month.

2.Saaurya Maana or Solar Year : It consists of 12 months from Mesham to Meenam . Each month starts with Suns movement through the corresponding raasi starting with about April 14 th. It has about 365.24.. days in a year. The calendar here is adjusted here by having more than one thithi in the beginning in a paksha of a month.

3.Saavan Maana : This year consists of 12 months of 30 days each and has 360 days.

4.Nakshatra Manaana: Each month consists of movement of moon in the Nakshatras from Aswani to Revati. Twelve such months make a year with about 324 days.

5. Baahraspatya Maana : Ths is based on movement of Guru or Jupiter in different signs and is about 361 days duration. This is mostly used in North India and is used for pitru karma or doing puja for ancestors. This has possible relationship with kumbha mela functions of different rivers and has relationship with muhurtams. For eg when Guru is in Simha Rasi it is Godavari Pushkaranams and marriages are avoided during that year for people living around Godavari.

The rivers and Pushkra vs Gurus Position in 12 rasis is given below :

1.Mesham for Ganga , Vrushabha for Reva , Mithuna Sarasvati , KarkaTaka for Yamuna , Simham for Godavari , Kanya for Krishnaveni, Tula for Kaveri, Vruschika for Bhimaradhi , Dhanus for Pushkara vaahini, Makara for Tunga , Kumbha for Sindhu, Meena for Vranitaa.

After entry of Guru in these Rasis it is recommended that for 12 days Pushkara Sradhdham – or ritualistic offerings to ancestors be done at the river site.

It is also a custom that for the duration of Guru in a particular rasi, the people living near that river don’t perform good functions like Marriages.

The 60 Baahraspatya years are numbered diferently from Pramadi , vikrama ..bahudhanya .

6.Gregarian Calendar: This is the current popular calendar universally used and has about 365.24.. days. The calendar reforms involved definition and the changes there in for the leap year. Now a days the calendar is based on atomic clock and changes in the year are adjusted to account for variations with astronomical phenomenon by international committee and is done by adding / subtracting necessary amount of time at the end of a year.

IV.HISTORY OF YEARS AS FOR HINDU SYSTEM

While the starting date is different, the same names are used for all the types of years classified as for Hindu System – viz Lunar, Solar, Saavan, and Nakshatra years. There are different stories to illustrate the origin for the names of these years as given below.

History 1. It is said that the 60 sons of King Sagara – are named after the 60 years

History2. : As illustration of Vishnu Maaaya , sage Narada was made by Lord Vishnu to take birth as a woman. He gives birth to 60 children and gets very much attached to the family. When they die in a battle, Lord Vishnu make Narada to take bath in a river and soon after rising from water during the bath, Narada gets back his form as sage and realizes the real Maaya. When Narada prays Lord Vishnu to give salvation to his dead children, Lord Vishna gives a boon to Narada that the sixty children will be remembered for ever as names of years.

V.NAMES OF YEARS

1.Prabhava 2.Vibhava 3. Sukla 4.Pramooduuta 5.Prajootpatti 6.Aangiirasa 7.Sriimukha 8.Bhaava
9.Yuva 10.dhaata 11.eesvara 12.bahudhaanya
13.pramaadi 14.vikrama 15.vrusha 16.citrabhaanu
17.svabhaanu 18.taaraNa 19.paardiva 20.vyaya
21.sarvajittu 22.sarvadhaari 23.viroodhi 24.vikruti
25.khara 26.nandana 27.vijaya 28.jaya
29.manmadha 30.durmukhi 31.heevaLambi 32viLambi
33.vikaari 34.Saarvari 35.plava 36.Subhakrutu
37.Soobhakrutu 38.kroodha 39.viSvaavaSu 40.paraabhaava
41.plavanga 42.kiilaka 43.saumya 44.saadhaaraNa
45.viroodhikrutu 46.pariidhaavi 47.pramaadiica 48.aananda
49.raakshasa 50.nala 51.pingaLa 52.kaaLayukti
53.sidhaardhi 54.raudri 55.durmati 56.dundubhi
57.rudiroodgaari 58.raktaakshi 59.kroodhan 60.akshaya

Rule for predicting the result of any year :
Double the year number, subtract 3 , then divide by 7 , remainder gives the following result.
1 or 4 - Durbiksham (famine)
2,5 – Subiksham ( Prosperity ,
3 ,6 - Neutral and
0 or 7 - PeeDakaram ( Problematic)