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Indian
Calendars
Today
if I go and tell somebody in India that I was born in Vikrama samavt
2008, Ashadha Krishna Amavasya, they may think I am crazy. But if I
say that I was born on 21st July 1952 everybody will understand. We
Indians are quite good at blowing the trumpet about our culture and
tradition, and quite vociferous while singing “Sare jahan se accha…”,
but our knowledge of our culture and tradition is very poor. More than
95% Indians don’t know anything about the traditional Indian
calendar system.
There
are essentially two types of traditional Indian calendars. One is the
solar calendar (Surya ganana) based on the transit of the sun and the
other is the lunar calendar (Chandra ganana) based on the transit of
the moon. Both are based on the niryana system of calculating the
planetary positions.
Solar Calendar:
The
names of the 12 months are Chaitra, Visakha, Jyestha, Ashadha,
Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwija, Kartika, Margasira, Pushya, Magha and
Phalguna.
The
Solar Calendar is based on the Sun’s entry into various signs.
For example the Sun’s entry into the zodiac sign Aries, usually on
April 13/14 th, starts the month Vaisakha. Similarly its entry into
the sign Capricorn, usually on January 14/15 th is the start of the
month Magha. The starting of the year varies from culture to
culture. In most parts of India the “day” of Sun’s entry into a
sign is based on sunrise to sunset. If after sunrise it is taken as
the next day. In Bengal and Assam it is before midnight or 45
ghatis.Indian National Calendar: The official Indian calendar was
was introduced by the Govt. of India from 22nd March 1957, as
per the Calendar Reform Committee. It is based on the Sayana system
Sun’s entry into the signs. The following are the starting days of
each month.
Chaitra
March 22
Vaisakha April 21
Jyaistha May 22
Ashadha June 22
Shravana July 23
Bhadrapada Aug 23
Ashwija Sep 23
Kartika Oct 23
Margasira Nov 22
Pushya Dec 22
Magha Jan 21
Phalguna Feb 20
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