Hindu Calendar -3 of 5

 Framing a Calendar/ पंचांग

पंचांग is a comprehensive document that includes a civil calendar, a religious calendar, an ephemeris, an almanac, and other religious and ritual information.

To make a पंचांगor a calendar, certain aspects are required to be adhered to like

• Correct lengths of astronomical month and year
• Civil year and months should have an integral number of days, no fractions
• The starting days of a month and a year have to be defined.
• Days and months must correspond to seasons.
• For continuous dating, an era is required and should be defined
• Civil Day needs to be defined and distinguished from Astronomical Day
• A system of adjustment for lunar months is required.

Both, the sun, the moon, and to some extent Jupiter, are used as time-markers, and therefore precise knowledge of their motion, position and apogees in the zodiac are essential for the correct calculation of a तिथि,नक्षत्र, करणfor the formulation of an accurate पंचांग.

Though the Hindu Year is mentioned as a solar year, it is actually a Sidereal year with lunar months (see Vedic Period 2). Its length has been taken as per the various siddhantas, which are corrected/updated periodically. The length of the year, as given out by सूर्य आर्य, राजमृगांक (ब्रह्म) सिद्धांत  is used for the calculation of the calendars/ पंचांग.

There are only three schools of astronomers known; one is called the सौर-पक्ष-, followers of the presentसूर्य सिद्धांत  another is called the आर्य पक्ष, who follow the first आर्यसिद्धांत and the third is called the ब्रह्मपक्ष following Rajamriganka, which is a work based on work of Brahmagupt’s corrected version of ब्रह्मसिद्धांत. (This work is not in use now). These three schools seem to have been established around 1042 CE. Though some karanas and सिद्धांत were composed at a later period and were used for making a पंचांग.

All siddhantas and Karana works were corrected around 1500 CE. The corrected versions are still being followed in the respective regions.

The length of the year, as calculated by all of them is, nearly, the same. However, they differ in other elements.

The first आर्यसिद्धांत is the authority in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and some areas of Southern India

ब्रह्मपक्षis the authority in parts of Gujarat and western parts of northern India. 

सूर्य सिद्धांत is the standard authority in Bengal, eastern areas, and the rest of India and also the prevailing authority in India for many centuries past down to the present day.

Contents of पंचांग

The zodiac forms the reference point for fixing the position of any planet or star in the sky. Since it encircles the earth, it is comprised of 360 degrees. The 27  नक्षत्र being evenly placed on it each have a span of 13°20’ arc. 12 Zodiac signs/ राशी are also evenly placed on it, each having a span of 30°. Both are assumed to start from the fiducial point “First Point of Aries”. The राशी चक्रstarts from मेष राशि/ Aries and नक्षत्र starts fromअश्विनी.

The Hindu Zodiac, used for this purpose, is of two types Sidereal and the other is  Tropical, ie, निरयन and सायन. Most पंचांग are based on the Sidereal ( निरयन) system.

1.  निरयन (Sidereal Zodiac): It considers the zodiac to begin from a fixed point in the background of stars, usually a nakshatra. It is primarily used in Vedic astrology, giving importance to the fixed nakshatra for horoscope calculations. 

2. सायन (Tropical Zodiac): It considers the zodiac to begin from the vernal equinox, or the First Point of Aries, which aligns marking the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. It is related to the seasons.

अयनांश is the difference between the starting points of the two zodiacs. Its value changes due to the precession of equinoxes. For the current year, this value is mentioned in the respective Panchang. 

संक्रांति. It is the point of time when the sun leaves one zodiac sign and enters another is called a संक्रांति. The period between one संक्रांति and another, or the time required for the sun to pass completely through one राशी/zodiac sign, is called a सौरमास, or solar month. Twelve solar months make one solar year. A संक्रांति on which a solar month commences takes its name from the sign-name of that month.

Types of Calendars/Years.

 Solar These calendars are based on the yearly motion of the Sun, which could be either sidereal or tropical. Indian solar calendars followed in Assam, Bengal, Tripura, Haryana, Punjab, Orrisa, Tamil Nadu Kerala, etc. have sidereal year as the year length of their calendars.

Roman, French, Egyptian, and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars where the tropical year is used as the year length.

 Lunar Lunar calendar is based on the monthly cycle of phases of the Moon i.e. synodic month and has no relation with the yearly motion of the Sun. Islamic Hejira Calendar is a pure lunar calendar.

 Luni-Solar These calendars consider both the monthly motion of the Moon and the yearly motion of the Sun. Indian calendars used in Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are lunisolar calendars.

Jews and Babylonian calendars are lunisolar calendars.

Conventions Followed in the Panchang.

The time calculated from the various time markers does not synchronize with the standard civil or Solar day and month. This creates challenges for daily activities and religious rituals. Therefore, certain conventions have been developed for religious observances and civil practices.

संक्रांति Rule

As a general rule the beginning of the solar month as occurring, civilly, is considered at sunrise. However, there is a twist and a vast variation to this simple rule, depending upon the type and version of Siddhant followed.

• The Orissa rule: The month begins on the same day as the संक्रांति.
• The Tamil rule: The month begins on the same day as the संक्रांति if the संक्रांति falls before sunset. Otherwise, the month begins on the following day.
• The Kerala rule: The month begins on the same day as the संक्रांति if the संक्रांति occurs before aparahna. Otherwise, the month starts on the following day. (Aparahna is the time at 3/5th duration, for the period, from sunrise to sunset. For example, if the times of sunrise and sunset are 6am and 6pm, the aparahna is [(3/5) x (18 – 6) + 6] am = 1.12pm.)
• The Bengal rule: When Sankranti takes place between sunrise and midnight on that day, the month begins on the following day. If it occurs between midnight and sunrise, the month begins on the third day. (In some special circumstances, there are some deviations from this rule.)

A case of unity in diversity even in heavens!

 तिथि, सौर दिवस

The beginning of the तिथि occurs any time of the day and does not coincide with the Solar day. Hence, as a general rule, for civil and ordinary religious purposes, the tithi current at sunrise of the solar day gives its name and numeral to that day and is coupled with its weekday. For example, if the sunrise is at 0623 h on 10 January and the चतुर्थी  तिथि finishes at 0947 h, then the tithi for10 January is चतुर्थी तिथि.

Now here is the twist again!

 Some religious ceremonies, rituals, and festivals are ordained to be performed at a particular tithi and time of day. Therefore, as a general rule, the tithi current for that specific solar day or weekday cannot be considered for the festival/ ritual mentioned, regardless of the current tithi.

Hence, a festival is celebrated/ observed a day earlier or later. 

For example, Holi is celebrated on the last full moon day of the Hindu calendar. That  is  फागुन/फाल्गुन/पूर्णिमा . As per the Gregorian calendar, this day corresponds to 14 March 2025, because the Poornima tithi ( Poornima Tithi starts From 1035h on 13 Mar 2025 to 1223h on 14 Mar 2025) was current at sunrise of 14 th March 2025. So as per the general rule, quoted above, 14th March is  फाल्गुन पूर्णिमा and Holi should be celebrated on 14th March 2025.

However, the twisting moment is 

Ritual rules state that Holika Dahan should be performed on the night of फाल्गुन पूर्णिमा, this condition of, particular tithi and time of day, is satisfied on 13th March and not on 14th March 2025 (Poornima is over by sunset on 14 Mar 2025). Hence Holika Dahan on 13th March and Dhulivandan on 14 March 2025.

Lengthy treatises have been written, on this subject, laying down what should be done under all such circumstances.

निर्णयसिंधु is one such authority on these matters. It is used in most places in India.

 It is amazing, how our Vedic people could calculate and lay down rules for such complex motions of the Sun and moon and their accounting for day-to-day functioning.

 

The next blog is titled “ Adhik Maas, Kshya, and Adhik Tithi, names of the Solar and Lunar months.”

 

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References:-

1.  Bhartiya Jyotish Shastra-SB Dixit
2. The Indian Calendar-Robert Sewell and SB Dixit
3. Cowasjee Patells Chronology
4. The book of Eras- Gen A Cunningham
5. Calendar Reforms Committee Report 
6. Ancient Indian Astronomy -RN Iyengar
7. The Calendars of India- VK Mishra