Calendars in India

Introduction to Calendars In India

A calendar keeps track of days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is achieved by naming time cycles, which are usually day, week, month, and year. A calendar is a tangible record of one such method (often made of paper).

Various systems for marking the start of a new year have become common in India at various times. There are various Calendars followed In India. However, the method used to frame calendars in different parts of India fall into one of three categories:

• Lunar System
• Solar System
• Lunisolar System

Hindu Calendar

Month, Year, Tithi, Paksha, and Ghatika, or alternatively, Vaara, Nakshatra,  tithi, yoga, and Karana, are all considered by Panchanga, or the Hindu Calendar. The twelve Rashis through which the  Sun moves are named after a constellation of stars known as the Nakshatras.

There are a total of 28 constellations, or Nakshatras. Because of their different sizes, Nakshatras do not all have similar stars; some only have one or two. Nearly three nakshatras make up each Rashi. The Hindu Calendar splits the solar year into two different parts: 

• Uttarayana: God’s Day lasts six months, from Makar to Karka Sankranti, or from January to June, also known as Paush and Ashadh, respectively
• Dakshinayana: the God’s night from July to December

Indian Calendar Forms

• Vikram Samvat: 56 years prior to the Vikram Samwat era, the Christian era began in the year 56 BC and is still in place in most parts of India, except for the Bengal region. According to historians, this calendar was created by King Vikramaditya when he won over the Saka rulers. It is a lunisolar calendar as per Hindu rituals from the past.It starts around April 15th in Nepal, marking the beginning of solar’s New Year. There are 12 months in a year and 354 days in total

• Saka Samvat: In the year 78 AD,  King Shalivanhana of Satavahana dynasty developed this calendar type. The Saka Samvat period was also termed as the Shalivahan era because Shalivahan belonged to this tribe
• Like the Vikram Samvat, the Saka calendar is solar and lunar, with lunar months and solar years and the same number of months as the Vikram period. On the other hand, months start at different times in this country. Vikram Samvat calendar’s zero year starts around the year 78 AD, near the vernal equinox
• Every year, the Saka Calendar begins on March 22nd. However, in Gregorian leap years, it begins on March 21st. Each month in the Saka calendar has a fixed number of days. In a Saka year, there are 365 days
• Hijri Calendar: Hijri calendar was produced in Arabic. Originally known as Amulfil, it was renamed Hijri after Prophet Mohammed’s death to commemorate his hijrah, or journey from Mecca to Madina, which occurred in the 52nd year of his life in 622 AD. This year was declared as the Hijri era’s zero years
• The Hijri calendar uses a lunar year, split into 12 months or 354 days. During the reign of the Muslim rulers in India, this calendar was adopted. Muharram is the first month of the Hijri period, during which no business or travel is allowed. 1st Muharram is the Islamic New Year
• Gregorian Calendar: It is derived on the birthday of Jesus Christ, the father of Christianity. It is a solar year that begins on January 1st and lasts for 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. Since the additional hours could not be used in the calendar for a year, the device of intercalation was used, and the practice of adding one day to February every four years was introduced. A civil year is a year that follows this calendar format
• National Calendar in India: Calendars in India are formulated based on the Saka Calendar and used as the country’s official civil calendar. It is used in news broadcasts by All India Radio, calendars, and correspondence documents published under the control of the Government of India and via notification in the Official Gazette

The Indian Government set up the calendars in the India Committee, which adopted the Saka calendar as the National Calendar in 1957. After correcting some local errors, the Committee worked to align the astronomical data and harmonize the use of this calendar. It was chosen as India’s National Calendar to harmonize the use of 30 different types of calendars in India at the time.

Conclusion 

This chapter gives detailed knowledge about various calendars in India and Indian        societies. Different methods are used to frame calendars in different parts of India like the Lunar   System, Solar System, Luni-Solar System. We got to know the histories of Shaka Samvat,Vikram Samvat, Hijris, Navroz, etc.The ‘National Calendar of India’ is the official civil calendar  used in India. It is also called the Saka calendar.The national calendar is based on the Saka Era with Chaitra as its first month and with a duration  of 365 days. We can learn about the different festivals associated with new year Gudi Padwa, Muharram, Baisakhi, Bihu, etc.