CALENDAR SYSTEM
Art and Culture
INTRODUCTION
• A calendar is a system to measure and organize time in days, months and years.
• Calendars are generally based on the cycles of the Sun and the Moon.
• Calendars have deep socio-economic, cultural and religious significance.
TYPES OF CALENDAR SYSTEMS
1. SOLAR CALENDAR
• Based on the apparent movement of the Sun.
• Seasonal changes are linked to solstices and equinoxes.
• One solar year = 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds.
• Maintains closest correspondence with seasons.
• Consists of 12 months.
• Tropical Solar Calendar:
– Based on Sun’s position relative to Earth’s equator (equinox).
• Sidereal Solar Calendar:
– Based on Sun’s movement relative to fixed stars.
2. LUNAR CALENDAR
• Based on Moon’s movement and lunar phases.
• One lunar month = 29.26 to 29.80 days.
• Lunar year = 354 days (11 days shorter than solar year).
• Difference adjusted by adding an intercalary month.
• Intercalary Month:
– Added every 2.5 years.
– Called Adhik Masa or Purushottam Masa.
– Dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
3. LUNI-SOLAR CALENDAR
• Combines lunar months and solar year.
• Months follow Moon, year follows Sun.
• Adjustment through intercalation of extra month.
• Generally has 12 months, occasionally 13 months.
4. HIJRI CALENDAR
• Purely lunar calendar of Islamic origin.
• Begins from Hijrah (622 AD).
• Year has 354 days and 12 lunar months.
• Day begins at sunset.
• Months shift across seasons.
• Falls one year behind Gregorian calendar every 33 years.
• Used to determine Ramadan, Hajj and Islamic festivals.
5. JULIAN CALENDAR
• Introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC.
• Solar calendar.
• Developed with help of Sosigenes of Alexandria.
• Leap year every 4 years.
• Replaced earlier lunar Roman calendar.
6. GREGORIAN CALENDAR
• Most widely used calendar globally.
• Introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII.
• Replaced Julian calendar.
• Solar calendar with leap year system.
• Average year length = 365.2425 days.
• Leap year adds one day to February every 4 years.
CLASSIFICATION OF MONTHS
SOLAR MONTHS
• Based on Sun’s transit through zodiac signs (Rashis).
• 12 Rashis:
– Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna, Karka, Simha, Kanya,
Tula, Vrischika, Dhanus, Makara, Kumbha, Meena.
LUNAR MONTHS
• Two systems:
– Amanta (month ends on New Moon).
– Purnimanta (month ends on Full Moon).
• Divided into two Pakshas:
– Shukla Paksha (Bright fortnight).
– Krishna Paksha (Dark fortnight).
TITHI AND TIME MEASUREMENT
• Tithi = Lunar day.
• Divasa = Solar day.
• One Tithi ≈ 23 hours 37 minutes.
• Smaller units:
– Ghatika
– Pala
– Vipala
INDIAN CALENDAR FORMS
• Vikram Samvat
• Saka Samvat
• Hijri Calendar
• Gregorian Calendar
VIKRAM SAMVAT
• Began in 56 BC.
• Associated with King Vikramaditya.
• Luni-solar calendar.
• New year starts in Chaitra.
• 56–57 years ahead of Gregorian calendar.
• Extra month added periodically (Adhik Masa).
• Followed in most parts of India.
SAKA SAMVAT
• Began in 78 AD.
• Initiated by King Shalivahan.
• Luni-solar calendar.
• Official national calendar of India (adopted in 1957).
• New year begins on 22 March (21 March in leap year).
• Followed in government calendars.
• Nyepi celebrated as Saka New Year in Bali and Java.
PANCHANGA
• Traditional Hindu calendar system.
• Consists of five limbs:
– Tithi
– Vara
– Nakshatra
– Yoga
– Karana
• Called Panjika in Odisha, Assam and Bengal.
NAKSHATRAS
• Total 28 Nakshatras.
• Unequal in size.
• Each Rashi contains 2–3 Nakshatras.
UTTARAYANA AND DAKSHINAYANA
• Uttarayana:
– Northward movement of Sun.
– Makara Sankranti to Karka Sankranti.
• Dakshinayana:
– Southward movement of Sun.
– Karka Sankranti to Makara Sankranti.
YUGA SYSTEM
• Satya Yuga – 1,728,000 years
• Treta Yuga – 1,296,000 years
• Dvapara Yuga – 864,000 years
• Kali Yuga – 432,000 years
• One Mahayuga = 4.32 million years.
• 1000 Mahayugas = 1 day of Brahma.
KALI YUGA
• Age of darkness and moral decline.
• Decline of virtue.
• Human lifespan reduces significantly.
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Subject: Art and Culture
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