From: editor@rbhatnagar.csm.uc.edu (digest editor)
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Subject: What is The Hindu Calender
Date: 9 Jan 1993 14:15:02 -0800
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Topics: What is a Hindu Calander
	Hindu Cal. For Feb 1993
	

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>From: f0g1@jupiter.Sun.CSD.unb.ca (Prasad Gokhale)
Subject: What is The Hindu Calender
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 23:44:26 GMT


                           The Hindu Calender
                           ------------------

The ancient Hindu seers have had a comprehensive study of time. The minute
details covered by those fantastic minds in reckoning time is bewildering.
The Hindu calender is based on the age of Bramha, the Creator.  The life
span of Creator Lord Bramha is 100 years. His age now is 51 years.
Each day of Lord Bramha is designated by a Kalpa. Each Kalpa comprise of
14 Manus and each Manu consist of 71 Mahayuga. 1000 such Mahayugs completes
Lord Bramha's 1 day. At present, we are in the 28th Mahayug. 

One Mahayuga comprises of :
1. Krutayug  = (432,000 X 4) years
2. Tretayug  = (432,000 X 3) years
3. Dwaparyug = (432,000 X 2) years
4. Kaliyug   = (432,000 X 1) years

We are passing the Kaliyug today, which started in the year 3102 B.C.

The Yugas are further sub-divided into 60 year cycles. The current cycle began
on March 30, 1987 and will end in April 2047. Each year (called the
Samvatsar, Shaka or Samvat), normally consists of the 12 months except
when there is a Adhik Maas (Additional Month).

The religious ritualistic activities are mainly based on the Lunar
Calender. However, some regions of Bharat follow the Solar Calender.

The Lunar Calender
------------------

Each month consists of 29 to 30 days, and is based on the phases of the
moon. Each month is divided into two fortnights (paksha). Shukla Paksha (Sudi)
ends with a Poornimaa (full moon), and Krushna Paksha (Vaadi) ends with a
Amaavasyaa (New Moon). In some regions, (eg., Uttar Pradesh) the month
starts with Krushna Paksha following Poornimaa, but for most regions of
Bharat, the month starts with Shukla Paksha following Amaavasya.

The twelve months of the lunar year correspond to the following calender
months and make up the six seasons (Rutu) :

1. Chaitra       (March-April)
2. Vaishakh      (April-May)   ............... Vasanta Rutu (Spring)

3. Jyeshta       (May-June)
4. Aashaadh      (June-July)   ............... Greeshma (Summer)

5. Sharaavan     (July-August)
6. Bhadrapad     (August-September) .........  Varsha (Monsoon)  

7. Ashwin        (September-October)
8. Kaartik       (October-November) .........  Sharad (Autumn)

9. Margasheersh  (November-December)
10. Paush        (December-January) .........  Hemanta (Winter)

11. Maagh        (January-February)
12. Phalgun      (February-March) ...........  Shishira (Dewey)

Adhika (Purushottam) Maas 
-------------------------

Since the calender is based on the phases of the moon, the twelve as aboe
take 354 days, 8 hours and 34.28 seconds. This creates a difference of 10
days, 21 hours and 35.16 seconds from the actual solar year (365 days, 6
hours, 9.54 seconds)

When the accumulated difference exceeds 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and
2.865 seconds, an adjustment id made with a extra month (Adhika Maas),
which carries the name of the previous or the next month, depending on the
proximity of the month. Normally, seven extra months occur in 19 years.

Shalivahan Shaka
----------------

The Shalivahan Shaka is based on the lunar calender and the new year
starts with Chaitra Maas (Shukla Paksha). The current year (1914) started
on April 2, 1992. This calender is believed to have been initiated by King
Shalivahan in the year 78 A.D.

Vikram Samvat
-------------

The Vikram Era started with Raja Vikramaditya of Ujjain, following his
victory over the Saka in 56 B.C. The new year begins with the first day of
Kartik following Deepawali Amaavasya. The current Vikram Samvat is 2048.
The Yudhisthir Shaka, which started approximately around 5500 B.C, is not
very popular today.

The Solar Calender
------------------

This begins with Vernal Equinox, on or about March 21. The twelve months,
known as the Saur Maas, correspond to the entry of the Sun into the signs
of the Zodiac Rashi.

The Twelve Rashi (Zodiac Signs)
-------------------------------

1. Maysha       (Aries)           The Ram
2. Vrushabha    (Taurus)          The Bull
3. Mithuna      (Gemini)          The Twins
4. Karka        (Cancer)          The Crab
5. Simha        (Leo)             The Lion
6. Kanya        (Virgo)           The Maiden
7. Tula         (Libra)           The Scales
8. Vrushchika   (Scorpio)         The Scorpion
9. Dhanu        (Saggitarius)     The Bow
10. Makar       (Capricon)        The Crab
11. Kumbha      (Aquarius)        The Pot
12. Meena       (Pisces)          The Fish

The first month of the lunar calender, Chaitra, corresponds to the solar
month Maysha. Maysha begins on or close to 12th day of April, and this day
is celebrated as the New Year Day known as Vaishakhi or Yugadhi.

Makar Sankranta, which corresponds to the entry of the Sun into Makar
Rashi, occurs on January 14 every year.
   
                                   Courtesy : Newsletter, Temple of Ottawa   
--------------------

>From: indu@iss700.Columbia.NCR.COM ()
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 93 21:34:36 GMT



                   HINDU CALENDAR  for February 1993 
                   =================================

 Hindu Calendar:
   Hindu calendar consists a cycle of 60years.  Each year year has 12 months,
   and each month has thirty days. These are fixed on the basis of Moon,
   (english calendars are based on SUN). In order to take care of extra days,
   the calendars some time have adhika-masa ( like extra-day  in a leap year).
   Each month has two fortnights Krishna Paksha (New-Moon fortnight or 
   dark fortnight) and Shukla Paksha (Full-Moon fortnight or Glowing fortnight).
   Each month starts with the day one of Krishna Paksha and ends on the 
   New Moon day.
  
   The timings provided below are based on  
       00.00  Midnight
       12.00  Noon
       13.00  1 PM (afternoon One-O-Clock)
       23.59  the last minute of the day
   The calendar which I have denotes the ending time of a tithi or day.
   

   Date        Hindu Calendar details.                  Holidays/Festivals
   ----        -----------------------                  ------------------
SALIVAHANA SAKA 1914
Shri Angirasa nama samvatsaram
1992          Month   .Paksha.Tithi       End time
 Feb  1       Magha.Shukla.Navami         13-15                         
 Feb  2       Magha.Shukla.Dashami        12-44                     
 Feb  3       Magha.Shukla.Ekadasi        11-53       Sarvesham Bhishma Ekadasi
 Feb  4       Magha.Shukla.Dwadasi        10-48                             
 Feb  5       Magha.Shukla.Thrayodasi     09-18
 Feb  6       Magha.Shukla.Chathurdasi    07-19  Dhanishta Karte; Magha Poornima
 Feb  6       Magha.Shukla.Poornima       04-59  Gangapuri Yatra
 Feb  7 SUN   Magha.Krishna.Padhyami      02-59                          
 Feb  8       Magha.Krishna.Vidiya        FULLDAY   Shaab-E-Bharat
                               (dwitiya)
 Feb  9       Magha.Krishna.Vidiya        00-41            
 Feb  9       Magha.Krishna.Tadiya        22-20                            
                               (Tritiya)
 Feb 10       Magha.Krishna.Chaturdhi     20-05  Sankashta Hara Chathurdhi
 Feb 11       Magha.Krishna.Panchami      17-57                    
 Feb 12       Magha.Krishna.Shashti       16-02  Kumbha Sankramanam
 Feb 13       Magha.Krishna.Sapthami      14-30                 
 Feb 14 SUN   Magha.Krishna.Ashtami       13-16
 Feb 15       Magha.Krishna.Navami        12-30  Sarvesham Ekadasi
 Feb 16       Magha.Krishna.Dashami       11-47                
 Feb 17       Magha.Krishna.Ekadasi       12-27
 Feb 18       Magha.Krishna.Dwadasi       13-12
 Feb 19       Magha.Krishna.Trayodasi     14-28 MAHA SIVA RATRI;Satabhishakarte
 Feb 20       Magha.Krishna.Chathurdasi   16-05
 Feb 21 SUN   Magha.Krishna.Amavasya      18-00          
 Feb 22       Phalguna.Shukla.Padyami  20-02                       
 Feb 23       Phalguna.Shukla.Vidiya   22-08
                               (dwitiya)
 Feb 24       Phalguna.Shukla.Tadiya   00-00             Ramzan
                               (Tritiya)
 Feb 25       Phalguna.Shukla.Chathurdhi  FULLDAY  
 Feb 26       Phalguna.Shukla.Chathurdhi  01-40    
 Feb 26       Phalguna.Shukla.Panchami    FULLDAY
 Feb 27       Phalguna.Shukla.Panchami    02-53  
 Feb 27       Phalguna.Shukla.Shashti     FULLDAY
 Feb 28 SUN   Phalguna.Shukla.Shashti     03-38  
 Feb 28       Phalguna.Shukla.Sapthami    FULLDAY                  
 Mar  1       Phalguna.Shukla.Sapthami    03-54                    

-Indu.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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|  Any errors committed are mine.                                      |
|  No Group or  Organization   can be held responsible                 |
|                                ( for those in quest of truth .......)|
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