# The Burmese & Arakanese Calendars/Chapter 3

34. According to the Surya Siddhanta a maha-yug of
The greatest common measure of these numbers is 4. Dividing by 4, we get
35. The length of a mean year, deduced from the above figures, is 365.2687564814 days
The original Surya Siddhanta neglected the fraction of a day beyond five decimal points, or in other words omitted 1 kaya 24 anukaya = .36 second.
36. The year as thus defined is about 1 minute 12 seconds less than the mean anomalistic year as found by modern science, 3 minutes 27 seconds greater than the mean sidereal year, and nearly 24 minutes greater than the mean tropical year.
37. The Burmese zodiac is divided, as in Europe, into 12 signs ("rathi") each rathi into 30 degrees ("intha," Hindu "amsa"), each degree into 60 ​minutes ("leikta") and each minute into 60 seconds, ("wileikta"). The names of the signs are:—
| | Burmese. | Hindu. | European. |
| 1. | Meiktha. | Mesha. | Aries. |
| 2. | Pyeiktha. | Vrishabha. | Taurus. |
| 3. | Mcdon. | Mithuna. | Gemini. |
| 4. | Karakat. | Karka. | Cancer. |
| 5. | Thein. | Simha. | Leo. |
| 6. | Kan. | Kanya. | Virgo. |
| 7. | Tu. | Tula. | Libra. |
| 8. | Pyeiksa. | Vrischika. | Scorpio. |
| 9. | Danu. | Dhanus. | Sagittarius. |
| 10. | Makara. | Makara. | Capricornus. |
| 11. | Kon. | Kumbha. | Aquarius. |
| 12. | Mein. | Mina. | Pisces. |
38. In Burma the zero of celestial longitude does not move with the precession of the equinoxes as in Europe. The year theoretically begins at the moment when the sun enters the sign Meiktha, but as the year is slightly longer than the mean sidereal year, the first point of Meiktha (the zero of longitude) is really moving among the stars away from the equinox, faster than the real precession. The rate of precession of the equinoxes is about 50″ per annum; the rate at which the first point of Meiktha diverges from the equinox is about 59″ per annum.
39. The length of a mean lunar month, deduced from the figures in paragraph 34, is 29.530587946 days
Makaranta, probably following the original Surya Siddhanta, takes the mean lunation at 692/703 × 30 days
​40. The mean lunation being a small fraction over 291/2 days, the Burmese ordinary months contain 29 and 30 days alternately. Their names are:
| | | Days. |
| 1. | Tagu | 29 |
| 2. | Kason | 30 |
| 3. | Nayon | 29 |
| 4. | Wazo | 30 |
| 5. | Wagaung | 29 |
| 6. | Tawthalin | 30 |
| 7. | Thadingyut | 29 |
| 8. | Tazaungmen | 30 |
| 9. | Nadaw | 29 |
| 10. | Pyatho | 30 |
| 11. | Tabodwè | 29 |
| 12. | Tabaung | 30 |
| | Total | 354 |
41. The remainder of the luni-solar year is made up by inserting an intercalary month at intervals. Approximately seven intercalary months are required in nineteen years. Makaranta inserts exactly seven months every nineteen years. Thandeikta makes corrections for the small fractions remaining in the cycle of Meto. The intercalary month always has 30 days. In Arakan it is inserted between Tagu and Kason, and is called Second Tagu. In Burma proper it is inserted between Wazo and Wagaung, and is called Second Wazo.
42. It is obvious that the intercalary month not only corrects the length of the year, but also corrects the accumulating error of the month to the extent of half a day. In other words, it causes the first day of every alternate succeeding month to fall one day later than it would fall if the intercalary month had not been inserted. The average length of the month is further corrected by adding a day to Nayon at irregular intervals—a little more than seven times in two cycles, 38 years. The intercalary day is never inserted except in a year which has an intercalary month.
43. The days of the month are reckoned in two series, waxing and waning. The 15th of the waxing is the civil full moon day ("labyi"). The civil new moon day is the last day of the month (14th or 15th waning, as the case may be), and is called "lagwè" (moon disappears). It is frequently in advance of the real new moon, as will be seen later.
​44. Though Tagu is nominally the first month in the year, it is sometimes the last. The Thagayit number is applied to the solar year, consequently every year except watat year has 11 ambiguous days, bearing identical month names and day numbers, at its beginning and at its end. The latter are distinguished by the word "hnaung" prefixed. Thus B. E. 1257 Tagu waning loth was April i8th, 1895, and B. E. 1257 Hnaung Tagu waning loth was April 6th, 1896. Again, 14th April 1898 from midnight to 1-51-36 P. M. was B. E. 1259 Hnaung Tagu waning 9th. The same day from 1-51-36 P.M. to midnight was B. E. 1260 Tagu waning 9th.
45. Besides the 12 signs of the zodiac, the ecliptic is also divided into 27 nekkats (Hind, nakshatra), representing the 27 days of the sidereal month. The Pali names of the nekkats are almost identical with the Sanskrit names of the nakshatras.
46. The actual length of the mean sidereal month is 27.321661 days. The fraction gave rise in India to three different systems of reckoning the amount of celestial longitude covered by each nakshatra. The following list of nekkats is taken from Thandeikta. Athawani commences at longitude 350°. The spaces in this list differ greatly from both the Indian systems of unequal spaces. The most modern system in India is that of equal spaces, 13° 20′ being assigned to each nekkat.
| No. | Burmese name. | Hindu name. | Extent. | Long. of last pt. |
| 1. | Athawani | Asvini | 18° | 8° |
| 2. | Barani | Bharani | 10 | 18 |
| 3. | Krattiga | Krittika | 16 | 34 |
| 4. | Rawhani | Rohini | 12 | 46 |
| 5. | Migathi | Mrigasiras | 14 | 60 |
| 6. | Adara | Ardra | 5 | 65 |
| 7. | Ponnapokshu | Punarvasu | 27 | 92 |
| 8. | Poksha | Pushya | 14 | 106 |
| 9. | Athaleiktha | Aslesha | 12 | 118 |
| 10. | Maga | Magha | 11 | 129 |
| 11. | Prokpa Palgonni | Purva Phalguni | 16 | 145 |
| 12. | Oktra Palgonni | Uttara Phalguni | 9 | 154 |
| 13. | Hathada | Hasta | 10 | 164 |
| 14. | Seiktra | Chitra | 15 | 179 |
| 15. | Thwati | Svati | 13 | 192 |
| 16. | Withaka | Visakha | 21 | 213 |
| 17. | Anurada | Anuradha | 11 | 224 |
| 18. | Zeta | Jyeshtha | 5 | 229 |
| 19. | Mulathan | Mula | 13 | 242 ​ |
| 20. | Prokpa Than | Purva Ashadha | 15 | 257 |
| 21. | Oktra Than | Uttara Ashadha | 5 | 262 |
| 22. | Tharawan | Sravana | 13 | 275 |
| 23. | Danatheikda | Dhanishtha | 12 | 287 |
| 24. | Thattabeiksha | Satataraka | 26 | 313 |
| 25. | Prokpa Parabaik | Purva Bhadrapada | 10 | 323 |
| 26. | Oktra Parabaik | Uttara Bhadrapada | 16 | 339 |
| 27. | Rewati | Revati | 11 | 350 |
47. The days of the week are named after the sun, moon, and five planets, as in India and Europe, and are generally indicated by numbers.
| Day. | Burma. | India. |
| 1. Sunday | Taninganwe Ne | |
| 2. Monday | Taninla Ne | |
| 3. Tuesday | Inga Ne | Angaraka |
| 4. Wednesday | Buddahu Ne | Budha |
| 5. Thursday | Kyathabade Ne | Vachaspati |
| 6. Friday | Thaukkya Ne | Sukra |
| 0. Saturday | Sane Ne | Sani |
48. The Burmese astronomical day begins at midnight, the civil day at sunrise.
49. The following is a translation of one month of the Burmese Thandeikta calendar for forty years, published by Saya Wizaya of Mandalay. The longitudes of the sun, moon and planets are given in signs, degrees and minutes. Rahu is the moon's ascending node, and is regarded as a dark planet which causes eclipses.
| English year and month. | | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 January | 1902 | 1902 | 1902 | 1902 | February | February | February | February | February | February | February | February | February | February | February |
| English day. | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Burmese year and month. | | 1263 | 1263 | 1263 | 1263 | 1263 | 1263 | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waxing. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. | Pyatho waning. |
| Burmese day. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Week day | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Sun | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Sun | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Sun | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 |
| Moon | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Moon | 24 | 6 | 19 | 2 | 16 | 29 | 13 | 27 | 11 | 26 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 23 | 6 | 20 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 12 | 25 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 13 | 26 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 15 |
| Moon | 15 | 52 | 42 | 48 | 9 | 45 | 26 | 40 | 49 | 26 | 25 | 44 | 57 | 2 | 57 | 40 | 7 | 18 | 16 | 57 | 26 | 43 | 51 | 55 | 57 | 0 | 18 | 35 | 54 | 36 |
| Didi | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Didi | 50 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 52 | 57 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 27 | 33 | 38 | 42 | 46 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 46 | 42 | 36 | 31 | 26 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Nekkat | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Nekkat | 49 | 45 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 46 | 49 | 53 | 57 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 59 | 53 | 47 | 42 | 36 | 31 | 28 | 25 |
| Mars | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Mars | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Mars | 7 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 1 | 48 | 34 | 20 | 7 | 53 | 40 | 27 | 10 | 1 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 48 | 36 | 23 | 11 | 58 | 46 | 33 | 20 | 7 | 54 |
| Mercury | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Mercury | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Mercury | 46 | 26 | 5 | 43 | 21 | 58 | 34 | 10 | 44 | 16 | 46 | 14 | 40 | 6 | 30 | 51 | 9 | 23 | 36 | 44 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 47 | 36 | 22 | 5 | 30 | 56 |
| Jupiter | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Jupiter | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Jupiter | 15 | 29 | 43 | 57 | 10 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 5 | 19 | 33 | 47 | 1 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 56 | 10 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 6 | 20 | 34 | 48 | 2 | 16 | 30 | 44 | 58 |
| Venus | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Venus | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Venus | 36 | 3 | 27 | 48 | 6 | 21 | 35 | 48 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 31 | 38 | 44 | 43 | 36 | 26 | 11 | 54 | 34 | 13 | 51 | 29 | 7 | 44 | 18 | 47 | 13 | 37 | 1 |
| Saturn | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Saturn | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Saturn | 52 | 59 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 29 | 37 | 44 | 52 | 59 | 7 | 14 | 22 | 29 | 37 | 44 | 51 | 58 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 25 | 32 | 38 | 45 | 52 | 58 | 5 | 12 | 19 |
| Rahu | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Rahu | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Rahu | 6 | 2 | 59 | 56 | 53 | 50 | 47 | 44 | 41 | 38 | 35 | 32 | 28 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 56 | 53 | 50 | 47 | 44 | 41 | 38 | 34 |
| | | | | | | | (1) | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | (4) | 6 | | | (3) | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | | | 8 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 7 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Night, after 4th beat. | Night, after 4th beat. | Night, after 4th beat. | Night, after 4th beat. | Night, after 4th beat. | | | | | | | | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 1st beat. | Day, after 2nd beat. | Day, after 2nd beat. | Day, after 2nd beat. | Day, after 2nd beat. |
| Year 1263. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Poksha Ponnami. | Thokdadein | Thokdadein | Thokdadein | 283. | | | | | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Poksha Ahmwathi. | Thokdadein | Thokdadein | Thokdadein | 298. |
51. There have been differences of opinion as to whether the solar year commences at Thingyan Tet or at Thingyan Kya, but the actual practice for many years has been that it commences at Thingyan Tet. This is consonant with the use of mean years in all calculations.