Saturday, March 14, 2015

CHANDRAMANA YUGADI AND ALMANAC

Chandramana  Yugaadi (New Year’s Day) and Almanac (panchangam)

 

(Compilation for a discourse at Sri Ganesha Temple by   N.R. Srinivasan, USA,  March 2015)

 

 

1. Introduction        

Nearly every festival in Hinduism has an astronomical basis. Most ancient cultures had festivals based on astronomical events, especially the Sun or Moon.   There are four landmarks in the Sun's journey in the heavens (sky): Vernal Equinox; Autumnal Equinox; Summer Solstice; and Winter Solstice.
Astrology is a part and parcel of everyday life in India even to this day whether people realize it or not.  Puranas brought in several celebrations and rituals focused on birthdays of Gods and Goddesses and Puranic events based on Tithis and Zodiacal Nakshatras. Hindu astrologers developed a calendar based   on waxing and waning periods of moon and 354 days in a year, convenient to handle for them though Sun was never undermined or left out. Probably they like more the cool demeanor and romantic nature of Moon! Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali Hindus who are more inclined towards religion attach importance to Sun who is meditated upon as Vyaahriti (emanation) of Brahman even today and follow solar calendar based on 365 days based on movements of the Sun. Perhaps these were the origin and initiators for Julian and later modified Gregorian calendar.
The celebrations and prayers that follow Lunar New Year’s Day called Yugadi fill people's hearts with joy and contentment. Leaving the past behind and starting afresh with positive expectation is one of the key aspects of Yugadi. The day also marks the beginning of spring season, which is considered to be the first of all seasons, with plants, shoots, and leaves coming to life and therefore, the day is believed to set things rolling for a fresh and successful new beginning. Devotees perform rituals and pujas   seeking blessings from God for health, wealth, prosperity, and success in businesses and work as well. It is for this reason that it is considered the best time to take on new ventures or personal goals for betterment of oneself. The day is preceded by the pre-Yugadi preparations that begin a few days before the actual day. It includes thoroughly cleaning the entire household, white washing or repainting  the house and shopping for new clothes and other items that go with the requirements of the festival. 
One would wonder why the above two subjects Yugadi and Panchangam (almanac) are clubbed together. This is because the two are very closely inter-related. The first religious  reading (Panchnga Sravana) of the new Panchangam is on Yugadi day and the details of the New Year are brought out in the Panchangam.
Yugadi (Also called Ugadi) means “Yuga+ Adi” i.e. “Start of New Year”. It is believed that Lord Brahma started creation of the Universe on this day which religious belief makes them to cling on to this calendar in spite of known deficiencies.  In the Gregorian calendar   January 1 is called New Year’s day. In the Indian Almanac New Year is reckoned in three ways. The first –based on the   movement of the Sun (This system is called Sowramana); the second-based on the movement of the Moon (This system is called Chandramaana), and, the third–based on the movement of planet Guru (This system is called Brahaspatyamaana).

It is believed that   Lord Brahma, the Creator started creation on this day -- "Chaitra Suddha Padhyami" or the Yugadi day. Also the calculations of the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya proclaim the Yugadi day as the beginning of the New Year, New Month and New Day. The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life with plants acquiring new life, shoots and leaves. The vibrancy of life and verdant fields, meadows full of colourful blossoms signify growth, prosperity and well-being. With the coming of Yugadi, the naturally perfumed Jasmine's spread a sweet fragrance, which is perhaps unmatched by any other in nature's own creation. While large garlands of Jasmine are offered to Gods in homes and temples, Jasmine flowers woven in clusters adorn the braids of Hindu women while other religious followers enjoy the same for fashion.

One Chandramana year is the time taken for transit of Moon from Chaitra Sukla (Bright half of Moon) Prathama to Phalguna Krishna Amavasya (Dark half of Moon) and occupies about   354 days. In order to reconcile the difference with the Sowramana year which has 365 days as in the Gregorian calendar, an additional month (13th) is periodically added to the Chandramana year. This is called Adhikamasa.   Why this reconciliation? Why not adopt the alternative which many others follow?

Hindus celebrate the first nine lunar days nearest to both the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes. Both these times are sacred as the Navaratris. The first nine lunar days closest to the Spring equinox are celebrated as Vasanta (Spring) Navaratris (nine nights) while the first nine lunar days closest to Autumnal equinox are celebrated as the Sharad (Autumn) Navaratris (nine nights). The Hindu New Year (referred to as 'Ugadi' or 'Yugadi') marks the beginning of the Vasanta (spring) Navaratris and 'Sri Rama Navami' marks the end. It is not a mere coincidence that Sri Rama Navami marks the climax of the Spring Navaratris. Among the incarnations of Vishnu, Parasara identifies Sri Rama with Sun. Though the Autumnal Navaratris are celebrated in a major way by all Hindus as the Dusshera Navaratris with holy reading of Ramayana, celebrating Rama Pattabhishekam on Vijayadasami Day, ardent worshippers of Sakti fast and chant the 'Devi Mahatmyam' during the Vasant Navaratri too.

Chandramana calendar reckons dates based on the Salivahana Era (Saaleevaahana Saka)   which begins its count from the supposed date of the founding of the Empire by the legendary hero Salivahana.  The Satavahana king Salivahana (also identified as Gautamiputra Satakarni) is credited with the initiation of this era known as Salivahana. He is from Andhra and therefore this New Year is popularly known as Telugu New Year’s day in the South. The Salivahana era begins its count of years from the year corresponding to 78 CE of the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the year 2000 CE corresponds to the year 1922 of the Salivahana Era. All legal documents in Karnataka and Andhra include the dates based on Salivahana saka besides Gregorian calendar; May be other states too.

The Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Kodava and the Konkani diaspora in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala celebrate the festival with great fan-fare (by those  who follow Chandramana calendar); gatherings of the extended family and a sumptuous feast is the order of the day followed by cultural celebrations. This is an official religious holiday in all these states.

The day, begins with ritual showers (oil bath) followed by prayers to Samvatsara (Year) through their chosen deity.  But why do we worship Samvatsara? Almighty is the custodian of Time and hence the Year. Vedas address Brahman as Samvatsara. “Samvatsaro asaavaadityo ya esha purushah” (MNU)—The Purusha, who is in Aaditya (Sun), is Samvatsara.  Samvatsara is defined like this in Sanskrit: “Samyak vasanti sarvabhootaani asmin iti samvatsarah”—All entities are existing in this and so this is  Samvatsara.  There is no life without Sun! 
Almost in all parts of India the Brihaspati 60 year cycle prevails from a very long time. In commenting on Taittiriya Brahmana, I.4.10, Sayana says that this cycle comprised 12 of the ancient 5 cycles, which are so often referred to in the Vedic works and in the Vedanga Jyotisha. The sun and the moon take about 5 years to return to the same position at the beginning of a year, which gave rise to the cycle of the 5 years known as Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Idvatsara respectively. As Brihaspati makes a complete circuit of the heavens in about 12 years, all the 3 heavenly bodies were expected to return to the same celestial region on the expiry of every 60 years. Instead of modern 60 names every twelve years was given a name in series as Samvatsara, Parivastara, UIdavastara, Anuvatsara and Idvatsara in early Vedic period.
Vishnu Sahasranama also addresses Vishu as Chaturvyoohah.  That is why New Year Day, and therefore Yugadi, becomes a very sacred day for worship in Hindu concept where as in other religions New Year’s Day celebration is   a social event except for Christians who also hold religious masses on January 1 (Circumcision day of Jesus Christ) as it is their religious New Year which was forced on the world as Official and so celebrated as a social event.

2. The Festival

Yugadi is the first among the major festivals in Hindu calendar.  In erstwhile State of Mysore in Karnataka   the following verse was taught to children in order to   remember  festivals and tithis, just as we learn  the Rhyme “Thirty days has September April June and November” at school:

“Yugaadi Padya- Bhanu Bidige -Akshaya Thadhige -Vinayaka Chowthi -Naga Panchami Subrahmanya Shasti-Ratha Sapthami _Gokula Astami –Maha Navami –Vijaya  Dashami- Vaikuntha Ekaadasi -Utthana Dwaadasi –Ananga Thrayodashi -Anantha Chaturdashi Mahaalaya Amavasya and Vyasa poornima “.
[Padya=Prathama, Bidige=Dwitheeya,Thadhige=Trutheeya, Chowthi=Chaturthi]               

Yugadi heralds Vasantha ruthu, which as Lord Sri Krishna says in SriBhagavadgita-Vibhuthi yoga-10-35, is his amsha (…masaanaam margasheershoham Ruthunam kusumaakarah).

This is echoed in nature in the way all trees have sprouting of new leaves, providing a unique fine aroma in the atmosphere. Spring season arrives with trees decorating themselves with tender leaves in different colors, followed by beautiful blooms. The spring season is a divine reminder to Humanity that there is hope after desperation and we all will be blessed to be surrounded by beautiful nature. It is in spring that life comes back to normal after being barren for months.

The spirit of Yugaadi is   exemplified   in the following verse composed by one   of the Jnaana-peeth Award winning Kannada poets, D.R.Bendre (Ambikathanayadatta):

Yuga  yugaadi  kaledaroo yugaadi marali baruthide
Hosa varushake hosa harushava hosathu hosathu taruthide

Honge huva tongalalli bhrungada sangItha keli matte kelabaruthide
Bevina kahi balinalli huvina nasugampu susi jIvakaleya taruthde

Varushakondu hosatu janma harushakondu hosatu neleyu akhila jivajatige
Onde ondu janmadali onde balya onde haraya namagadashte etako

Niddegomme nitya marana edda sala navina janana namage eke baarado
Ele sanatkumaradeva ele saahasi chiranjivi ninage illi serado

Yuga yugaadi kaledaroo yugaadi marali barutide
Hosa varushake hosa harushava hosatu hosatu tarutide nammanashte maretide

[Though many a years and Yugaadis pass by New Year comes again; it brings again and again new joy spinning further happiness into the New Year!  Listening to the melody  of humming bees from the  hanging flowers of Indian beech (Pongamia Pinnata)  smile appears   and  bestows richness to life; for  the bitter life of name,  the smiling flowers bring joy to life; One new  life   per year   and a new status for one happiness  for  all ;  we have only one youth and one adulthood, why should it be  so (while Yugadi has it every year)?  Why don’t we experience the death in sleep and new life every time after waking up? Oh Lord Santkumara! You are immortal there and don’t you like it here? Though   many a years and Yugadis pass by, New Year comes again!  It brings again and again new joy spinning further happiness into the New Year!


3.   Observance of festival

Customs vary from region to region in celebrating Yugaadi. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh people start preparations well in advance. The houses and workplaces are cleaned and decorated with mango leaves and neem (Margosa) leaves and neem flowers hung across the main entrance doors and puja room doors. Special rangoli (floral decoration art) is put at the house entrance. Turmeric and vermillion are applied to the threshold. Mango leaves symbolize prosperity and auspiciousness. (It may be recalled that even while doing special pujas or receiving with religious honor spiritual heads (with poorna kumbha), mango leaves are placed in the Kalasham).  Neem leaves and flowers are considered highly beneficial for good health and   for warding off infections.

People get up well before sunrise, have oil bath, do Sandhyavandanam (daily prayer for the Supreme) wear new dresses, say special prayers and refrain from taking any food or beverage till conclusion of puja including puja to the new Panchangam (almanac), and, distribution of prasadam. The head of the family or the priest conducts special puja to the deity and Panchangam (almanac) with all upachaaras (steps) like Avahana, Asana, Arghya, Paadya, Achamaneeya, Mantraasana, Snana, Vastra and Yajnopaveetha Alankara, Dhoopa,Deepa, Chamara, Neivedya, Tamboola, Neerajana, Punarmantrasana Paryankasana etc. (These are the progressive steps in   Hindu worship Ritual described in my discourse on Shodasa Upachaara Pooja).

In Maharashtra also people celebrate the day similarly by decorating their houses, cooking special dishes at home and offering special prayers at home and temples. It also marks the end of Rabi season, and the yield is taken to the markets. On this day people fill silver or brass pots   decorated with coconuts, mango leaves and wrapped in silk clothes and placed on a pole. This represents appreciation of nature’s bountiful gifts that were given to us by God. Maharashtrians make Halwa, Srikhand and Kheer on this day as special dishes to celebrate the New Year.
In Karnataka a special dish called Obbattu or Holige, is prepared. It consists of a filling (gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made into a paste) stuffed in a flat roti-like bread. It is usually eaten hot or cold with ghee or milk topping or coconut milk at some places of Karnataka. In Andhra Pradesh, a special dish called Bobbattu (Polelu) (Puran Poli) (Oliga are prepared on this occasion.  Apart from sweets and other delicacies, the prasadam (blessed food) includes Bevu-Bella. This is an intimate mixture of neem flowers, jiggery (unbleached solid molasses) and tender mango gratings. Sometimes honey is added.  Neem is believed to guard against diabetes, skin disorder and other infections. Jaggery and honey are considered to improve hemoglobin content. Mango is said to improve functioning of liver.

It is a combination of bitterness, sweetness and sourness which represent   the   different rasas. The following verse is recited while taking this Bevu-Bella:                        

“Shathayurvajradehaya sarvasampathkaraya cha
sarvaristavinashaya nimbakamdalabhakshanam “

This sweet and bitter blessed food is for granting one 100 years of life with strong diamond like body, devoid of all diseases and for blessing with all wealth. This Bevu-bella (neem-jaggery mix) is taken immediately after theertha (sacred water) and before taking any other food or beverage.

In addition to the health aspects in taking bevu-bella, there is a higher significance. It represents the harmonious blend of opposite attributes (Dwandwa) and teaches the person to view with equanimity the opposite aspects in life –bitter-sweet and sour-sweet,   and help   to build a balanced outlook and calm composure even under adverse conditions. Hindu scriptures often deal with pairs of opposites while discussing philosophy. Along with Lakshmi Alakshmi was also born (alakshmeem naasamaamyaham) and both are worshiped. During Upakarma we not only worship Savitri and Gatyati but also Kama and Manyur devatas (kamokarshit manuyurakarsheet namo namah), and Vighnaraja, King of Obstacles we invoke to ward off obstacles.  Ganesha is worshiped as Lord of Obstacles as well as Remover of Obstacles. This philosophy   of pairs of opposites is very well brought out in the following verses of Sri Bhagavadgita:
           

Sukha dukhe samey krutwa laabhalabhau jayajayau
Tatoyudhayayujyaswa naivam papamavapsyasi                                      (2-38)


Regarding pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, as alike prepare yourself then for war; then you will not incur sin.         

 Jithatmanah prashanthasya paramatma samahitah
            Sheethoshnasukhadukheshu tatha manapamanayoh                             (6-7)
           
The Self of one which is self-controlled and serene is alone poised in heat and cold, happiness and misery, as also in honor and dishonor.

Samashatrauchamitre cha tatha manapamanayo
Sheethoshna sukhadukheshu samassangavivarjithah                           (12-18)

Tulyanindasthut hirmounee santhusto yenakenachit
            Anikethassthiramathi : bhakthiman mey priyo nara :                               (12-19)


Alike to foe and friend, in honor and dishonor, in heat and cold, happiness and misery, free from attachment in praise and censure, reticent, satisfied with anything, without home, steady in mind—such a devoted person is dear to me.

 Manapamanayosthulyah  thulyomitraripakshayo   
            Sarvarambhaparithyagee gunatheethassa uchyathe                               (14-25)

The same in honor and dishonor, the same towards friend and foe, habituated to renounce all actions—such a person is said to have transcended the three characteristics—Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
Bevu-Bella    symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise), which should be accepted together and with equanimity through the New Year.  The ingredients in these mixtures convey the following message: Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness; Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness signifying Happiness; Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger; Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear;  Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust; Raw Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise.

After puja and prasaadam, all members of the family or community gather   together for Panchanga Pathanam and Sravanam--the reading of the New Year almanac and/or listening to the same. This is considered essential and is believed to bestow the same results as Ganga Snanam/Go-daanam. (bathing  in Ganges or giving cow in charity). With the Radio and TV stations beaming special programs for Yugaadi, panchanga pathanam is brought right to the living room. (Details of panchangam will be dealt with later). It is also customary for people to visit   temples,   friends and relatives and exchange presents.  
                                   
Apart from the ritualistic Poojas and social   get-together it is an occasion to cleanse one’s mind of impure thoughts and make new resolutions (to be followed) about values of Dharma.
                                   
SarvE Bhadrani pashyanthu
                                    SarvE Bhadrani shrunvanthu
                                    SarvE Bhadrani kurvanthu

[May all witness welfare all round!  May all listen to good tidings!  May all be involved in doing good deed!]

It is with this intention that after bevu-bella we take meals with friends and relatives and also visit temples and offer special pujas for the well-being of all (Sarve janassukhino bhavanthu samastha sanmangalani bhvanthu).


4.  Cultural  Activities

In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, special Kavi-sammelans (Poets’ Conference)   are organized. This provides a forum for upcoming poets who bring their new compositions and recite them at the sammelan (Conference).  The poems are normally thematic and include humor, satire and philosophy. In Andhra Pradesh it is customary to prepare special pacchadi (semi solid salsa like) with jaggery, tamarind, mango, neem flower etc. to bring in various rasas (tastes)-sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, spicy tinge etc. to correspond to difficulties, pleasures, anger, love etc. [life is indeed a mixture of  varied emotions!] Hindus wherever they are settled continue with these traditions and conduct elaborate cultural activities.


B. Panchangam

 1. Introduction

We shall now come to Panchangam-the almanac. As the name suggests (Pancha+Angam) it shows five attributes for any day viz., .Vaara, Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana.

On Yugadi day, the head of family or the priest reads out the (highlights) almanac. This is Panchangapathana. All members of the family/community intently listen to this. This is Panchanga Sravanam. In earlier days it was customary for people to gather in temple/community hall for this. Nowadays, it is done in individual homes. After panchanga patanam/sravanam special puja is offered to the almanac deifying Panchangam.

 1. Sankalpam

It is seen that at the time of commencement of any ritual, the karta (performer) or the priest would do/utter sankalpa—a religious declaration of intent/purpose. In tune with the precepts in all scriptures, this sankalpam is made as a dedication to God. It begins with invocatory verse to presiding deity/ishtadevtha. Then the particulars of the place, date, time of the ceremony; the lineage of the person doing/getting the puja done; the details of the ceremony; the offering to God etc are spelt out. Typically, sankalpam runs like this.

Invocation  slokas:

Agajananapadmarkam Gajananamaharnisham
            Anekadanthambhakthanam ekadantamupasmahe
           
Suklambaradharam Vishnum shashivarnam chaturbhujam
            Prasannavdanam dhyayeth sarvavighnoapashanthaye
Yasyadwiradavakthradyaa : parishadyahaparashadam
            Vighnamnighnanthi satatam Visvaksenam tamashraye
Sankalpa

Harirom tatsat sri Govinda Govinda Govinda aadya sri brahmanah dwitiya parardhe sri swehavaraha kalpe vaivaswatha manvanthare kaliyuge prathamea paade Jambudweepe Bharathavarshe Bharathakhande shakabde meroh dakshine parshwe asmin varthamane vyavaharike chandramanena Prabhavaadi shasti samvatsaraanaam madhye sri ….. samvatsare…..ayane ….. ruthau …. mase …..pakshe……. shubhatithau vasaraha   ….vasara yukthaayaam …. nakshtra yukhthaayaam shubha yoga shubha karana yukthaayaam asyaam  shubha diney ….gothrasya/gothraaya :……rahau …..nakshatre jathasya/jathaayaa :  naamasya/namnaaya  ;…sakutumba saparivarasya ayurarogyaiswarya vidyabuddhi udyoga sthana vridhhyartham Lokakshemartha sri bhagavadaajnaya sri parameswara/srimannarayana preethyartham……….pujaam/vratham karishye/acharyamukhena karayishye.

Our sages attached clear definition to the day and its attributes at the time the ritual is conducted by way of Sankalpa (resolution) and also waited for appropriate auspicious time for its success. The details of these are available in the panchangam based on Jyotisha saastra. These almanacs are published by religious mutts, astrological pundits and Institutions like Benares Hindu University. The Indian National Calendar (Which was started on Chaitra 1, 1879 Saka Era, or March 22, 1957) is the official civil calendar in use in India. This calendar was introduced by the Calendar Reforms   Committee (Of CSIR) in 1957.  This favoring of Chandramana by Government of India is based on the fact most astrologers depend on Nakshatra for their religious rites. Tamil Nadu attaches importance to Tithi. It also leans more towards Gregorian. Yet the most logical would be to start the New Year on the holiest day of Makara Sankranti following solar calendar when Uttarayana Punyakaal starts and Sun’s travel to Northern Solstice begins, a significant most auspicious  astronomical landmark’s day which by coincidence is also Tamil month of Tha.i  Thai   pirnadaal vazhi pirakkum is a popular saying in Tamil meaning Thai starts the path—to the materialist a good day to start marriage or auspicious events and to a spiritual seeker an auspicious day that builds hope towards liberation in the following six months. This was enforced in Tamil Nadu for some time by an ordinance but later discontinued by another ordinance, by political games and not logic.

Today there are three popular calendars in India. Vikram Era calendar is followed in Western and  Northern India.  Shalivahana Saka calendar is followed in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharshtra and Solar Calendar followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

A typical entry in the Almanac reads as under:

Sri…samvatsare….ayane..…rithau…..mase…..pakshe prathipadadi tithayaha…………kalyabdaa …shakabda …year…month

Date; day of Chandramana ; day of Sowramana; Tithi; lagna; sunrise; sunset; duration of tithi; duration of Nakshatra; Yoga; Karana; position of the various planets; festival/puja; if any; Gowri panchangam; nakshatra of rain; masa/paksha kundali. [The details of the various attributes are given in appendix}.

In addition to the data mentioned above, the panchangam contains the following useful information.
             1.   Devotional Verses (Stotras) for the day of the week and general stotras
2.   Forecast for the year for various rasis/nakshatras
3.   Festivals to be observed at home, in temples and Holy places
4.   Details of eclipses and shanthi (peace) for the same
5.   Birthdays of deities, saints, alwars, Gurus
6.   Calculation data for casting/interpreting horoscopes
7.   Auspicious Muhurthams   for 16 Sacraments like  Jaa takarma,  Upanayana, Vivaaha,Purchase  of vehicles, sowing the crop, cattle purchase, business transaction etc.
8.   Pravara (lineage) for various gotras
9.   Upakarma vidhi, tarpana krama
           10.     Ready reckoner for comparing horoscopes of Kanya (girl) and Vara (boy) for   
        Wedding* and calculations of astrological parameters such as  Tarabala, 
        chandrabala, guna etc.    

11.  Gem therapy
12. Vaastu Shastra (astrological predictions for constructing a house)

The Panchangam is thus an astrological encyclopedia and   useful reference handbook for all.
 
*(Hindus strongly believe in these astrological calculations to fix the Marriage and seek the guidance of the priest or Panchanga if they are themselves not knowledgeable.



One Panchangam for All Hindu Traditions
There are thirty different calendars in India. Indian National Calendar Committee in 1957 brought out a National calendar aligning it with the Gregorian calendar basing it on Salivahan Saka Era and Chandramana Calendar which was popular with majority traditions but was not close to Gregorian official calendar. Their task was complicated by the fact that with calendar reform, religion and local sentiments were involved. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his preface to the Report of the Committee, which was published in 1955, wrote: “They (different calendars) represent past political divisions in the country…now that we have attained Independence, it is obviously desirable that there should be a certain uniformity in the calendar for our civic, social and other purposes and this should be done on a scientific approach to this problem.” This National   calendar was therefore brought in line with Gregorian calendar.
It is unfortunate Indian Government in this year 2015 has decided to stop printing National calendar instead of enforcing it on the people while enjoying absolute majority and popularity.  This reform did not belong to any party but was intended for National unity and convenience to align with International calendar.  So much efforts put in by so many experts for so many years has all gone waste. Some Years back Tamil Nadu went further ahead in making Makara Sankranti, January 14 as the New Year day beginning with Tamil Month of Thai which was close to January 1.  However, when political situation changed Tamil Nadu decided to revert back to Tamil New Year’s Day as before to   celebrate on April 14   and as traditionally observed for ages.   Politics plays in India and not religious accuracy based on astronomy and National unity that do not upset sacred day observances.
 Indian Solar calendar is totally based on the movements of the Sun and is more scientific and convenient like the Gregorian calendar, being used all over the world. Tamil Hindus, Bengali Hindus  and Kerala Hindus, most religious lot among Hindus, swear by it and have not gone against scriptural injunctions by following it for several centuries. Hindus in India have not adopted Indian National calendar prepared for the benefit of the country by experts and have ignored  astronomical corrections over centuries because of family ill-trained astrologers who have not studied astronomy like our ancient Rishis and tradition oriented priests who follow these Panchangams and stipulate date and time of worship as is known to them mechanically. Even some authors who are scholars in astronomy and astrology go the traditional way so as to not to offend these authoritative Priests, Vadhyars and religious heads who rule and guide the society.  These should not be the limiting factors for Hindu Americans who are well educated and spiritually inclined.
Hindu Americans drawn from different Hindu traditions will be better advised to go by the Indian National Calendar of 365.25 days which will slowly go into archives in India caught between politics and religious prejudices.  They need not follow any of the religious panchangams currently in use in India which are all inaccurate and do not comply with scriptural injunctions to perform rituals and worships as per time, date and place of living. This needs a proper aligning of Hindu American Panchangam of today with Indian National Calendar or even better base it on Sauramana Panchangam taking into consideration its serious neglect in not correcting for astronomical facts that has moved Makara Sankranti by 23 days from actual day of December 22 Winter solstice day when the Sun’s direction changes   towards North (Uttarayana). As highly enlightened and religious conscious society with lot of computer geniuses they have to base things on astronomical facts as the basis on which our Rishis carried out their worships and rituals based on astronomical events based on Sun. We should not go by blind faith and defective Panchangams of astrologers which have certain missing links.
indu Panchangam applicable to this part of the world
Makara Sankranti and Tamil New Year’s Day fall more or less on the same day of Gregorian calendar every year as we all know.  Even our Solar calendar is out of harmony with natural seasons on earth because of the  difference  of 0.0165656 days  in  the  actual  and  the  assumed lengths of  a solar year which remained uncorrected over fourteen centuries. The result is we are now celebrating our fasts and festivals after over 23 days of their actual happening or Saastric prescribed time. All our Panchangas require   accommodating this change. The present Niryana system is not accurate. Our calendar is based on seasons, ayanas, and equinoxes etc. Moreover the 27 Stars are not placed evenly in heavens and the view of them through ecliptic does not yield 2.25 stars per Zodiac to make for 27 stars*. Stars are of unequal span. No one is prepared to bell the cat to make changes in the Panchangas as   done systematically in Gregorian calendar.  Gregorian calendar makes leap year correction every four years and also leap-century correction to set right the calendar over a period. We therefore wonder all the time why our festivals and rituals do not coincide with the Gregorian calendar. Further India has adopted Chandramana calendar of 354 days per year based on majority opinion and not based on scientific compatibility with Gregorian calendar. Indian National Calendar took care of compatibility  but no one adopted it or the country enforced it, afraid of losing its popularity, ignoring what is good for the country. Today religious observations do not follow astronomical basis and base them on miscalculated astrology. This is thus our negligence ignoring conflating science and religion. Yet another factor is Hindu astrologers thought only about India which lies in northern Hemisphere. They did not think of Southern Hemisphere where winter in Northern Hemisphere is summer for them. Fortunately USA and India are both in the Northern Hemisphere. But think of the religious faith  of those living in Southern Hemisphere like Australia or Bali? 

*[In the Panchangam or in astrology Nakshatra or star is only one of the Zodiacal Belt whereas in astronomy stars are heavenly bodies twinkling in the sky. The moon’s path lies within the Zodiacal Belt, which is the region extending about five degrees on either side of the ecliptic. The moon completes a circuit of its path with respect to the earth in about 27.33 days. Hence the Zodiacal Belt is divided into 27 equal parts of 13 degrees and 20 seconds each, called Nakshatras. The first segment longitude of the moon 0 degrees to 13 degrees and 20 seconds is called Aswini. It goes on further till the last Nakshatra Revati.  Revati completes the circle extending from 346 degrees and 40 seconds to 360 degrees. (346   deg. and  40”+13 deg. 20”= 360 degrees)].

At present USA has an American Hindu Panchangam   applicable to this part of the world, very unique in many respects that need alignment with Indian National Calendar and the astronomical correction needed for the   lapses over centuries.  Even the present Hindu American Panchangam brought out by the Hindu Temple Society   of North America published since 1997 is not followed   by all of its members of the Council. Hindu Americans in spite of their broader outlook still are as religiously biased as Hindus in India who have not adopted Indian National calendar prepared for the benefit of the country by experts and are blind to astronomical corrections over centuries because of   family trained astrologers who have not studied astronomy like our ancient Rishis.  Hindu American Temple authorities are also guided by these family trained or family tradition oriented priests imported from India. It should not be difficult for Mr. R. Kumar, Author of Hindu American Panchangam to correct the situation and provide Americans with an accurate religious Panchangam aligned to Gregorian calendar, being an author of several books on astronomy and astrology and also the recipient of several awards.
I often wonder while Government of India could force decimal system, against multiplicity of regional systems of weights and measurements and distances (FPS System) which even USA could not do, why they are not able to enforce Indian National calendar which provides astronomical dates as per scriptural injunctions for all? Hindu Americans drawn from all traditions in India can certainly do it if they have a will to do it and show the way to Hindus in India to adopt one uniform calendar like what Pope Gregory did by not only fixing his religious calendar but also forcing it on the entire world today. Probably his thinking was to have one religion for the entire world that is Christianity which   remains still  a dream though it leads all other religious followings, may be due to its political and economic supremacy! Are we concerned about the past glory of Salivahana Saka or worried about the accuracy of our religious calendar that needs correction due to astronomical changes that have taken place over several centuries to perform our religious rituals and celebrate festivals as per scriptural injunctions?



[This discourse is based on the article sent by Mr. B.R.G. Iyengar a free lawns writer on religious topics from Karnataka based on the above references which is gratefully acknowledged who often advises and helps me in my endeavors to serve you all along with others but for whose help this mammoth contributions found on the blog would not have been possible]



APPENDIX 1


JAMBUDWIPA AND THE SANKALPA

(Compiled by N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, December 2018)


Our ancient Maharshis viszualized that   The world is considered as having seven dweepas (islands)-Kusha, Shalmali, Plaksha, Jambu, Krauncha, Saaka, Pushkara.  Jamboodweepa is at the centre. Mountain Sumeru is at the centre of Jambudweepa.  The Present day India is a small part of that land Called Bharatha Varsham.  If you could obtain and see the map of those days , the present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Nepal, a part of china and many more surrounding countries were then in Bharata varsha.  Now we hear of many Hindu temples and Hindu gods idols in those countries.

Hindu Cosmic cycle details.

1 Mahayuga = Sum of 4 Yugas (Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali) = 4,320,000 years. 1000 such mahayugas comprise a day-time of Brahma also known as a Kalpa. The Kalpa is ruled by 14 Manus in succession. The reigning period of a Manu is one Manvantara which is 71.42 Mahayugas. There is an equivalent night-time of 4,320,000,000 years. The day-night of Brahma together constitutes one Brahma day (8.64 billion years). 360 Brahma days constitute a Brahma year while 360 years represent the lifetime of Brahma which is the life of the cosmos. Doing this simple calculation gives the age of the cosmos to be 311 trillion years. Carl Sagan, the noted scientist says in relation to this, ""The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still."

We are presently in the Sveta-Varaha kalpa in the reigning period of Vaivaswatha - the 7th Manu. In this Manvantara we are in the 28th mahayuga. As per our Cosmology, Brahma is supposed to have completed 50 Brahma years and is in his 51st year. That is why he is called "Parardha-dvaya-jivin" (ie) he lives for two parardhas. A parardha is half. Two halves make one. He is called so as he has completed one half of his tenure. These terminology makes better sense in relation to the Sankalpa. The actual Sankalpa mantra and its meaning runs like this

".... dviteeya parardhe - in the 2nd half of Brhama's life
Svetavaraha kalpe - in the kalpa of Sveta-Varaha
Vaivaswatha manvantare - in the reining period of the current manu Vaivaswatha
Ashta Vimsati tame - in the 28th mahayuga of the current manavantara
Kaliyuge - in this kali yuga
Prathame Padhe - in the first quarter of this yuga
Jamboodveepe - this denotes the place where the ritual is performed. India was known as Jambudveepa
Bharata Varshe, Bharata Kande - in the land of Bharat
Sakhabde Mero, Dakshine dikbhage - to the South of the Meru mountain
Asmin Varthamane Vyavaharike - in the current period now reigning
Prabhavadi Shasti Samvatsaranam Madya - among the cycle of 60 years starting from Prabhava
Nama Samvatsare - the name of the year in the 60 year Hindu calendar
....Ayane - Dakshinayane (Aadi to Marghazi) or Uttarayane (Thai to Aani)
....Ritou - denotes the 6 seasons or Ritus - Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharadh, Hemantha and Shishira
....Mase - one of the 12 months
....Pakshe - either Shukla Paksham (day after Amavasya till and including Pournami) or Krishna Paksham (day after Pournami till and including Amavasya)
....Subha Thithou - one of the 15 days between Pournami and Amavasya (Prathama, Dvithiya, Trithiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shasti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Trayodasi, Chaturdasi, Pournami or Amavasya
....Vasara Yuktayam - one of the days of the week (Bhanu, Soma, Bhowma, Soumya, Guru, Brugu and Sthira)
....Nakshatra Yuktayam - the day's star or Nakshatram.

 

BHARATA VARSHA means entire Asian countries including Iran, Afghanistan,TIibet, Burma, Srilanka, Indonesia,Malaysia, Java and Sumara, Bali, Vietnams, Thailand etc., based on the past glory

Bharatavarsha refers to the whole of modern India and many other countries.   (may be this has lost its significance  as other counties have moved out of Sanatan Dharma and have built religious walls)


"उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम्
वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।"

'uttaram yatsamudrasya himadrescaiva daksinam
varsam tadbharatam nama bharati yatra santatih'

"The country (varsam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharatam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."

Bharatakandam is the region which is contained in Bharatavarsha, comprising modern South Asia.


According to some Puranas, the term Bharatvarsha applies to planet Earth and not to India based on our assertion Vasudnhaiva Kutumbakam

  2) Rig Veda, Book 3, Hyme 53, Verse 12:

" इमे रोदसी उभे अहमिन्द्रमतुष्टवम |
विश्वामित्रस्यरक्षति बरह्मेदं भारतं जनम ||"

'ya ime rodasi ubhe ahamindramatustavam |
visvamitrasyaraksati brahmedaṃ  bhaaratam janam ||'


'Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keeps secure the race of Bharatas.'

3) Srimad Bhagavatam, Book 5, Chapter 20, Verses 2 to 29:

There are 7 concentric dvipas of varying sizes and surrounded by various types of oceans.

(yojana is the size of 4 gaau, and 1 gaau is 2 miles (thus 1 yojana  is 8 miles).

(i) Jambu-dvipa(the central dvipa) with 100,000 yojana at the center. It is surrounded by salt-water ocean of 100,000 yojana.
(ii) Next surrounded by serial one is Plaksh-dvipa with 200,000 yojana. It is surrounded by ikshu or sugarcane juice ocean of 200, 000 yojana.
(iii) Shaalmali-dvip is next with 400,000 yojana wide. This is encircled by the Like suraa or alcohol ocean with 400,000 yijana.
(iv)  Kush-dvip is the next one with 800,000 yojan. Beyond this Like ghrut or ghee (melted butter) ocean with 800,000 yojana wide.
(v) Next encircled is Kraunch-dvip with 1,600,000 yojana and beyond this is Like KSHEER or MILK OCEAN with 1,600,000 yojan wide.
(vi) Shaak-dvip is next with 3,200,000 yojana and further with Like dadhi-mandod or yogurt ocean with 3,200,000 yojanaa.
(vii) Pushkar-dvip is the last one with 6,400,000 yojana and surrounded with an ocean of Water sweet as sudhaa or amrut (nectar) of 6,400,000 yojana wide.

What exactly is this "Jambudwipa"?

Jambu Dweepa means “An Island of Jambu trees (Syzygium fruit or Java Plum)”. The fruit is called as Naval Pazlam in Tamil and nerale hannu in Kannada.

Jambudveepa consisted of modern Asia, Europe, Africa and North America and not merely the Indian subcontinent.

This Jambudveepa was divided into nine Varshas (geographical regions) of which one was  Bharatha Varsha. The other eight varshas were: 2. Ketumula Varsha; 3.Hari Varsha;  4. Ilavrita Varsha;  5. Kuru Varsha;  6. Hiranyaka Varsha; 7. Ramyaka Varsha;  8. Kimpurusha Varsha; and 9. Bhadrasva Varsha.

According to Wikipedia in ancient times this Globe was partitioned into Saptha Dweepas (seven islands) namely:

o    Jambu ( Java Plum) (Asia, Eurasia)

o    Plaksha ( Ficus religiosa or sacred fig ) (South America )

o    Saalmalli ( Bombax ceiba, cotton tree) ( Australia )

o    Kusha ( Grass) (oceania)

o    Krouncha ( Africa)

o    Saaka ( Europe, Atlantis)

o    Pushkara ( North America, Canada)

 “According to Puranic cosmography, the world is divided into seven concentric island continents (sapta-dvipa vasumati) separated by the seven encircling oceans (Sapta Sindhus), each double the size of the preceding one (going out from within). The seven continents of the Puranas are stated as Jambudvipa, Plaksadvipa, Salmalidvipa, Kusadvipa, Krounchadvipa, Sakadvipa, and Pushkaradvipa. Seven intermediate oceans consist of salt-water, sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, yogurt, milk and water respectively.  The mountain range called Lokaloka, meaning "world-no-world", stretches across this final sea, delineating the known world from the dark void.  

Continent Jambudvipa (Indian Blackberry Island), also known as Sudarshanadvipa, forms the innermost concentric island in the above scheme. Its name is said to derive from a Jambu tree (another name for the Indian Blackberry). The fruits of the Jambu tree are said, in the Viṣṇupurāṇa (ch.2) to be as large as elephants and when they become very ripe and fall upon the crest of the mountains, a river of juice is formed from their expressed juice. The river so formed is called Jambunadi (Jambu river) and flows through Jambudvipa, whose inhabitants drink its waters. Insular continent Jambudvipa is said to comprise nine varshas (zones) and eight significant parvatas (mountains).”

India which was then called Bharata Varsha named after Bharata son of Rishabha Deva, the land including Sumeria up to Caspian Sea (which was called Kashyapa Samudra in those days). Within this Bharata Varsha was located the Bharata Khanda which was the heart of the Vedic civilization & the place where   Indians resided that too got progressively  curtailed due to partition and gifts to Prince of Wales! Aryan Invasion   is a conspiracy theory molded by Western Countries to show us in poor light.  All of the regions so mentioned in the race theory are a part of Bharata Varsha and there was never a so called "invasion".

What is amazing is the fact that our ancestors had an excellent overview of the geography of the world back then.

It can be observed that in those times, most of South American continent, southern half of African Continent and entire Australia were submerged under water. On the other hand most of modern day Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and the entire Arctic Ocean were above sea level.

This also proves the logical fallacy of the Western missionaries which claim that the Vedic civilization is just 5000 years old, Kurukshetra war took place just a few thousand years back, etc. The Vedic civilization existed at times when Australia was submerged below the ocean! Imagine how long back that must have been! 

The common names of the dvīpas, having their varṣas (9 for Jambu-dvīpa, 7 for the other dvīpas) with a mountain and a river in each varṣa, is given in several Purāṇas.  There is a distinct set of names provides, however, in other Purāṇas   The most detailed geography is that described in the Vāyu Purāṇa.

Surya Siddhanta, an astronomical text, refers to Northern Hemisphere of the earth as Jambudvipa whereas the Southern hemisphere is referred to as Patala.

The credits for this discovery go to the great soul Lokamanya Balagangadhar Tilak. More information can be found in his book *The Arctic Home in the Vedas*



For USA : Krouncha dveepE, ramaNaka varshE, aindra kaNDE, amerikA desE , prasAnta sAgarE (pacific ocean , which is optional to say if you live on west coast of USA), your city etc...

For UK : SAlmali dvIpE, vinyascita paschima dhigbhAgE samudra madyasthita brihadharanya kshetrE, London mahAnagare (replace with any city in the UK you live in)

North America is Pushkara  dveepa   as pushkara trees (maple) are found there.


Africa can be Krouncha dveepa (as  krouncha = bird, kilimanjaro (kili means parrot in Tamil) mountain exists there and popular episode of Skanda's life is his feat of breaking the Krauncha mountain.

SOME THOUGHTS FOR OUR RELIGIOUS PUNDITS AND SPIRITUAL GURUS

American Hindus might think Krouncha as North America but it is Pushkara dveepa.

Salmali could be Australia for the reason that tall pine trees (salmali) are found between Indonesia and Australia (also described by Sugreeva in Ramayana)

Similar way : Plaksha dveepa is South America

Saaka is West Europe (towards Atlantic Ocean, like UK, Greenland, Ireland (has Skanda connection from Tamil Nadu. Try to find meaning for common Tamil name Sendhil/Senthil, which mean red one and Irish people have read skin+hair), Iceland etc.

Kusa dveepa is Oceania (smaller islands of Pacific ocean)





MY THOUGHTS



Priests in USA often replace “Bharatakande” with Aindra Kande in Sankalpa. “America, which is at the antipodes may be taken to be Patala, or the Nether World. Kapilaranya we may further take it as situated here. “It is likely Kapilaranya changed to California in the same manner as Madurai sometimes altered to Marudai. Also noteworthy is the fact that there is Horse islands near California as well as Ash Islands” writes HH Chandrasekaharendra Saraswati in his book Hindu Dharma. This reminds us of the story of Sagara, his horse, the curse of sage Kapila who reduced his sons to ashes. This makes us believe the migration of Red Indians from India in the ancient past.   



Recently an ancient   Siva temple in ruins has been discovered in the dense forests of USA. Hinduism had been the religion of the world from the beginning of times. Today it is again spreading in all countries of the world as world religion. The ancient Indians settled in America are known to the world as Red Indians.  Generations of present Kaliyuga   migrated from Bharat traveling through frozen sea between 20000 to 30000 years settled in the continent of America and were called Red Indians say the expert historians.  Settling there they worshiped Siva says a research publication Sadathala.  



According to Wikipedia in ancient times this Globe was partitioned into Saptha Dweepas. Pushkara Dweepa constituted North America, Canada.  Then, I am not sure of  Krouncha dweepa, Ramanaka Varsha  and Aindra Kanda  adopted by priests in USA for Sankalpas!

ANBIL RAMASWAMY

The tendency to link California with Kapilaranya and Horse islands to Ash Islands seem far- fetched and smack of trying to glorify Hinduism.





HINDUISM DISCOVERED ON SANKALPAM IN INDIA AND IN U.S.A.



The following are excerpts from Chapter 25 of “Hinduism Rediscovered” book which inter alia deals with the location that is recited in our Sankalpa.

DVEEPAS (ISLANDS)


While the Mahabhaarata gives an older version of the world model with just four dveepas arranged around Mount Meru, a fully developed model which is much more complex is also seen depicted in the Puranas. They mention seven dveepas surrounded by seven concentric oceans with Mount Meru standing at the center in what is known as Jambudveepa surrounded by an ocean of salt water which itself is surrounded alternately by circles of land and other oceans.



This Mount Meru, or the “Golden Mountain” is described as 84,000 Yojanas in height, 16,000 Yojanas in depth unimaginably far above the surface of the earth, with a diameter of 32,000 Yojanas and a base of 16,000 Yojanas.



The Jambudveepa itself is divided into 9 parts, with Bharata varsha at the center. The other 8 parts are described as “places of perfect enjoyment” (Bhoga Bhumi), where happiness is spontaneous and uninterrupted, without vicissitude, without age and death, without distinction of virtue or vice, without any change brought about by the cycle of ages.



NOTE:

U.S.A. may be described as “BhOga Bhoomi” may be in relation to India but it cannot be said to have the characteristics mentioned in the case of India – namely “where happiness is spontaneous and uninterrupted, without vicissitude, without age and death, without distinction of virtue or vice, without any change brought about by the cycle of ages”.



Bharatavarsha is subject to the deterioration brought about by the succession of the four yugas; it knows suffering and death. But, it is the land of works (Karma Bhumi) which enables people to gain heaven or even final emancipation” 



The Sankalpa that every Hindu makes while initiating any religious practice invariably refers to the exact locale where the rite is performed with reference to the Hindu Cosmology. In India, the locale part of the Sankalpa would be as follows:

mErO: DakshiNE paarsvE     On the southern side of Mount mEru

Jambudveepe                          In the isle of the rose apple

Bharata Varshe                       In the region called Bharata Varsha

Bharatah Khande                    In the continent of Bharata etc.



Those doing the rites in the U.S.A, adopt the same as follows:

mErO: paschima dig bhaagE; on the western side of Mount mERu*

Ramanaka Varshe                    In the region called Ramanaka Varsha

Aindra Khande                         In the continent called Aindra

Rocky – McKinley Parvatayor Madhye: Between the mountains of Rockey and McKinley

Misissipi- Missouri Ityaadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenaam sameepa stite:
the place that is surrounded by such perennial rivers like Mississippi, Missouri and 16 other rivers.



COMMENT:

·         This does not seem to be correct because Mount mERu is situated unimaginably north and therefore mErO: dakshiNE paarsvE is to be applied anywhere in our world whether in India or U.S.A or Australia.*

·          Also, it is not correct to recite Krouncha Dweepa because according to Hindu Cosmology, Krouncha Dweepa is surrounded by Dashy or yogurt whereas we find that the waters of the oceans surrounding USA are saline and therefore more appropriate to include it in Bhaarta Varsha, Bharata: Khanda, mErO: DakshinE PaarsvE

·         In other words, the references to Dveepa, Varsha, Khanda etc should be as indicated for India.

* Mount Meru of Hindu traditions has clearly mythical aspects, being described as 84,000 Yojana high (about 1,082,000 km (672,000 mi), which would be 85 times the Earth's diameter, and notes that the Sun along with all the planets in the Solar System revolve around Mt. Meru as one unit.



Mount Meru, in Hindu mythology, a golden mountain that stands in the center of the universe and is the axis of the world. It is the abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas, to the south of which extends Bhāratavarṣa (“Land of the Sons of Bharata”), the ancient name for India. The roof tower crowning the shrine in a Hindu temple represents Meru. As the world axis, Mount Meru reaches down below the ground, into the nether regions, as far as it extends into the heavens. All of the principal deities have their own celestial kingdoms on or near it, where their devotees reside with them after death, while awaiting their next reincarnation.



You can see now the confusion that our priests have in USA in deciding right text  for Sankalpa for conducting rituals and worships.  Based on the above “Meroh dakshine parsve” can  be left as such in Sankalpa wherever Hindus are settled on the globe.



For USA : Pushkara dveepE, RamaNaka varshE, Aindra kaNDE, AmerikA desE ,  Rocey McKinley Parvatayor Madhye: (Between the mountains of Rockey and McKinley) Misissipi- Missouri Ityaadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenaam sameepe sthite:
the place that is surrounded by such perennial rivers like Mississippi, Missouri and 16 other rivers seems to be logical that needs  to be blessed by our religious and astrological Pundits.   



However man y of the priests trained in mechanical chanting of mantra without exposed to their purport and deeper meaning think the Sanklpa as  chanted in Hindu Temples in India is equally applicable to USA or an y other country where Hindu Temples are built.





Definitions of the various words in Sankalpa



1, Kalpa-Para   

This refers to the life span of the Creator, Lord Brahma and the computation is given below:
    
                            
                        There are four yugas in the Hindu calendar as described in Puranas.
                           a)    Krutha yuga(sathya yuga)            1728000  years
                             (known as total virtue era; 
                               golden age)
                           b). Threthayuga                                     1296000   years
                              (threefourths virtue;one fourth
       sin: silver age                                 
   c)  Dwaparayuga                                    864000   years
       (halfvirtue half sin:bronze age)   
   d)  Kaliyuga                                          432000   years
       (one quarter virtue; three quarters
         in iron age         
   e)  one Mahayuga   (total of a to d)      4320000    years


A    kalpa     is   made up of 1000 Mahayugas     or    4320000000   years. A night of Brahma is of equal duration. A full day of Brahma is thus two Kalpas   or   8640000000 years.  A year of Brahma is 360 days (720 Kalpas). Lifespan of Brahma is 100 such years or   311.04 Trillion years. This is called Para and is considered in two parts-prathama parardha(first half of para)   i.e the first 50 years of Brahma’s lifespan  and dwitiya parardha(second half of para)i.e the second 50 years of Brahma’s lifespan. We   are now in dwitiyaparardha, in the 51st year,1st Day called Shwethavaraha Kalpa.

According to Vishnupurana at the end of Brahma’s daytime period, the three worlds Bhooloka, Bhuvarloka and  Suvarloka (and the seven netherworlds Atala, Vitala, Sutala  Bhootala,    Rasatala, Mahatala and Patala) are temporarily dissolved (naimittika  pralaya/incidental deluge). A dreadful draught occurs and lasts for 100 years. This is followed by a deluge. Lord Vishnu reclines in meditative pose (Yoganidra) for another kalpa before starting re-creation.


2. Manvanthare  

The Lord has appointed Manu as ruler of all worlds.

Each kalpa is   reigned  by   a succession of 14 Manus and the period of reign is called                       Manvanthara and corresponds to approximately 71 Mahayugas. The Manus are Swayambhuva, Svarochisha, Uthama, Thamasa, Raivatha, Chakshusha, Vaivaswatha, Savarni,Dakshasavarni, Brahmasavarni, Dharmasavarni, Rudrasavarni, Devasavarni, Indrasavarni

We are now in the 7th Manvanthara called Vaivaswatha Manvanthara and in the 28th Mahayuga of that Manvanthara. This is around 454th Mahayuga (of the 1000 mahayugas that form one daytime of Brahma.  

3. Kaliyuge/prathamepade

Within this Mahayuga we are now in Kaliyuga, 5115 th year of Kaliyuga(corresponding to 2014 AD). Kaliyuga is believed to have started on midnight of Friday, 17th/18th February 3102 BC corresponding to Pramathi samvatsara,Sravana masa, Krishna paksha Astami((some refer to Bhadrapada masa krishna paksha thrayodashi) Shukravara. This is also the day when Lord Krishna chose to give up his mortal body at Prabhasa theertha to return to His permanent abode(Paramapada).Thus we are in the very early part of kaliyuga (first leg) with more than 426000 years to go.

4. Jambudweepe/Bharthavarshe/Bhrathakhande

The world is considered as having seven dweepas (islands)-Kusha, Shalmali, Plaksha, Jambu, Krauncha,Saaka, Pushkara. Jambudweepa is at the center. Mountain Sumeru is at the centre of Jambudweepa. To the south of Meru is Bharathavarsha the land ruled by Bharatha. Present India is Bharathakhanda (not including the lands we lost to Pakistan, Afghanistan (ghandaara), Nepal, Sikkim, Bangladesh, Burma and Srilanka).

5. Shakabde

This refers to Shalivahana saka. We are now in saka 1936.This corresponds to Kali year 5115.

6.  meroh  dakshine parswe

This is already mentioned in 4 above.

7. Asmin varthamane

At the present time

8. Vyavaharike  Prabhavadi shasti samvatsaraanaam madhye

The Hindu calendar is drawn on the basis of a cycle of 60 Samvatsaras(Years). There is a mythological reference that these are manifestations of progeny of sage Narada who after having stray thoughts was ordained to take birth in this world and beget the sixty issues. These sixty names are as under:
Prabhava, Vibhava, Shukla Pramodootha,Prajotpatti,Angirasa,Srimukha,Bhava,Yuva,Dhathru,
Easwara, Bahudhanya,Pramathi, Vikrama, Vishnu, Chitrabhanu, Swabhau, Tharana, Parthiva,
Vyaya,Sarvajit,Sarvadhari,Virodhi,Vikruthi,Khara,Nandana,,Vijaya,Jaya,Manmatha,Durmukhi,
Hevilambi, Vilambi, Vikari, Sharvari, Plava,Shubhakruth, Shobhakruth, Krodhi, Viswavasu,
Parabhava, Plavanga, Keelaka, Soumya, Sadharana, Virodhikruth, Pareedhavi, Pramathicha,
Ananda, Rakshasa, Nala, Pingala, Kalayukthi, Siddharthi, Roudri, Durmathi, Dundhubhi,
Rudhirodgari, Rakthakshi, Krodhana and Akshaya.

9…..Ayane

The year is divided into two ayanas-Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. Uttarayana refers to the period Makara to Mithuna and Dakshinayana refers to the period  Kataka to Dhanus. Uttarayana is considered to be auspicious(The departing souls take the Archiradi marga while in Dakshinayana it is the Pitru marga).That is the reason that Bheeshma, the Icchamarani(One who was given the boon  -option to give up his mortal frame on the day of his choice) was waiting for Uttarayana for leaving this world.

10….Ruthau

There are six ruthus in the year. These are Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemantha,  and  Sisira.

11……Masae

Each ruthu comprises two Chandramana masas(Months) as under:

Chaitra-Vaishakha; Jyesta-Ashada; Sravana-Bhadrapada; Ashwayuja-Karthika; Margashira-Pushya; Magha-Phalguna: These twelve names of months are derived from the Nakshatras obtaining on the Poornima day of the month.

The corresponding Souramana month names (alongwith tamil names) are as under:
Mesha-Vrushabha (Chittirai-Vaikaasi); Mithuna-Kataka Ani-Adi); Simha-Kanya (Avani-Purattaasi); Thula-Vruschika (Aippasi-Karthigai); Dhanus-Makara (Marhazhi-Thai); Kumbha-Meena(Maasi-Panguni)

The English names for the twelve zodiacal months are as under:

Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.

12……Pakshe

Each masa is divided into two Pakshas (fortnights).-Shukla paksha--the bright fortnight, the period of the waxing moon-from Prathama to Poornima. Krishna paksha--the dark fortnight period of the waning Moon--from Prathama to Amavasya.

13….Tithau

There are 15 tithis in each paksha. These are Prathama,  Dwiteeya, Ttrut eeyaa,  Chaturthi, Panchami,  Shasti,  Saptami,  Ashtami,  Navami,  Dashami, Ekadashi,  Dwadashi,  Thrayodashi,  Chaturdashi,  Poornima/Amavasya.

14……Vasare
There are seven days in the week. Bhanuvara (Ravi,Adithya), Somavara (Indu) Kujavara(Mangala) , Budhavara(Soumya) , Guruvara(Bruhaspathi),
 Shukravara(Bhargavasara )and Shanivara(Sthira). Equivalent tamil and
 english names are
Nyayitrukilamai(Sunday), Thingalkilamai(Monday), Shevvaykilamai(Tuesday), Budhankilamai(Wednesday), Vyalakilamai (Thursday), Vellikilamai(Friday) and Shanikilamai(Saturday). 

15……Nakshatre

There are 27 stars (Each with four paadas) as under. Their placement (With particular paadas) in various rashis is indicated below:

Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika1-                                                 Mesha:
Krittika2, 3, 4, Rohini, Mrugashira  1, 2-                            Vrushabha
Mrugashira 3, , Arudhra, Punarvasu1, 2, 3-                      Mithuna
Punarvasu4, Pushya, Ashlesha-                                           Karkataka
Makha,Pubba, Uttara1-                                                        Simha
Uttara2, 3, 4, Hasta, Chitta 1, 2-                                          Kanya
Chitta3, 4, Swathi, Vishakha1, 2, 3-                                    Thula
Vishakha4, Anuradha  ,,Jyeshtha-                                       Vrushchika
Moola,Poorvashada, Uttarashada1-                                   Dhanus
Dhanista 3, 4, Shatabhisha, Poorvabhadra, 1, 2, 3-          Kumbha
Uttarashada 2, 3, 4, Shravana, Dhanista1, 2-                     Makara
Poorvabhadra 4, Uttarabhadra, Revathi -                           Meena

Tamil names for the twenty seven stars are:

Aswini, Bharani, Krittigai,Rohini,Mrugashiridam, Thiruvaadirai,Punarpoosam,Poosam,Ayiliyam, Magam,Pooram, Uttiram, Astham, Chittirai, Swaathi, Vishakam, Anusham, Kettai, Moolam, Puraadam, Uttiraadam,Thiruvonam, Avittam, Shadaayam,Poorattadi.Uttirattadi, Revathi.


16……Yoga

There are 27 yogaas as under:

Ishkumbha , Preethi, Ayushman, Soubhagya, Shobhana, Athiganda, Sukarma, Dhruthi, Shoola,
Ganda, Vruddhi, Dhruva, Vyaghatha, Harshana, Vajra, Siddhi,Vyatheepatha, Vareeyan,Parigha,
Shivasiddha, Sadhya, Shubha, Shukla (Shukra),  Brahma, ndra, Vaidhruthi

Some are considered auspicious and some inauspicious. Normally the name of the yoga on the day is not spelt out during  Sankalpa.  Instead it is just mentioned as shubhayoga. (good  Yoga)

17… Karana

There are11 Karanas as under:

Bhava, Balava, Kaulava, Thaithila, Gara, Vanij, Vishtee, Shakuni, Chatushpada, Naga, Kimsthughna
Some are considered auspicious and some inauspicious. Normally the name of the Karana on  the  day is not spelt out at the time of Sankalpa. Instead it is just mentioned as shubhakarana.

It can be seen that the Panchangam is an essential tool in any religious function.


 REFERENCES:
1.   Sri Valmiki Ramayanam
2.   Sri Mahabharatha
3.   Sri Bhagavadgita
4.   Srimad Bhagavatha
5.   SriVishnupuranam
6.   Jain panchangam
7.   Vontikoppal panchangam
8.   Sri Sampathkrisnajosyar’s panchangam
9.   Bhavan’s journal
10. Sai Mandir
11. BRG Iyengar’s article in Kannada on the subject, published by Ubhayaveda
12. Internet
13. Mahanarayana Upanishad
14. Economist, Science and Technology, March 2015
15. North American Panchangam, The Council of Hindu Temples of North America, 2015


Hindu Complex and Confusing  Units of Time 
 
Hinduism is known for its complex and confusing  units of time. Because of the extensive span of Hinduism and Hindu mythology, time can become increasingly complex and enigmatic. Just as there are multiple systems of measuring time today, there are multiple Hindu systems as well. Here is the the most comprehensive one. Let us start with the smallest unit of time and move forward: This would also help  forthcoming lecture on  Historic Global Rama and Invincible Ayodhya. Keep it handy to understand -Puranic times
The Smallest Units of Time
The smallest unit of time in Hindu mythology is known as Alpakala. If two leaves are placed on top of each other and they are pierced by a needle, the time required for the needle to pass from the first leaf to the second leaf is known as Alpakala. The next units of time are pretty simple:
  1. Truti: Thirty Alpakalas make up one Truti
  2. Kala: Thirty Trutis make up one Kala
  3. Kastha: Thirty Kalas make up one Kastha, which is also known as a Nimisha, Noti, or Matra
  4. Ganita: Four Kasthas make up one Ganita
  5. Netuvirppu: Ten Ganitas make up one Netuvirppu
  6. Vinazhika: Six Netuvirppus make up one Vinazhika
  7. Ghatika: Sixty Vinazhikas make up one Ghatika
Now, this is where it became confusing for me, especially with the obscure wording of the Bhagavata Purana. Sixty Ghatikas comprise one Ahoratra, which is one 24-hour day for regular human beings. Fifteen days (ahoratras) constitute one Paksha and two Pakshas constitute a Chandra masa, which is a 30-day lunar month. Twelve Chandra masas (lunar months) make up one year for human beings.
Human Years vs. Deva Years
We are now going to move away from the human scale and transitioning to the godly scale. One year for human beings (twelve Chandra-masas) is equivalent to one ahoratra (one day and night) for the devas! 360 deva-ahoratras form one year for the devas. A deva-year is known as a Deva-Vatsara, also known as a Divya-Vatsara.
The Yuga Scheme

This post might not have been very interesting so far. But this is when it gets really fascinating. 12,000 Deva-Vatsaras make up one Chaturyuga, also known as a Divya-yuga or Mahayuga. A Chaturyuga consists of 4 Yugas: Kritayuga (Satyayuga), Tretayuga, Dwaparayuga, and Kaliyuga. Kritayuga is 4,800 Deva-Vatsaras, Tretayuga spans 3,600 Deva-Vatsaras, Dwaparayuga is 2,400 Deva-Vatsaras long, and Kaliyuga is 1,200 Deva-Vatsaras long.
Thus, if the calculations are performed, Kritayuga lasts approximately for 1,728,000 human years. Tretayuga lasts for 1,296,000 human years. Dwaparayuga lasts for 864,000 human years. And Kaliyuga lasts for 432,000 human years. Those are enormous numbers! Thus, a Chaturyuga lasts for 4,320,000 human years.
Kritayuga is known as the Golden Age as it is the best Yuga. During Kritayuga, there is no crime and everybody is righteous. All men resemble religious saints. The weather is always pleasant during Kritayuga, there is no mining or agriculture because the Earth produces its own resources, and there is an absence of disease. Everybody is gigantic and big-built, but also virtuous and honest. Everybody lives on for thousands of years.
Treta Yuga is next Yuga. During Treta Yuga, humans become slightly less virtuous and righteous. Violent kings are born and cause bloody wars. The weather starts becoming extreme and humans start mining and farming.
The third Yuga is Dwapara Yuga. During this time period, humans, in general, become less strong and able. Diseases become common and humans start fighting each other for power. The average life span is reduced to a couple centuries.
Kali Yuga is the final age. “Kali” means “dark”, so it an age of darkness and ignorance. It is the opposite of Kritayuga. Humans become dishonest sinners and commit unbelievable sins. Knowledge is disregarded as useless and the scriptures fade into the past. The wealth and strength of humans are lesser than the previous Yugas. By the end of Kali Yuga, humans have ruined the environment and their average lifespan is merely 20 years.

Manvantaras and the Time Scale of Brahma
Now, there are 71 Chaturyugas in a Manvantara. Thus, a Manvantara lasts for 852,000 Deva-Vatsaras, or 306,720,000 human years. Every Manvantara has a new Indra, a new group of gods, and a new Manu. This is when we must understand that the terms “Indra” and “Manu” are just positions, not names of specific people. Every Manvantara, the Manu is the one who is the progenitor of the human race and is the first man on Earth. Each Manvantara also has a new group of Saptarishis (seven great sages).
There are 14 Manvantaras in a Kalpa, which is one day-time of the creator god, Brahma. Before the first Manvantara, after the last Manvantara, and between all the Manvantaras, there are periods called Sandhikalas. A Sandhikala is essentially a transitional period during which the Earth is submerged in the Garbodhaka ocean. There are 15 Sandhikalas and each Sandhikala has the same duration as a Kritayuga (4,800 Deva-Vatsaras, or 1,728,000 human years). If we add up all of the Sandhikalas and all of the Manvantaras, we get 4,320,000,000 human years, or 11,935,200 Deva-Vatsaras.
Thus, one day-time of Lord Brahma lasts for 4,320,000,000 human years (11,935,200 Deva-Vatsaras). Obviously, after every Kalpa (day-time of Lord Brahma), there is a night-time of Lord Brahma, which is known as a Brahma-Ratra. The Brahma-Ratra is the same length as a Kalpa. Thus, one full day of Lord Brahma consists of a Kalpa and a Brahma-Ratra and is 8,640,000,000 human years (23,870,400 Deva-Vatsaras). Just think about that for a second!
 
The Creation and Destruction Cycle
At the beginning of every Kalpa (day-time of Lord Brahma), the entire universe is created by Lord Brahma. He creates the aspects of nature, immovable objects, qualities of beings, rishis, devas, etc. Throughout the Kalpa, life exists in the universe. In every Manvantara of the Kalpa, a new Indra and group of gods, a new Manu, and new Saptarishis are born. At the end of the Kalpa, the lower ten realms of the universe are destroyed. Spiritual beings transcend to higher realms or to the spiritual Vaikuntha planets which are outside the material universe. Others who aren’t free from the bonds of materialism perish and are reborn in the next Kalpa. Then, during the Brahma-Ratra, the universe is dark and nothing exists. During the Brahma-Ratra, Lord Vishnu sleeps on Ananta-Sesha in the Garbodhaka Ocean. Soon enough, the Brahma-Ratra is over and the Kalpa cycle starts again.
Thirty days (Kalpa + Brahma-Ratra) of Brahma make on month and 12 months make one year. Thus one year of Brahma is 360 days of Brahma, or 3.1104 trillion human years (8,593,344,000 Deva-Vatsaras). A year of Brahma is known as a Brahmavarsha. Brahma lives for 100 years. Thus, the lifespan of Brahma, known as the Mahakalpa consists of one hundred Brahmavarshas. A Mahakalpa is 311.04 trillion years (859,334,400,000 Deva-Vatsaras)! At the beginning of the Mahakalpa, Brahma is born and at the end, Brahma passes away.
These numbers just make us realize how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. A mayfly’s lifespan of just 24-hours is minuscule compared to our lifespan. Similarly, our lifespan is insignificant when compared to the lifespan of the devas. But their lifespan is atomic when compared to the lifespan of Lord Brahma.
Where are we?
You are probably wondering: Where are we in this endless expanse of time?
Our Brahma is currently 51 years old. We are living during the first day (Kalpa) of his 51st year. The previous Kalpa was known as the Padma-Kalpa. The current day of Brahma (Kalpa) is known as the Shveta-Varaha Kalpa. Within this Kalpa, six Manvantaras have already passed and we are living during the seventh Manvantara, known as the Shraddhadeva Manvantara, also known as Vaivasvata Manvantara. The name of our Manu is Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Surya and Sanjana. The name of our Indra is Purandar. Our Saptarishis are Kashyapa, Atri, Vasistha, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadvaja.
Within this Manvantara, we are currently in the Kali Yuga of the 28th Chaturyuga. This Kali Yuga is said to have begun at midnight of 18th February, 3102 B.C.E. in the Julian calendar. Thus, 5,121 years of this Kali Yuga have passed and 426,879 years are left till the end of this Kali Yuga.
As stated above, there are 14 Manavantaras in the Kalpa. The Manavantaras of our Kalpa are:
  1. Swayambhava Manvantara
  2. Swarochisa Manvantara
  3. Uttama Manvantara
  4. Tamasa/Tapasa Manvantara
  5. Raivata Manvantara
  6. Chakshusa Manvantara
  7. Vaivasvata/Shraddhadeva Manvantara (current)
  8. Savarni Manvantara
  9. Daksha Savarni Manvantara
  10. Brahma Savarni Manvantara
  11. Dharma Savarni Manvantara
  12. Rudra Savarni Manvantara
  13. Rauchya/Deva Savarni Manvantara
  14. Indra Savarni Manvantara
You now know about all 14 Manvantaras of our current Kalpa. Below is a chronological timeline of notable events that have taken place in our Kalpa:
  • Beginning of Swayambhava Manavantara: Brahma creates the Universe, Vishnu takes Matsya Avatar and kills the demon Hayagriva, Vishnu takes Varaha Avatar and rescues the Earth
  • Swayambhava Manavantara: Story of Dhruva
  • Tamas Manavantara: Lord Vishnu saves Gajendra
  • End of Chakshusha Manvantara: Matsya Avatar saves King Satyavrata
  • 4th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: Narasimha kills Hiranyakashipu
  • 7th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: Vamana seizes the land of the asura king Bali
  • 10th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: Birth of Dattatreya
  • 15th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: Reign of King Mandhata
  • 19th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: Parshuram annihilates Kartavirya Arjuna and other Kshatiyas
  • 24th Treta Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: The Ramayana
  • End of 28th Dwapara Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara: The Mahabharata
  • End of 28th Kali Yuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara



APPENDIX 2

Indian National Calendar moving towards its  Doomsday in 2015
[Senior Indian Astrophysicist Maeghanad saha was the head of the Calendar Reform Committee under the aegis of the CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research). Other members of the Committee were: A. C. Banerjee, K. K. Daftari, J. S. Karandikar, Gorakh Prasad, R. V. Vaidya and N. C. Lahiri. It was Saha’s effort, which led to the formation of the Committee. The task before the Committee was to prepare an accurate calendar based on scientific study, which could be adopted uniformly throughout India. It was a mammoth task. The Committee had to undertake a detailed study of different calendars prevalent in different parts of the country. There were thirty different calendars. The task was further complicated by the fact that with calendar religion and local sentiments were involved. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his preface to the Report of the Committee, which was published in 1955, wrote: “They (different calendars) represent past political divisions in the country…now that we have attained Independence, it is obviously desirable that there should be a certain uniformity in the calendar for our civic, social and other purposes and this should be done on a scientific approach to this problem”]


The Hindu (Indian National) Calendar
The Indian National Calendar, often called the “Hindu Calendar,” is based on both lunar and solar years. This calendar was introduced in 1957 in a government push for all of India to use the same calendar, but   various traditional regional calendars continue to be   in use for religious observances. The start of the Indian National Calendar year coincides with March 22, except in a leap year, when it coincides with March 21. The year is counted from the first year of the Saka era, in A.D. 78. The year 2015 translates to Saka era 1936-1937.



Indian National Month              Gregorian  calendar                
 Chaitra
                     30/31
 March 22*
 Vaisakha
                      31
 April 21
Jyeshtha
                      31
 May 22
Aashaadha
                      31
 June 22
 Sraavana
                       31
 July 23
 Bhadrapada
                       31
 August 23
 Aasvina
                       30
 September 23
 Kaartika
                       30
 October 23
Maargaseersha
                       30
 November 22
 Pushya
                       30
 December 22
 Maagha
                       30
 January 21
 Phaalguna
                       30
 February 20

* In a leap year Chaitra has 31 days.

Tamil  Months for Vijaya                                    No of Days (365)

Chittirai                                                                       31
Vaigaasi                                                                      31
Aani                                                                             31
Aadi                                                                             32
Aavani                                                                         31
Purattasi                                                                      30
Aippasi                                                                                    30
Kaartigai                                                                      30
Maargazhi                                                                   29
Thai                                                                             30
Maasi                                                                          30
Panguni                                                                       30

Formation of Saka Calendar: In the Indian civil calendar, the initial period is the Saka Era. The Calendar is said to have begun with King Salivahana's accession to the throne. It is used as a reference for most astronomical works in Sanskrit literature written after 500 AD. The calculation of ‘Thitis’ i.e. dates in this Calendar are done in accordance with the actual positions of Sun and Moon in the universe. In the Saka calendar, the year 2009 AD is 1932.

Adoption of Saka Calendar as National Calendar: The current national calendar of India i.e. the Saka Calendar was adopted as the National Calendar in 1957 by the Calendar Reform Committee which also made efforts to coincide the astronomical data and harmonize the usage of this calendar after rectification of some local errors. It came into usage from March 22, 1957 according to the Gregorian calendar which was actually Saka Era, Chaitra 1, 1879 according to the Saka Samvat. It was adopted as the National calendar in order to synchronize the usage of 30 different kinds of Calendar used in India at that time.

An Overview of the Saka Calendar: Saka Calendar is said to have begun from the vernal equinox of A.D. 79. The usage of the Calendar began from aka Era 1879, Chaitra 1, which corresponds to A.D. 1957 March 22. The Saka Calendar is similar to the Gregorian calendar on the terms that even the Saka calendar has a normal year of 365 days and a leap year has 366 days. In a leap year, an intercalary day is added to the end of Chaitra month of the year. There are 12 months in Saka Calendar which are named as Vaisaakha, Jyestha, Aashaadha, Sraavana, Bhaadrapada, Asvina, Kaartika, Maargasirsha, Pausha, Maagha, Phaalguna, Chaitra.

On this basis there was nothing wrong in starting the Solar Year on Makara Sankranti Day   when Tamil Month of Thai starts and is closest to January 1.  But Tamil Nadu which made the change for some time reverted back when political situation changed. This Year (2015) Indian Government stopped the publication of National Calendar. All efforts put in by all experts motivated by the then congress in the interest of National Unity and alignment with International Gregorian calendar without upsetting religious practices of various Hindu Traditions has seen its dooms day during the most popular Government of recent years.

APPENDIX 3
PLANETS IN SCIENCE AND HINDUISM
A dwarf planet is a Planetary mass-object that is neither a planet or a  natural satellite. That is, it is in direct orbit of the Sun, and is massive enough for its shape to be in  hydro-static equilibrium under its own gravity, but has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. The  IAU (International Astronomical Union) currently recognizes five dwarf planets:  Ceres, Pluto,  Haumea,  Makeamake, and Eris..    It is suspected that another  hundred or so known objects in the Solar System  are dwarf planets.  Estimates are that up to 200 dwarf planets may be found when the entire region known as the Kuiper Belt is explored, and that the number may exceed 10,000 when objects scattered outside the Kuiper belt are considered. However, only two of these bodies, Ceres and Pluto, have been observed in enough detail to demonstrate that they actually fit the IAU's definition. The IAU accepted Eris as a dwarf planet because it is more massive than Pluto.   The only two such objects known at the time, Makemake and Haumea, went through this naming procedure and were declared to be dwarf planets. Ceres named after Roman Goddess of Agriculture is the smallest of dwarf planets officially recognized, the freshly created category into which Pluto has moved. Following Pluto’s demotion in the past generation of school children has grown up learning that the solar system has eight planets.  On March 6, assuming everything goes according to plan, Ceres will become the first of those dwarf planets to be orbited by space probe. This Earth’s nearest dwarf planet could not only shed light on how the solar system got started but also how life did too.  Water is essential for life on Earth and many believe that because of its peculiar chemical properties, this will be true anywhere else that harbors living things.

he concept of dwarf planets is not known to Hindu astrology or Panchangam. Among Navagrahas the Sun Star and the Moon, the only satellite of the earth are included. They are also termed as Grahas like five other planets Kuja (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Sukra (Venus) and Sani (Saturn).  Seven days in the week are named after these five planets on which both science and religion agree, the Star Sun and the satellite of the earth Moon which are also found in Latin language. That means seven days of the week are named after of these seven grahas leaving behind Rahu and Ketu the other two notional   grahas.  Grahas are translated as planets by all religious writers though they include a Star Sun, a satellite Moon and its two nodes Rahu and Ketu. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are called in Sanskrit as Varuna, Indra and Prjaapati. It is rather a coincidence that Indra and Varuna enjoy a higher status along with other six dikpalakas (guards of eight directions) and figure in all Hindu worships as Vedic deities.  Prajapati, Rahu and Ketu (nodes of the moon) are given a lower status.   How is religion justified in calling Navagrahas as Nine palnetary deities? In Scientific definition Planetarium  though named after Planets describes planetarium  as the large  dome-shaped projection screen onto which scenes of  stars planets  and other  celestial objects  can be made to appear and move realistically to simulate the complex 'motions of the heavens'. The name of Navagrahas by Puranas as nine planets can thus be justified to describe as nine planetary deities which contains star (Sun), a satellite (moon), two nodes of moon and five planets like   science that includes stars, planets and other celestial objects in describing Planetarium.                                                                                                                                                                                    

Appendix 4
A Note on Vaara, Nakshatra  and  Tithi
VAARA
The day is divided into 24 equal duration called “horas”. Each hora is associated with a planet in the solar syatem, the Sun and the Moon and the horas following each other are named after these heavenly bodies. If the first hora of a certain day is associated with the Sun, say, the day is named Sunday. The 22nd hora after three repetition (7x3=21) will belong to Sun, 23rd hora to Venus, 24th hora to Mercury and the 25th hora i.e. the first hora of the next day will belong to Moon and is therefore called Monday. The names of the successive days are given in this way and this is the familiar order of the succession of the week. Vaara or day of the week is common all over the world. Latin language naming follows Hinduism.
English language days of the week are named after Gods and Mythological figures:
Sunday—Sun’s Day (Star in the Solar system)
Monday—Moon’s Day (satellite of Earth)
Tuesday—Twi’s day (Norse God); Latin--Day of Planet Mars
Wednesday—Woodman’s Day (German God); Latin—Day of Planet Mercury
Thursday—Thor’s Day (Norse God): Latin—Day of Planet Jupiter
Friday—Fridge’s day (Anglo-Saxon Goddess): Latin—Day of Planet Venus
Saturday—Saturn (roman God); Latin—Day of Planet Saturn
 NAKSHATRA
The Moon’s path lies with the Zodiacal Belt which is the region extending to about 5 degrees on either side of the ecliptic. The Moon completes a circuit of its path with respect to the earth in about 27.33 days. Hence the Zodiacal Belt is divided into 27 equal segments of 13 degrees and 20 seconds called Nakshatra. The first segment longitude of the moon,  0 degree  to 13 degrees and 20 seconds is called Aswini and so on. 346 degrees 40 seconds to 360 degrees is Revati the last Nakshatra. In Panchangam only one of the 27 segments of the Zodiacal Belt is called Nakshatra whereas in astronomy stars are heavenly bodies twinkling in the sky.
TITHI
The Tithi sphuta (span) is the Niraayana longitude of the Moon minus that of the Sun. First Tithi (Prathama begins when Tithi sphuta 0 degrees and ends with 12 degrees.  12 degrees to 24 degrees is Dwitiya and so on; 168 degrees to 180 degrees is Poornima. 180 degrees 192 degrees is Dark Fortnight Prathama and so on. 348 degrees to 360 degrees is Amaavaasya. So there are 30 Tithis—15 are called Sukla Paksha (Bright Fortnight or waxing phase); the other 15 Krishna Paksha (Dark Fortnight or waning phase of the moon)
This discourse material is a lecture material prepared for me from the references above   for delivering at Vedanta Class of Sri Ganesha Temple which is gratefully acknowledged. I do not claim anything as original of mine though I have included my explanations and comments   suitably editing. Anybody is free to download partly or fully this discourse, modify and redistribute this as well as other  discourses from the blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> for spreading the wisdom of Vedas and scriptures further.  These  lectures are  posted on the blog for the benefit of those who are not able to attend my lectures personally due to personal reasons or due to not living in Nashville or able to go through the various sources as I have done.]