Page:Sewell Dikshit The Indian Calendar (1896) proc.djvu/63

There are no weeks, the whole 30 days being distinguished by different names, and in those months which have 32 days the two last are named roz o shab (day and night), and to distinguish one from another are called "first" and "second".^[1] Here the lengths of the months are said to be "from 29 to 30 days each", but in the old Persian calendar of Yazdajird they had 30 days each, the same as amongst the Parsees of the present day. The names of the twelve months are as follow.—

The Mahratta Râja Śaka era.—This is also called the "Râjyâbhisheka Śaka". The word "Śaka" is used here in the sense of an era. It was established by Śivajî, the founder of the Mahratta kingdom, and commenced on the day of his accession to the throne, i.e., Jyeshṭha śukla trayodaśî (13th) of Śaka 1596 expired, 1597 current, the Ânanda samvatsara. The number of the year changes every Jyeshṭha śukla trayodaśî; the years are current; in other respects it is the same as the Southern luni-solar amânta Śaka years. Its epoch is Śaka 1596—97 current, A.D. 1673—74. It is not now in use.

72. Names of Hindi and N. W. Fasali months.—Some of the months in the North of India and Bengal are named differently from those in the Peninsula. Names which are manifestly corruptions need not be noticed, though "Bhâdûn" for Bhâdrapada is rather obscure. But "Kuar" for Âśvina, and "Âghân", or "Aghrân", for Mârgaśîrsha deserve notice. The former seems to be a corruption of Kumârî, a synonym of Kanyâ (= Virgo, the damsel), the solar sign-name. If so, it is a peculiar instance of applying a solar sign-name to a lunar month. "Âghân" (or "Aghrân") is a corrupt form of Âgrahâyaṇa, which is another name of Mârgaśîrsha.

73. Table I.—Table I. is our principal and general Table, and it forms the basis for all calculations. It will be found divided into three sections. (1) Table of concurrent years; (2) intercalated and suppressed months; (3) moments of commencement of the solar and luni-solar years. All the figures refer to mean solar time at the meridian of Ujjain. The calculations are based on the Sûrya-Siddhânta, without the bîja up to 1500 A.D. and with it afterwards, with the exception of cols. 13 to 17 inclusive for which the Ârya-Siddhânta has been used. Throughout the table the solar year is taken to commence at the moment of the apparent Mesha saṅkrânti or first point of Aries, and the luni-solar year with amânta Chaitra śukla pratipadâ. The months are taken as amânta.

74. Cols. 1 to 5.—In these columns the concurrent years of the six principal eras are