Nine points to resolve the Indian calendar anomalies: The Ancient Way

This article is based on the guidelines for the Indian calendar that I have listed in detail in my book "Resolving the Indian Calendar Anomalies”, which earlier was a part of the old editions (Edition 1 and 2) of Taming the Untamed released in 2018. So, it can be treated as an excerpt from the book that is modified in the language and truncated as needed.

If we go purely with the Vedas the annual sacrifices were linked to the luni-tropical-solar year and the seasons were identified through the luni-sidereal-solar months Chaitra etc. But the problem is we cannot fix all the rituals and festivals just based on this interpretation. We need to also acknowledge the fact that the Vedas do not mention about many of the rituals and not even when to celebrate the festivals. Festivals and most of the other rituals that we are following at this time do not come from the Vedas but the tradition.

As the religious society evolved from the time of Vedas it kept on updating itself with more insight into the astronomy and luni-sidereal-solar months Chaitra etc., and thus, the festivals and rituals got assigned in accordance with the updated knowledge that was developed on the basics learnt from the Vedic texts.

While ancients valued both the tropical and sidereal, the religious priests forgot the tropical altogether and chose to link everything to the luni-sidereal-solar months Chaitra etc. Further, since there were issues with the new setup in which only the naturally flowing luni-sidereal-solar months Chaitra etc. were considered, new groups that supported a fully tropical framework also emerged, which is also wrong as they did not value the sidereal part. The fact is both, the sidereal and tropical, are needed to understand the natural basic revolution and the observed seasonal setup.

Based on the comprehensive discussion on the key constituents of the Indian calendar that is there in my book "Resolving the Indian Calendar Anomalies", the following nine points need to be followed to resolve the calendar anomalies:

1. Follow the seasonal luni-tropical-solar months, Madhu, Madhav, Shukra, Shuchi, Nabh, Nabhasya, Isa, Urja, Saha, Sahasya, Tapa and Tapasya, for all the festivals and rituals that are linked to the seasons and seasonal experiences.

   Months shall be poornimanta i.e. ending on the poornima (full moon) day for ever, in line with the Taittiriya Samhita guidelines. The poornima that falls before VE shall be the end of the month Tapasya and the beginning of the month Madhu.

   Amhaspati, the 13th month, shall be inserted after the month of Sahasya or before the month Tapa, as and when needed, in accordance with Kaushitaki Brhaman.

2. Follow the naturally flowing luni-sidereal-solar months, Chaitra, Vaisakha, Jyeshtha, Aashada, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Aashwin, Kaartika, Margashira, Pausha, Magha and Phalguna, for all religious festivals linked to Gods, the yajna and other rituals that not linked to the seasons. Gods are for everybody and not just for the people living around the tropic of cancer who observe six seasons. Luni-sidereal-solar months Chaitra etc. are valid at all the locations of the Earth including the pole.

   Months shall be amanta i.e. ending on amavasya (the new moon) day and beginning with Chaitra always, in line with the natural flow from the time when the revolutions of Sun and Moon begin from the point of zero Aries.

   Months shall be named based on the sidereal rashi ingress in the lunar month in question, beginning with Chaitra for Aries ingress and so on. The adhik maas (13th month) shall be inserted naturally as and when there is no sidereal rashi ingress in a particular month. But if the sync is broken with the nakshatra based nomenclature system or if there is a khshaya maas, the nakshatra based nomenclature shall be given priority especially in case of those festivals and rituals where nakshatra is important like Thaipusam.

3. If a ritual or festival has influence of both Gods and the seasons, go for the primary factor, the one that is the core of that particular ritual.
4. Celebrate the Winter Solstice day as uttarayana day and the vernal equinox day as the commencement of the day of Gods from human perspective.
5. Celebrate the new luni-tropical-solar year (luni-solar equivalent of the Vatsar) the way Vedas prescribe. The year begins from either the month of Tapa that begins after the poornima of Sahasya (near Winter Solstice) or Madhu (near VE) that begins after the poornima of the month Tapasya. The latest convention of course is the month of Madhu.
6. Celebrate the new luni-sidereal-solar year that is the luni-solar equivalent of the natural Samvatsar type of year. The year begins from Chaitra shukla pratipata. Though naturally it has to be only Chaitra shukla pratipata, those following a different tradition of beginning the sidereal year other than Chaitra may continue doing so but make sure that it has to begin from one of the cardinal points only i.e. Chaitra, Aashada, Aashwin or Pausha.
7. The sankrantis are not mentioned in the Vedic texts but the siddhantas. So, we need to follow the siddhantas in this case. As the siddhantas are the astronomical texts that have to address both the sidereal and tropical, there is room for both the sidereal and tropical sankrantis in the siddhantas. However, celebrate the tropical sankrantis especially the cardinal solstices and equinox sankrantis as guided by the relevant verses of the Manadhyaya chapter of Surya Siddhanta. If some tradition is linked to beginning the sidereal year from any of the four cardinal sidereal sankrantis (sidereal Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) such as Makar sankranti, it is in compliance but shall be strictly followed as the beginning of the new sidereal year only instead of Makar sankranti as standalone.
8. Mention and name the 12 solar seasonal months as Mesha, Vrishabh, Mithuna, Karka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrishchik, Dhanu, Makar, Kumbha and Meena as per the tropical rashis (signs) beginning from VE. But no ritual or festival shall be linked to any of the solar seasonal months except if explicitly stated so as per the tradition.
9. Follow the rules related to the decision (nirnaya) of Tithi, karana, yoga and sankranti for the day as per the prevalent tradition. No change is needed.

The above is the Author's take on calendar reform that is thoroughly discussed in detail in "Resolving the Indian Calendar Anomalies" in about 100 pages.

A special caution is needed to treat three types of months i.e. Madhu etc., Chaitra etc. and Mesha etc. in correct identification as per point 1, 2 and 8 respectively since all the three are different.

I've included most of the key festivals in my book explaining how we should treat them. Two excerpts are already available at my website that can be referred apart from the sample calendar for year 2020-2021:

Sample Calendar - Year 2020-21: The Ancient Way

Calendar Series Article 7 - Examples of festivals (Excerpts from the book)

Calendar Series Article 9 - Vasant panchami - An Excerpt from the book

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