Malayalam calendar
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Malayalam calendar (also known as Malayalam Era or Kollavarsham) is a solar Sidereal calendar used in the state of Kerala in South India. The Era started in the year 825 AD.
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[edit] Origin
Almost all of the regions in Kerala used Kali abda before the acceptance of Kollavarsham.[1][2]
The acceptance of Kollavarsham has its origin in the version propagated by the German missionary Hermann Gundert. According to Hermann Gundert, consecration of a Shiva temple during the reign of Udaya Marthanda Varma is the beginning of the malayam calendar. European ignorance of the Indian astronomical systems might have lead him to such a conclusion. There is also a theory that era was started by Nestorian Christian merchants who settled in KorukeNi kollam, near present day Kollam[3]. However, Kollavarsham does not have any astronomical significance as against the pre-Kollavarsham calendar which is more appropriate in zodiac terms.
[edit] Calendar system and New Year
The astronomical malayalam year (solar calendar) starts on the day of vernal equinox (in mid April), in the month of Medam (Mesham in Sanskrit) when the sun moves from the southern to northern hemisphere.[citation needed] This coincides with new year festivities elsewhere in India which occur during the same time, such as Bihu (Assam), Baisakhi (Punjab) etc and is traditionally celebrated as Vishu in Kerala. The last month of Malayalam Calendar is "Meenam".
The New year day of the Gregorian Colander was 1st of April till few centuries ago; this was shifted to 1st of January. Likewise there was shift in the new year of Malayalam Era,as propagated by Herman Gundert, from 1st of Medom to 1st of Chingam. Now 1st of Chingam (in mid of August) is considered as NEW YEAR in Kollavarshom and is popular in the southern parts of Kerala. However, 1st of Medam is still celeberated as the NEW YEAR particularly in the northern areas of Kerala.
The festivals Andupirapp (ആണ്ടുപിറപ്പ് - new year), celebrated on the 1st of Chingam, Vishu (വിഷു - astronomical new year), celebrated on the 1st of Medam and Onam (ഓണം), celebrated on the star "thiruvONam" in the month of Chingam, are three of the major festivals. The months are named after the constellations through which the Sun. Thus Chingam (from Simham or Lion) is named after the constellation Leo and so on.
[edit] Months of Malayalam Calendar
The following are the months of the astronomical Malayalam calendar:
| Months in Malayalam Era | In Malayalam | Gregorian Calendar | Tamil calendar | Saka era |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medam | മേടം | April-May | Chithtrai - Vaikasi | Chaitra - Vaisakha |
| Edavam | ഇടവം | May-June | Vaikasi- Aani | Vaisakha - Jyaistha |
| Midhunam | മിഥുനം | June-July | Aani - Aadi | Jyaistha - Asada |
| Karkadakam | കര്ക്കടകം | July-August | Aadi - Aavani | Asada - Sravana |
| Chingam | ചിങ്ങം | August- September | Aavani-Purattasi | Sravan- Bhadrapada |
| Kanni | കന്നി | September-October | Purattasi-Aippasi | Bhadrapada - Asvina |
| Thulam | തുലാം | October-November | Aippasi - Karthigai | Asvina - Kartika |
| Vrishchikam | വൃശ്ചികം | November-December | Karthigai - Margazhi | Kartika - Agrahayana |
| Dhanu | ധനു | December-January | Margazhi - Thai | Agrahayana - Pausa |
| Makaram | മകരം | January-February | Thai - Maasi | Pausa - Magha |
| Kumbham | കുംഭം | February-March | Maasi - Panguni | Magha - Phalguna |
| Meenam | മീനം | March-April | Panguni - Chithtrai | Phalguna - Chaitra |
[edit] Weeks
Weekdays in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Azhcha(ആഴ്ച-Week). Sunday would be njAyaRAzhcha (ഞായറാഴ്ച), Monday thinkaLAzhcha (തിങ്കളാഴ്ച)and so on.
| Malayalam/Tamil Name | മലയാളം | English |
|---|---|---|
| njayar | ഞായര് | Sunday |
| thinkal | തിങ്കള് | Monday |
| chouwa | ചൊവ്വ | Tuesday |
| budhan | ബുധന് | Wednesday |
| vyazham | വ്യാഴം | Thursday |
| velli | വെള്ളി | Friday |
| shani | ശനി | Saturday |
Like the months above, there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswathi (Ashvinī in Sanskrit) and ending in Revathi. The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of fourteen days called Njattuvela, each one bearing the name of a star.
[edit] Derived names
Many events in Kerala are related to the dates in the Malayalam calendar.
The agricultural activities of Kerala are centred around the seasons. The Southwest monsoon which starts around June 1 is known as Edavappathi, meaning mid- Edavam. The North east monsoon which starts during mid October is called thulavarsham (rain in the month of thulam). The two harvests of paddy are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu (harvest in the month kanni and makaram) respectively.
The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the 1st day of month Makaram. This marks the grand finale of the two-month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
[edit] Notes
- ^ The hindu
- ^ It was 3926 years into the Kali Yuga in 824 AD. In the Travancore State Manual, Ch:XIII,pages 49-50, by Sri.T.K.Velu Pillai according to keralainfoservice
- ^ 'K Sivasankaran Nair, vENadinte pariNAmam വേണാടിന്റെ പരിണാമം, DC books, pages 28-29
