|
 Sindhi youth specially born and brought up in an
European country, part of United Kingdom or in the
geographical region called America might be wonder over
the fluctuation of dates of Sindhi Festivals every year.
This is due to the difference of time span of Gregorian
calendar [year composed of 365 days] and Hindu Panchang
or Sindhi Tipano [ year composed of 354 days] in fact
this difference of 11 days is resulting in the change of
dates for the Sindhi or Hindu festivals because they
falls in Sindhi months and we celebrate according to
Gregorian calendar.
For the younger sindhi generations, I am trying to put a
brief composition of Hindu/ Sindhi year and names of
Hindu / Sindhi months with corresponding month of
Gregorian Calendar.
Hindhu Panchang -
Sindhi Tipano
Hindu/ Sindhi year is composed of twelve
lunar months [lunar month is the time taken by moon to
revolve around the earth]. Every sindhi month starts
with Chandu [New Moon Day] .Through out the
sindhi year every third month is considered more
fruitful for religious activities and known as "Dharamau
Mahino" for instant Kati (Kartik) month is
more beneficial for religious activities and Maanghu
(Maagh) coming two months (Nahri, Pohu) after it is
also a Dharmau Mahino. Every third year is called
Purshotam year with 13 months (additional month is named
as the original one) . After every 11 years this
additional month is considered more fruitful and hence
Kumbh Mela is celebrated after 12 years.
Let us consider some definitions:
Solar Day:
The time between two consecutive risings of the sun.
Lunar Day:
The time between two consecutive risings of the moon -
this time period is also pronounced as Tith
Shuklapaksha
[Bright fortnight]: Starts with Chandu [new moon] and
ends on Satnarayan in sindhi and Poornima in Hindi [Full
moon Day]
Krishnapaksha
[Dark Fortnight] During this fortnight apparent size of
moon shows a gradual decline till the day of Amavasaya
[No Moon night] which is the last day of the month.
Auspicious time of the
day
Day and night, each is divided into 15
Mahurats, though there is difference for the time period
of each Mahurat but on average one Mahurat means about
48 minutes. Hindu day starts with Braham Mahurat, just
before the dawn, First two Mahurats of the day are
treated as the auspicious time of the day and considered
most favorable for spiritual practices. The last Mahurat
of the day [Before the sunset] is utilised for the
religious rituals since the Vedic era.
Sindhi new year starts with Chandu of Chaitu month - the
day is celebrated as the birthday of sindhi deity
Jhulelal through out the world. According to Hindu
calendar new year begins on the day of entrance into
Makar Raas [Capricorn] the day is celebrated Makar
Sankrant. This is the only Hindu Festival which often
falls on same date, that is 13th January. |