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Malayalam calendar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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.
Contents |
Almost all of the regions in Kerala used Kali abda before the acceptance of Kollavarsham.[1][2]
The start of the Malayalam Era has been attributed to many origins. The popular notion[3][4] according to Hermann Gundert, is that it coordinated with consecration of a Shiva temple during the reign of Udaya Marthanda Varma. According to K Sivasankaran Nair, a historian, the era was started by Nestorian Christian merchants who settled in KorukeNi kollam, near present day Kollam[5]. Another theory is that Kollavarsham was started by the disciples of Sankaracharya in 825 AD.[6]
The first mention of this era in any official document is in the Mampalli plates given by SriVallabhan Kotha in the year 973 AD (149 ME).
Malayalam year starts in the mid August in the month of Onam festival which corressponds to Harvest and the month of plenty. The last month of Malayam Calendar karkkiDakam corresponds the month when the South west monsoon is active. This month is also considered to be bad time as in olden days rains used to bring diseases and damages to lives and property.
The following are the months of the Malayalam calendar:
| Months in Malayalam Era | In Malayalam | Gregorian Calendar | Tamil calendar | Saka era | Hijra Era |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chingam | ചിങ്ങം | August- September | Aavani-Purattasi | Sravan- Bhadrapada | Rajab - Sha`ban |
| Kanni | കന്നി | September-October | Purattasi-Aippasi | Bhadrapada - Asvina | Sha`ban - Ramadan |
| Thulam | തുലാം | October-November | Aippasi - Karthigai | Asvina - Kartika | Ramadan - Shawwal |
| Vrishchikam | വൃശ്ചികം | November-December | Karthigai - Margazhi | Kartika - Agrahayana | Shawwal - Dhu l-Qa`da |
| Dhanu | ധനു | December-January | Margazhi - Thai | Agrahayana - Pausa | Dhu l-Qa`da - Dhu l-Hijja |
| Makaram | മകരം | January-February | Thai - Maasi | Pausa - Magha | Dhu l-Hijja - Muharram |
| Kumbham | കുംഭം | February-March | Maasi - Panguni | Magha - Phalguna | Muharram - Safar |
| Meenam | മീനം | March-April | Panguni - Chithtrai | Phalguna - Chaitra | Safar - Rabi`al-Awwal |
| Medam | മേടം | April-May | Chithtrai - Vaikasi | Chaitra - Vaisakha | Rabi`al-Awwal - Rabi`ath-Thani |
| Edavam | ഏടവം | May-June | Vaikasi- Aani | Vaisakha - Jyaistha | Rabi`ath-Thani - Jumada l-Ula |
| Midhunam | മിധുനം | June-July | Aani - Aadi | Jyaistha - Asada | Jumada l-Ula - Jumada t-Tania |
| Karkidakam | കര്ക്കടകം | July-August | Aadi - Aavani | Asada - Sravana | Jumada t-Tania - Rajab |
Weekdays in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Azhcha(Week). Sunday would be njAyaRAzhcha, Monday thinkaLAzhcha and so on.
| Weekday in Malayalam | 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.
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.
The festivals Vishu is celebrated on the 1st of Medam and Onam in the month of Chingam.Interestingly,People in central Kerala consider Medam as the start of the year cycle. The months are named after the constellations through which the Sun. Thus Chingam (from Simham or Lion) is named after the constellation Leo.
- ^ 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
- ^ Kerala government website
- ^ 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
- ^ Namboothiri Website