Question

What is the base of naming the Indian months? Write the name of Indian months and describe their position in the sky at that time.

Answer 1

Hint: The Indians philosophers and mathematicians are the most ancient society to analyse the sky and study about the different patterns they observe in the sky during the earth’s revolution around the sun. These gave many contributions to science.

Complete answer:
The Indian calendars are completely based on the positions of different stars in the sky during a time with respect to the sun or the moon. There are two types of calendars – one based on the solar calendar and the other based on the lunar calendars. Now, a lunisolar method is being adopted, in which the position of the sun and the moon is taken collectively. This calendar determines the religious holidays in the country.
A solar month is calculated as the time taken by the sun to shift its apparent longitude 30 degrees, which is equivalent to the way we look for the zodiac changes. It takes almost 29.2 to 31.2 days.
The lunar months are the time taken between two adjacent new moon days to occur. These are usually shorter than the solar months.
The names of the lunisolar months are as follows –
1. Caitra
2. Vaisakha
3. Jyaistha
4. Asadha
5. Sravana
6. Bhadra
7. Asvina
8. Karthika
9. Agrahayana
10. Pausa
11. Magha
12. Phalguna
These are also the names of the stars which are seen in the sky during the particular time of the year. The Indian calendar also has leap years which coincides with the Gregorian calendar.

Note:
The Indian calendar is mainly based on the Hindu religion which gives much importance to the stars and their position in the sky with respect to the sun, the moon and the other planets in the solar system. Other religions have also adapted this calendar method.