You are here
๐ฌ Think about it
India has its own official calendar, used alongside the Gregorian one. It starts the day after the spring equinox and borrows month names from tradition. Let's meet the Indian National Calendar.
What is the Indian National Calendar?
- It is a solar calendar of 365 days used for official purposes.
- The year begins on 22 March, the day after the spring equinox.
- Its months have either 30 or 31 days.
- Month names come from traditional Indian calendars.
Example:
In a regular year, the second to sixth months have 31 days and the rest have 30.
๐ก Ever heard of ...
- In 1952, India set up a Calendar Reform Committee (CRC).
- It studied existing calendars and recommended a unified one.
- The Unified National Calendar was adopted from 21 March 1956.
- It follows the general principles of the Surya Siddhanta.
๐ฌ Be a scientist
- Meghnad Saha (1893–1956) was a pioneering Indian astrophysicist.
- He studied stars and their temperatures.
- He developed the famous Saha equation.
- He chaired the Calendar Reform Committee.
Important Points
- The Indian National Calendar is a 365-day solar calendar.
- It begins on 22 March, after the spring equinox.
- Its months have 30 or 31 days, with traditional names.
โ Test Yourself
-
What is a mean solar day?
View Answer
The average 24-hour time between the Sun's highest points in the sky on two consecutive days. -
Why does a lunar calendar drift from the seasons?
View Answer
Its year is only 354 days, while the seasons repeat in about 365 days. -
What keeps a solar calendar matched to the seasons?
View Answer
Adding a leap day every four years (and the 100/400-year corrections). -
What is Adhika Maasa?
View Answer
The extra (intercalary) month added in luni-solar calendars to keep lunar and solar cycles in step. -
When does the Indian National Calendar year begin?
View Answer
On 22 March, the day after the spring equinox.
Important Definitions
- Indian National Calendar — India's official 365-day solar calendar, beginning on 22 March with traditional month names.
