Today is Gudi Padwa, spring festival, time to celebrate as this is first day of the Chaitra month as per Vikram Samvat, the Indian calendar, heralding the new year. It also marks the beginning of the Nav-Ratri festivities where Divine Mother is worshipped, the devout observe fasts and rest of us feast. The North Indians , by and large avoid non-vegetarian food and liquor, which itself is a penance for them and will match upto any kind of fasting in terms of sacrifice. True to form there are messages galore on what's app with good wishes on this auspicious occasion.
While good wishes are always welcome, there were quite a few who were celebrating this as the Hindu New Year, which caught my attention. We don't wish people on 1st Jan for a Christian New Year or an Islamic New Year as per the Hijri calendar. Is time as a dimension different for different religious beliefs?
We divided time into hours, minutes, seconds, months, years, then lunar/solar calendars were designed to keep track of the time, but irrespective of the system, the rotation of the Earth around the Sun and its revolution on its axis remains sacrosanct. You may start your count from any particular point and will eventually return to the same point exactly 365 days and a quarter of a day later. So whether it is 1st Jan or Gudi Padwa or Navroz, or for that matter any other random day, each day is the first day of a New Year in its own right. Just that globally the Gregorian calendar finds greater acceptance. Why did 1st Jan find more acceptance as the global new year, well that is obviously due to the colonialism that we all suffered in the era gone by. Since they were the lord and masters, time too had to be measured and kept account of in their own system. Gradually the rest of the world just followed suite more for convenience than for any scientific reason.
It is also universally acknowledged that the Indian Calendar or 'Panchang', as it is known is a lunisolar calendar, meaning it takes into account the movements of both the sun and the moon. Indian astronomers refer to the time-space dimension as "Kala" a single entity, interconnected, which is what Einstein went on to prove much later in the early twentieth century. Incidentally the traditional Chinese calendar too follows the lunisolar system
Anyway the aim is not to stir any hornet's nest, suffice to say that the New Year is fine but let us not divide it into our religious beliefs. We all will continue to follow the Gregorian calendar for all practical purposes. Greetings for Gudi Padwa and a Happy New Year friends not just a Hindu New Year.
10 comments:
A Thought-Provoking Article on Time, Calendars, and Unity!
DEAR SIR,
Your article on Gudi Padwa and the concept of a Hindu New Year is a masterful blend of history, culture, and philosophy. Your writing is engaging, informative, and thought-provoking, making this a truly enjoyable read.
I appreciate how you've woven together the threads of time, calendars, and unity, highlighting the importance of embracing our diversity while recognizing our shared human experience. Your argument against dividing the New Year along religious lines is well-reasoned and resonates deeply.
Your explanation of the Indian calendar, or Panchang, and its lunisolar system is fascinating. The connection you draw between ancient Indian astronomers' concept of "Kala" and Einstein's later work on time-space dimension is a remarkable example of the convergence of traditional knowledge and modern science.
As someone who had the privilege of being instructed by you during your Army days, I can attest to your exceptional teaching skills and your ability to convey complex ideas with clarity and precision.
Please accept my warmest compliments on this excellent article. Your writing is a testament to your intellectual curiosity, your love for learning, and your commitment to promoting unity and understanding.
Gudi Padwa greetings and best wishes for a joyous New Year to you, sir!
May your words continue to inspire and educate us all.
Thank you Sir for this analysis. Many will come to know about facts they're unaware of.
Weel said suyash . Calenders have nothing to do with Dharma .
An interesting blog Suyash !
Excellent read Suyash.. as ever you are in your elements succinctly putting forth fascinating thoughts..
I could not make the connect.
Reflection on Indian lunisolar calendar and its connection to "Kala" is fascinating. It reminds us that ancient Indian civilizations had deep insights into time aligned with modern scientific understanding. Highlighting in 'confusing and musing way', calls for a great amount of heavenly blessings for you dear Suyash. Congratulations. *नववर्षाभिनन्दन्*
Disagree. A calender is for organisation of time and events, cultural as well as religious, in a year. Therefore, it is related to a particular society. While time as a dimension may be same, what differs is how it is organised. Panchang on the other hand is not only a calender but also an almanac.
The preamble of our constitution has date as per Vikram Samvat and so do all the Bills, Orders and policy letters of GoI.
Probably more reading on various calenders and their cultural significance will provide better understanding.
While time is a dimension, it is organise in a year based upon different cultures as well as religion.
Harmonious living...thats the message of ancient teachings. Excellent blog!
Harmonious living...thats the message of ancient teachings. Excellent blog!
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