Learning about Hindu Calendars

Calendars have been used for thousands of years to help us keep track of time and important events. Most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, but did you know that there are more calendars still in use today, such as the Chinese calendar, the Islamic calendar, the Jewish calendar, and the Hindu calendars?

Do you know what calendars your ancestors used to keep track of cultural and personal life events?

Lunar and Solar Calendars

Calendars are usually based on the moon, the sun, or a combination of both. Lunar calendars, such as the Hijiri or Islamic calendar, are based on cycles of the moon. Solar calendars, such as the Gregorian calendar, are based on the position of the earth in its orbit around the sun. Lunisolar calendars, such as the Saka Samvat, use both the moon and the sun to calculate time.

To mark seasons and help organize Hindu celebrations and astrology, several calendars have been established throughout the centuries. At one time, there were 30 calendars in use in India! Some of the calendars used in Hindu countries today are the Saka Samvat, the Vikram Samvat, the Hijiri, the Tamil Calendar, and the Gregorian calendar.

Saka Samvat

Known as the India national calendar, the Saka Samvat is a lunisolar calendar. This calendar is also used in various countries in the Indian subcontinent, such as Bali and Java, and even exists in places outside that region, such as the Phillipines.

The Saka Samvat was adopted as the official calendar of India in 1957, and it is used in news broadcasts and government communications. It has 365 days divided into 12 months, similar to the Gregorian calendar. The new year begins during the month of Chaitra (around March 21 in the Gregorian calendar).

This calendar has a different starting year than the Gregorian calendar. Using the Gregorian calendar, the Saka Samvat's year 0 is 78 AD, the year Kanishka the Great ascended the throne, an important person in ancient Indian history. This difference means that the Saka Samvat count is 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar, though 79 years behind from January to March. For example, the Gregorian year 2023 in the month of October is the year 1945 in the Saka Samvat calendar.

The image to the right is from The Gazette of India, an official publication that still uses the Saka Samvat. You can see that the date for this particular publication is written in both the Gregorian date and the Saka Samvat date.

Vikram Samvat

The Vikram Samvat is used in northern and western regions of India and other countries in the Indian subcontinent, is a lunar-based calendar. A lunar year is only 354 days, about 11 days shorter than a solar year.

To make up the difference, every third year, an extra lunar month is added. This month is known as Adhik, and is observed as a more auspicious month of the year.

This calendar in particular is used to keep track of auspicious days based on the Hindu religion. As one of the national calendars in Nepal, the Vikram Samvat sets the dates each year for important holidays and festivals.

The Vikram Samvat has a different starting year than the Gregorian calendar. Using the Gregorian calendar, the Vikram Samvat's year 0 is 56 BC, which is supposedly the year the legendary King Vikramaditya invaded a neighboring land and declared the new Vikram era. This difference means that the Vikram Samvat appears to be 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, though only 56 years ahead from January to April. For example, the Gregorian year 2023 in the month of July is the year 2080 according to the Vikram Samvat.

Hindu Calendar Names

There are several websites available to convert dates to help calculate your ancestors’ important dates.

Hindu Festivals

Sacred days, holidays, and festivals are an important part of Hindu worship and culture. Whether based on the Vikram Samvat or the Saka Samvat, these special days are an important part of culture in the Indian subcontinent.

Given the months based on the Gregorian calendar, could you convert the below holidays to months based on the Vikram Samvat or the Saka Samvat?

• Diwali, or the festival of lights, is a religious festival held usually between mid-October and mid-November.
• Navaratri is a celebration of fertility and harvest. It is held in spring around March and April and in fall around September and October.
• Holi is sometimes known as the festival of colors. Occurring in spring around the end of March, Holi celebrates new beginnings and triumph of good over evil.
• Krishna Janmashtami is a celebration of Krishna’s birthday, usually in August or September.
• Raksha Bandhan is usually held in August. This celebration honors the bond between brother and sister.
• Maha Shivaratri is the great festival of Shiva and overcoming darkness and ignorance. Held in late winter around February and March, it is observed with prayers, fasting, and meditation.

Starting Your Hindu Family Research

Calendars are used to keep track of important life events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Whether your ancestors used the Vikram Samvat, the Saka Samvat, the Gregorian calendar, or something altogether different, do you know when their important life events happened?

FamilySearch is a free genealogy site that helps you record what you know about your ancestors. Collect stories, records, and images from living family members to start building a time line of your ancestors' lives. Once you've added all this information to FamilySearch, begin researching to learn more!

Visit the India research page, the FamilySearch Wiki on India, and the Rootstech OnDemand Library to find out more about who your ancestors are and where they were from. Different parts of the world have used different calendars, so find out where your family lived to help you know which calendars your ancestors may have used to keep track of important dates. Be sure to add what you learn on your FamilySearch page, and share it with your family!