Hindu calendar

For social and religious reasons, the Hindu calendar, also known as Panchang, or Panjika, is a collection of different lunisolar calendars that have historically been used throughout the Indian subcontinent and South-east Asia, with regional variants for social and religious purposes. They are using a common basic concept for keeping time, which is based on the sidereal year for the solar cycle and the adjustment of lunar phases every three years. However, they differ in their relative emphasis on the moon cycle or the sun cycle, as well as in the names of the months and when they consider the New Year to have begun in their respective cultures. The Shalivahana Shaka calendar, which is found in the Deccan region of Southern India, the Vikram Samvat (Bikrami calendar), which is found in Nepal, and the North and Central Hindu calendars are the most studied and well-known of the various regional calendars. All of these calendars place a strong emphasis on the lunar cycle. The beginning of their new year is in the spring. In contrast, in regions such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the solar cycle is emphasised, and this is referred to as the Tamil Calendar (Though the Tamil Calendar uses month names similar to those used in the Hindu Calendar) and Malayalam calendar, both of which have origins in the second half of the first millennium CE and have their new year begin in autumn. An ancient Hindu calendar known as Panchangam , which is also known as Panjika in Eastern India, is often referred to as the Hindu calendar.

Historically, Hindu calendars have been in use on the Indian subcontinent since Vedic times, and they continue to be used by Hindus throughout the globe, especially for the purpose of determining the dates of Hindu religious festivals. Buddhism in India began with the Vedic calendar, which was subsequently replaced by the Vikrami calendar, and then by local Buddhist calendars in the early centuries. Despite the fact that the Buddhist calendar is no longer in use, celebrations are nevertheless held on lunar days. Also based on an earlier form of the Hindu calendar are the Buddhist calendar as well as the historic lunisolar calendars of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. To some extent, the ancient Jainism faiths have also observed the same lunisolar calendar as the Hindu calendar in terms of festivals, scriptures, and inscriptions, as well. The Buddhist and Jain timekeeping systems, on the other hand, have tried to utilise the Buddha's and Mahavira's lives as reference points for their calculations.

Additionally, the Hindu calendar is significant in the practise of Hindu astrology and the zodiac system, as well as in the observation of special appearance days of the Lord as well as fasting days such as Ekadasi.