29 December 2010- Hindu calender is also known as "Penchang" or "panchanga" or "Panjika". It is very helpful in calculating the dates of festivals, full moon and no moon night and other such events that are important in Hindu religion. For calculating the dates, movement of moon are considered. Vedanga Jyotisha of Lagadha of late BCE subsidiary to the Vedas is the root of almost all the Hindu calender in India. Hindu calender is based on the astronomical calculations.
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In Chandramaana Hindu calender, motion of moon around the Sun is considered to calculate the dates of the year. Moon takes 354 days to complete one circle around the Sun. Moon calender is widely followed all across India. Further the moon calender is on two types. One moon calender starts with the Kartika month and to calculate this first day is counted from Poornima or the full moon. It is known as Kartikadi system. For another Hindu moon calender the calculations are done from Amavasya or the new moon and it starts with the month Chaitra.
In Sauramaana Hindu calender, motion of earth around Sun is considered to calculate the dates. Earth takes 365.25 days to complete one circle. In Solar calender the names of the 12 months are Chaitra, Visakha, Jyestha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashwija, Kartika, Margasira, Pushya, Magha and Phalguna.
Panchang is mostly based on the Lunar calender but the dates for determining the months or festivals except for Loori, Makara Sankranti and Baishaakhi are not determined by this. In Lunar calender one month that is known as Sunya Maasa, Loonth or Purushottam) is added after every three years to Hindu calender. The addition is done in the middle of the year.
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