[Ind-Arch] Knowledge of Rainfall Cycles in Ancient India

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

The Winter Solstice occurred in the Krittika Nakshatra at the beginningd of the

Treta yuga and that was around 8000 BCE. There is no reference that the Makar

Sankranti was observed on the Winter Solstice day in those times. Makar

Sankranti coincided with the Winter Solstice only in the 3rd Century CE. For

about 2000 years prior to that the Winter Solstice was occuring in the month of

Magha. Due to the effects of precession the Makar Sankranti goes on shifting and

the Winter Solstice ceased to occur in the month of Magha from the 3rd century

CE.. It is for this reason that it is not proper to suggest that the Makar

Sankranti should be observed on the Winter Solstice day.  By following the

Sidereal Calendar the Makar Sankranti is rightly being observed on the Day the

Sun enters the Makar Rashi. The Sidereal calendar is a valuable tool in the

hands of the historians who believe in Astronomical time-keeping. For example,

It is beacuse

of having  these past Sidereal data that we can now find the date of Rig Veda

and of other ancient events.

 

The Seasonal Calendar was also recognised in the ancient times and it is

time that we restore that but that cannot be  at the cost of the Sidereal

calendar.. In the Seasonal calendar the Tapa month starts with the Shukla paksha

of the Lunar (rather the Soli-Lunar) month in which the Winter solstice occurs.

In the times of the Vedanga Jyotisha, ie. around 1800 BCE the Tapa month started

from the shukla-paksha of Magha. These days the Tapa starts from the

Shukla-paksha of the Pausha month.  Like we superimpose the Gregorian calendar

on the Sidereal calandar, the Seasonal calendar can also be superimposed on the

Sidereal calendar so that we can get Sidereal informaton as well as the 

Seasonal information from the calendar.

 

Now if this is such a simple thing why then it has not been followed. The answer

appears to lie in the fact that the superiority of the Seasonal Calendar in

prediction of monsoon vis-a-vis the Sidereal 5-year and 60-year cycles have not

yet been seriously considered.or  established. Recently  a 61-year cycle for

predicting Monsoon has also been proposed and  I think that cycle should also be

properly evaluated by the scientists.

 

Any suggestion is welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

 

--- On Fri, 8/7/09, aareni <aareni wrote:

 

 

aareni <aareni

[ind-Arch] Knowledge of Rainfall Cycles in Ancient India

IndiaArchaeology

Friday, August 7, 2009, 8:19 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear List,

Recently I published a paper on the above subject in Current Science. Brief

summary and conclusions are:

 

Inter annual variability patterns of monsoon rainfall as described in ancient

Indian texts are presented in this paper. It is interesting to note that the

dominant periods were taken to be 3,5,7,18 and 60 years. Time series analysis of

actual seasonal rainfall data of the past 100 years shows that at very near the

above periods the spectrum has significant peaks. It is now known that the ENSO

oscillations of 2-3 year period explains maximum variance of the year to year

fluctuations2. The Venus visibility portent of Paraashara, stated also in the

Arthashaastra appears to be a proxy for this ENSO signature.

For understanding the within year variability of rainfall, ancient texts have to

be interpreted after making correction for the precession of equinoxes. Blind

following of the texts, in letter but not in spirit, has lead to marking of the

date of winter solstice (makara sankraanti) as 14th January in the panchangas.

Hence the traditional dates of rainfall expectation depending on sun's naks.atra

as given in the panchaangas are to be advanced by about three weeks for

practical use in agricultural operations. It is known that astronomically wrong

information, particularly of the solstices and

equinoxes, has crept into several of the printed panchaangas. This calls for

serious introspection and discussion on the part of socio-religious leaders with

scientific temperament to reform the traditional almanacs, so that culturally

important astronomical events such as equinoxes and solstices are observed on

the naturally correct dates of the civil calendar.

---

 

You can read the full paper at

http://www.ias. ac.in/currsci/ aug102009/ 444.pdf

 

or at

http://www.scribd. com/rni/

 

RN Iyengar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

The Winter Solstice occurred in the Krittika Nakshatra at the beginningd of the Treta yuga and that was around 8000 BCE. There is no reference that the Makar Sankranti was observed on the Winter Solstice day in those times. Makar Sankranti coincided with the Winter Solstice only in the 3rd Century CE. For about 2000 years prior to that the Winter Solstice was occuring in the month of Magha. Due to the effects of precession the Makar Sankranti goes on shifting and the Winter Solstice ceased to occur in the month of Magha from the 3rd century CE.. It is for this reason that it is not proper to suggest that the Makar Sankranti should be observed on the Winter Solstice day. By following the Sidereal Calendar the Makar Sankranti is rightly being observed on the Day the Sun enters the Makar Rashi. The Sidereal calendar is a valuable tool in the hands of the historians who believe

in Astronomical time-keeping. For example, It is beacuse of having these past Sidereal data that we can now find the date of Rig Veda and of other ancient events.

 

The Seasonal Calendar was also recognised in the ancient times and it is time that we restore that but that cannot be at the cost of the Sidereal calendar.. In the Seasonal calendar the Tapa month starts with the Shukla paksha of the Lunar (rather the Soli-Lunar) month in which the Winter solstice occurs. In the times of the Vedanga Jyotisha, ie. around 1800 BCE the Tapa month started from the shukla-paksha of Magha. These days the Tapa starts from the Shukla-paksha of the Pausha month. Like we superimpose the Gregorian calendar on the Sidereal calandar, the Seasonal calendar can also be superimposed on the Sidereal calendar so that we can get Sidereal informaton as well as the Seasonal information from the calendar.

 

Now if this is such a simple thing why then it has not been followed. The answer appears to lie in the fact that the superiority of the Seasonal Calendar in prediction of monsoon vis-a-vis the Sidereal 5-year and 60-year cycles have not yet been seriously considered.or established. Recently a 61-year cycle for predicting Monsoon has also been proposed and I think that cycle should also be properly evaluated by the scientists.

 

Any suggestion is welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

--- On Fri, 8/7/09, aareni <aareni wrote:

aareni <aareni[ind-Arch] Knowledge of Rainfall Cycles in Ancient IndiaIndiaArchaeology Date: Friday, August 7, 2009, 8:19 AM

Dear List,Recently I published a paper on the above subject in Current Science. Brief summary and conclusions are:Inter annual variability patterns of monsoon rainfall as described in ancient Indian texts are presented in this paper. It is interesting to note that the dominant periods were taken to be 3,5,7,18 and 60 years. Time series analysis of actual seasonal rainfall data of the past 100 years shows that at very near the above periods the spectrum has significant peaks. It is now known that the ENSO oscillations of 2-3 year period explains maximum variance of the year to yearfluctuations2. The Venus visibility portent of Paraashara, stated also in the Arthashaastra appears to be a proxy for this ENSO signature. For understanding the within year variability of rainfall, ancient texts have to be interpreted after making correction for the precession of equinoxes. Blind following of the texts, in letter but not in spirit, has

lead to marking of the date of winter solstice (makara sankraanti) as 14th January in the panchangas. Hence the traditional dates of rainfall expectation depending on sun's naks.atra as given in the panchaangas are to be advanced by about three weeks for practical use in agricultural operations. It is known that astronomically wrong information, particularly of the solstices andequinoxes, has crept into several of the printed panchaangas. This calls for serious introspection and discussion on the part of socio-religious leaders with scientific temperament to reform the traditional almanacs, so that culturally important astronomical events such as equinoxes and solstices are observed on the naturally correct dates of the civil calendar.---You can read the full paper athttp://www.ias. ac.in/currsci/ aug102009/ 444.pdfor athttp://www.scribd. com/rni/RN Iyengar

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,In India our festivals were observed based on Panchag ie Five limbs of timebased on sidereal coordinates.In this regard I WILL like to calarify as under:

 

"Equinoxes and Solstices were in no way linked to Sidereal

signs. It is purely a misnomer.

Our sages devised 27 Nakshatra based on the fact that

Moon takes 27.3 days to complete one round of the Zodiac.

These Nakshatra have an equal arc of 13deg 20 min and

first Nakshatra is named and counted from Asavini.This is

the division also for Astrological purposes. The movement

of above four cardinal points is observed and recorded in the background of

these Nakshatra and stars. As these points are indicator of the seasons and

very necessary for civil functions of the society .The days of their occurrences

are considered very auspicious. These four points had to do nothing with Makara Sankranti. . This

is the one part of the story.

 

As earth was taking nearly 365 days to go round the Sun.

the circular zodiac was divided in equal 360 deg. There were

approximately 12 lunar months in one solar year, they divided

zodiac in 12 sidereal signs of 30 deg each and first sign was

named as Aries. The sign Aries commences from the initial

(or zero degree) of Asavini. This point is opposite to Star Citra (Spica 16).

Makara Sankaranti was always observed on the ingress of Sun in sidereal

Makara (Capricorn) sign which contains Sharvan Nakshatra.

As such the assumption that Makara

sankaranti was celebrated on the occurrence

of the day of winter solstice , is nothing but a fragrance of misplaced

imagination.

 

Once sidereal signs were widely adopted in the construction of

12 house nativity, these signs were put multiple uses over a long period like:

1. The sign rising in the East was considered as Ascending sign and subsequent

were considered as 2h and so on..

2. In Kala pursa chart 1st

house was always synonym to sign Aries. 1st house and sign Aries

represent same significance. This is the reason that Mars is permanent owner of

1st house and Sun is its significator. Ancient sage Bhirgu has

devised many yogas on this basis.

3. This method has given other ideas.

As V.E. POINT was a important reference point since ancient times, a new

division of 12 signs was devised commencing from V.E.point ,.the first sign

again named as Aries though it was not having any direct link with stars. Even Astronomers

started calling V.E.point as “THE FIRST POINT OF ARIES”. This had happened only

when this point could be precisely located on the Zodiac. All of us know that

Pope Gregory 13th had to adjust the calendar by 10 days. Indian

festivals were always celebrated bases on Panchang ie the five parameters (

limbs)of mahurta. namely 1. Week days 2. Ththi 3. Karan ,4. Nakshatra 5. yoga (addition of

sidereal longitudes of Moon and Sun). There was no question of fixing the date

and time of Indian festivals based on Tropical coordinates."

REGARDS

 

G. K. Goel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IndiaArchaeology

CC: vedic astrology ; ; anc

G. K. Goel

 

address: L-409 Sarita Vihar, New Delhi - 110076

tel: 011-26943689, 011-41403352,

mobile: 09350311433IndiaArchaeology CC: vedic astrology ; ; ; vedic_reasearch_institute ; WAVES-Vedic From: sunil_bhattacharjyaDate: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:03:44 -0700 Re: [ind-Arch] Knowledge of Rainfall Cycles in Ancient India

 

 

 

 

Dear friends,

 

The Winter Solstice occurred in the Krittika Nakshatra at the beginningd of the Treta yuga and that was around 8000 BCE. There is no reference that the Makar Sankranti was observed on the Winter Solstice day in those times. Makar Sankranti coincided with the Winter Solstice only in the 3rd Century CE. For about 2000 years prior to that the Winter Solstice was occuring in the month of Magha. Due to the effects of precession the Makar Sankranti goes on shifting and the Winter Solstice ceased to occur in the month of Magha from the 3rd century CE.. It is for this reason that it is not proper to suggest that the Makar Sankranti should be observed on the Winter Solstice day. By following the Sidereal Calendar the Makar Sankranti is rightly being observed on the Day the Sun enters the Makar Rashi. The Sidereal calendar is a valuable tool in the hands of the historians who believe

in Astronomical time-keeping. For example, It is beacuse of having these past Sidereal data that we can now find the date of Rig Veda and of other ancient events.

 

The Seasonal Calendar was also recognised in the ancient times and it is time that we restore that but that cannot be at the cost of the Sidereal calendar.. In the Seasonal calendar the Tapa month starts with the Shukla paksha of the Lunar (rather the Soli-Lunar) month in which the Winter solstice occurs. In the times of the Vedanga Jyotisha, ie. around 1800 BCE the Tapa month started from the shukla-paksha of Magha. These days the Tapa starts from the Shukla-paksha of the Pausha month. Like we superimpose the Gregorian calendar on the Sidereal calandar, the Seasonal calendar can also be superimposed on the Sidereal calendar so that we can get Sidereal informaton as well as the Seasonal information from the calendar.

 

Now if this is such a simple thing why then it has not been followed. The answer appears to lie in the fact that the superiority of the Seasonal Calendar in prediction of monsoon vis-a-vis the Sidereal 5-year and 60-year cycles have not yet been seriously considered.or established. Recently a 61-year cycle for predicting Monsoon has also been proposed and I think that cycle should also be properly evaluated by the scientists.

 

Any suggestion is welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

--- On Fri, 8/7/09, aareni <aareni > wrote:

aareni <aareni >[ind-Arch] Knowledge of Rainfall Cycles in Ancient IndiaIndiaArchaeology Date: Friday, August 7, 2009, 8:19 AM

Dear List,Recently I published a paper on the above subject in Current Science. Brief summary and conclusions are:Inter annual variability patterns of monsoon rainfall as described in ancient Indian texts are presented in this paper. It is interesting to note that the dominant periods were taken to be 3,5,7,18 and 60 years. Time series analysis of actual seasonal rainfall data of the past 100 years shows that at very near the above periods the spectrum has significant peaks. It is now known that the ENSO oscillations of 2-3 year period explains maximum variance of the year to yearfluctuations2. The Venus visibility portent of Paraashara, stated also in the Arthashaastra appears to be a proxy for this ENSO signature. For understanding the within year variability of rainfall, ancient texts have to be interpreted after making correction for the precession of equinoxes. Blind following of the texts, in letter but not in spirit, has

lead to marking of the date of winter solstice (makara sankraanti) as 14th January in the panchangas. Hence the traditional dates of rainfall expectation depending on sun's naks.atra as given in the panchaangas are to be advanced by about three weeks for practical use in agricultural operations. It is known that astronomically wrong information, particularly of the solstices andequinoxes, has crept into several of the printed panchaangas. This calls for serious introspection and discussion on the part of socio-religious leaders with scientific temperament to reform the traditional almanacs, so that culturally important astronomical events such as equinoxes and solstices are observed on the naturally correct dates of the civil calendar.---You can read the full paper athttp://www.ias. ac.in/currsci/ aug102009/ 444.pdfor athttp://www.scribd. com/rni/RN Iyengar

 

 

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