The Hindu calendar is based on a geocentric model of the Solar System . A geocentric model describes the Solar System as seen by an observer on the surface of the Earth.
86-410: The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day). Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta . If a festival falls in the waning phase of
172-540: A kṛṣṇa pakṣa is called amāvāsya (new moon) and the fifteenth tithi of a śukla pakṣa is called pūrṇimā (full moon). The saura māna ( Sanskrit : सौर मान ) of the Hindu calendar is defined by the movement of the Earth around the Sun. It contains sidereal ( Sanskrit : निरयन; nirayana ) and tropical ( Sanskrit : सायन; sāyana ) elements. A saura māna varṣa or sidereal year
258-449: A tithi is the time taken for the Moon's elongation (on the ecliptic plane ) to increase by 12°. A tithi is one fifteenth of a pakṣa and one thirtieth of a cāndramāsa . A tithi corresponds to the concept of a lunar day. Tithi have Sanskrit numbers according by their position in the pakṣa , i.e. prathama (first), dvitīya (second) etc. The fifteenth, that is, the last tithi of
344-538: A Surya artwork along with many other gods and goddesses at its doorway. The 8th and 9th century goddess (Shaktism) temples of central India, similarly engrave Surya along with other Hindu gods within the temple. The six century Shiva temple at Gangadhar in Rajasthan includes Surya. Similar mentions are found in stone inscriptions found near Hindu temples, such as the 5th century Mandasor inscription. These temples, states Michael Meister, do not glorify one god or goddess over
430-477: A crown. It specifically describes his dress to be Northern (i.e. Central Asian, with boots). In contrast, the Vishnudharmottara, another Hindu text on architecture, states Surya iconography should show him with four hands, with flowers in two hands, a staff in third, and in fourth he should be shown to be holding writing equipment (Kundi palm leaf and pen symbolizing knowledge). His chariot driver in both books
516-571: A deity is also found in the arts and literature of Buddhism and Jainism . Surya is also regarded as the father of Sugriva and Karna , who play important roles in the two Hindu epic—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata , respectively. Surya was a primary deity in veneration by the characters of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Surya is depicted with a Chakra, also interpreted as Dharmachakra . Surya
602-503: A dip in the sacred river Sarayu and then visit the Rama temple. Details regarding the birth of Rama is mentioned in Valmiki's Ramayana and the Mahabharata. As noted, Rama was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in the city of Ayodhya . King Dasharatha had three wives - Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra , but remained sonless for many years. Desperate for an heir, Dasharatha organized
688-463: A full moon and vice versa. The waxing phase of the moon is known as the bright side ( Sanskrit : शुक्ल पक्ष , romanized : śukla pakṣa ) and the waning phase is known as the dark side ( Sanskrit : कृष्ण पक्ष , romanized : kṛṣṇa pakṣa ). During a pakṣa , the Moon advances 180° with respect to the Earth-Sun axis. A cāndramāsa ( Sanskrit : चन्द्रमास ) is the time taken by
774-441: A ghaṭikā, or just under 24 seconds. A prāṇa ( Sanskrit : प्राण ) or asu ( Sanskrit : असु ) is one sixth of a vighaṭikā, or just under four seconds. Sāvana māna ( Sanskrit : सावन मान ) of the Hindu calendar defines civil time . A dina ( Sanskrit : दिन ) is the time between two succeeding sunrises. dina corresponds to the concept of a solar day . The length of a dina varies with daytime length . Apart from
860-477: A grand chariot with twelve wheels pulled by seven horses. The temple features Surya in three representations, with the main large Surya destroyed and the temple damaged over the course of repeated Muslim invasions. Besides Konark, there are two other sun temples in Orissa called Biranchi Narayan Sun Temple . There are sun temples in many parts of India, such as Modhera , Gujarat. It was sponsored by King Bhimdev of
946-772: A mosque atop the site, abandoning the Sunni congregational mosque in Multan. This Ismaili Shia mosque atop the Sun Temple's ruins was then destroyed by the Sunni ruler Mahmud of Ghazni , the Surya temple was not rebuilt and an empty space left in place, actions that helped re-establish the importance of the Sunni mosque in Multan. While Shiva and Vishnu are more common in 1st millennium southeast Asian artwork such as those found in Cambodia and Thailand , archaeological evidence suggest god Surya were among
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#17328764835391032-606: A primary deity in Hinduism longer than any most of the original Vedic deities, the worship of Surya declined greatly around the 13th century, perhaps as a result of the Muslim destruction of Sun temples in North India. New Sun temples virtually ceased to be built, and some were later repurposed to a different deity. A number of important Surya temples remain, but most are no longer in worship. In certain aspects, Surya has tended to be merged with
1118-532: A sacrifice to be conducted under the authority of the sage, Rishyasringa , which concluded with a celestial figure that emerged from a fire with a pot of rice and milk. As instructed, the king divided the contents of the pot among his wives to drink. As a result, Kausalya gave birth to Rama on the ninth day of the bright half ( Shukla Paksha ) of the lunar cycle of Chaitra (March–April), also known as Rama Navami. Furthermore, Kaikeyi gave birth to Bharata and Sumitra bore twins - Lakshmana and Shatrughna . Thus, with
1204-435: A semi-circular enclosure. The most important finds were two marble statues of Surya, the first example found during the original excavations (1934, Delegation Archaeologique Française Afghanistan), the second example found by accident in 1980. In Nepal, many Surya temples and artworks trace to the medieval era, such as the 11th-century Thapahiti and Saugal-tol, and 12th century Naksal stone sculptures. Artifacts discovered at
1290-410: A sāvana dina Above that a nakṣatra dina is divided into ghaṭikā (of 24 modern minutes each) and vighaṭikā (of 24 modern seconds each). These same units are used to subdivide a savana dina using sunrise as the starting point, i.e. the first 24 minutes after sunrise constitute the first ghaṭikā, the next 24 minutes the second ghaṭikā and so on. pitṛpakṣa pitṛpakṣa ( Sanskrit : पितृपक्ष )
1376-479: Is Saranyu , daughter of Tvashtar . His sons include the Ashvins , Yama , and Manu . Through Manu, Vivasvat is considered an ancestor of humanity. Vivasvat is affiliated with Agni and Matarishvan , with Agni being stated to have been first revealed to those two. Vivasvat is also variously related to Indra , Soma , and Varuna . Vivasvant is also used as an adjective of Agni and Ushas to mean "brilliant". Already by
1462-604: Is a pakṣa during which the Sun crosses the equator and transitions overhead the southern hemisphere, i.e. the autumnal equinox occurs within pitṛpakṣa. bhādrapada māsa kṛṣṇa pakṣa is identified with pitṛpakṣa. This identification is not always correct. For instance, in the Gregorian year 2020, bhādrapada māsa kṛṣṇa pakṣa ended with the new moon on 17 September while autumnal equinox occurred five days later, on 22 September. Surya Traditional Surya ( / ˈ s uː r j ə / ; Sanskrit : सूर्य , IAST : Sūrya )
1548-456: Is also celebrated by Hindus in Fiji and Fijian Hindus who have re-migrated elsewhere. Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar defines nine measures of time ( Sanskrit : मान IAST : māna ): Of these, only the last four are in active use and are explained here. The candra māna ( Sanskrit : चन्द्र मान ) of the Hindu calendar is defined based on the movement of
1634-437: Is also possible that an entire tithi elapses between two sunrises, i.e. the Moon traverses a 12° arc in between two sunrises (it enters the arc after one sunrise and exits the arc before the next sunrise). In this such a case, neither sāvana dina will be associated with this tithi, i.e. this tithi will be skipped over in the calendar. Such a tithi is referred to as a kṣaya ( Sanskrit : क्षय ) (lost) tithi . Subdivisions of
1720-445: Is considered to be dvādaśī tithi. adhika tithi and kṣaya tithi It is possible that two consecutive sunrises may have the same tithi, i.e. the Moon continues to remain within the same 12° arc across two consecutive sunrises. In such a case, two consecutive sāvana dina will be associated with the same tithi. The tithi associated with the second sāvana dina is referred to as a adhika ( Sanskrit : अधिक ) (additional) tithi . It
1806-452: Is known as a saṅkramaṇa ( Sanskrit : सङ्क्रमण ) or saṅkrānti ( Sanskrit : सङ्क्रान्ति ). These time periods are defined based on the solstices ( Sanskrit : अयन; IAST : ayana ) and equinoxes ( Sanskrit : विषुवत्; IAST : viṣuvat ). The time taken by the Sun to move from the winter solstice to the summer solstice is known as northward movement ( Sanskrit : उत्तरायण , romanized : uttarāyaṇa ) and time taken by
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#17328764835391892-423: Is made up of 12 consecutive candramāsa . These twelve candramāsa are designated by unique names caitra , vaiśākha , etc. In some instances an additional candramāsa , known as an adhikamāsa , is added to synchronise the candra māna varṣa with the solar year or saura māna varṣa . A tithi ( Sanskrit : तिथि ) is the time taken by the Moon to advance 12° with respect to the Earth-Sun axis. In other words
1978-577: Is mentioned as her son or her husband. Surya's origin differs heavily in the Rigveda, with him being stated to have been born, risen, or established by a number of deities, including the Ādityas , Aditi , Dyaush , Mitra - Varuna , Agni , Indra , Soma , Indra-Soma, Indra-Varuna, Indra- Vishnu , Purusha , Dhatri , the Angirases, and the gods in general. The Atharvaveda also mentions that Surya originated from Vritra . The Vedas assert Sun (Surya) to be
2064-413: Is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by horses, often seven in number which represent the seven colours of visible light, and the seven days of the week. During the medieval period, Surya was worshipped in tandem with Brahma during the day, Shiva at noon, and Vishnu in the evening. In some ancient texts and art, Surya is presented syncretically with Indra , Ganesha , and others. Surya as
2150-676: Is one among the Navagraha temples and it is dedicated to Surya. Here lord Surya is called as Sivasurya Perumal. It is the first among the Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu. The most famous Surya temple is the Konark Sun Temple , a World Heritage Site in Orissa . Constructed in the 13th century by the Eastern Ganga dynasty, on a pre-existing pilgrimage site for Surya god, the temple architecture mimics
2236-643: Is one of the Hindu festivals that is celebrated by the Indian diaspora with roots in Uttar Pradesh and other states. The descendants of Indian indentured servants who were forced to leave India due to famines and then promised jobs in colonial South Africa before 1910 in British-owned plantations and mines, and thereafter lived under the South African apartheid regime, continued to celebrate Rama Navami by reciting
2322-517: Is reverentially aligned the direction of the rising Surya. This alignment towards the sunrise is also found in most Buddhist and Jaina temples in and outside of India. A prominent temple dedicated to Surya can be found in Arasavalli , which is in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh , India. The coastal district temple is peculiar with its latitude aligned to the minor lunar standstill . Also
2408-477: Is shorter than the saura māna varṣa by about eleven sāvana dina. As a result, unless explicitly synchronised, these two parts of the calendar will diverge over time, as the cāndra māna varṣa will keep "falling behind" the saura māna varṣa. In order to synchronise these two parts of the calendar, an additional cāndramāsa is introduced into some cāndra māna varṣa. Such a cāndramāsa is referred to as adhikamāsa ( Sanskrit : अधिकमास ) . A adhikamāsa takes its name from
2494-636: Is spread in the present day south east Asia at historical Kalinga (province) , Kalingga Kingdom etc. Other most worshiped Surya temple is the Deo Surya Mandir . Sun Temple of Deo is one of the most remarkable, major crowd-puller and notable temple and religious place in Deo, Bihar , India for chhath puja. Deo Sun Temple Built in during the 8th century. In Tamil Nadu , Navagraha temples are world famous. Suryanar kovil situated in Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu
2580-430: Is stated to be Aruṇa who is seated. Two females typically flank him, who represent the dawn goddesses named Usha and Pratyusha. The goddesses are shown to be shooting arrows, a symbolism for their initiative to challenge darkness. In other representations, these goddesses are Surya's two wives, Samjna and Chhaya . He had two other wives according to some texts, Rajni and Prabha. Aniconic symbols of Surya include
2666-618: Is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism . He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman . Other names of Surya in ancient Indian literature include Aditya , Arka , Bhanu , Savitr , Pushan , Ravi , Martanda , Mitra , Bhaskara , Prabhakara , Kathiravan , and Vivasvan . The iconography of Surya
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2752-676: Is the lord of Simha (Leo), one of the twelve constellations in the zodiac system of Hindu astrology . Surya or Ravi is the basis of Ravivara , or Sunday , in the Hindu calendar. Major festivals and pilgrimages in reverence for Surya include Makar Sankranti , Pongal , Samba Dashami , Ratha Saptami , Chath puja , and Kumbha Mela . He is particularly venerated in the Saura and Smarta traditions found in Indian states such as Rajasthan , Gujarat , Madhya Pradesh , Bihar , Maharashtra , Uttar Pradesh , Jharkhand , and Odisha . Having survived as
2838-411: Is the time taken by the Sun to orbit the Earth once and return to the starting point with respect to the fixed stars. The starting point is taken to be the position of the Sun when it is in opposition to Spica ( Sanskrit : चित्रा , romanized : citrā ). . A rāśi ( Sanskrit : राशि ) is a 30° arc of the orbit of the Sun around the Earth (i.e an arc of the ecliptic ). Starting in
2924-409: Is then associated with the entire sāvana dina. To illustrate: consider the Gregorian date 18th Sep 2021 . Instead of referring to it as "2nd dina of kanyā masa" Hindus will refer to it as " bhādrapada māsa, śukla pakṣa, dvitiyā tithi", which is the tithi prevailing at sunrise on that sāvana dina. Even though the Moon moves into the trayodaśī arc soon after sunrise (at 6:54AM), that entire sāvana dina
3010-501: Is typically shown as a resplendent standing person holding a lotus flower in both hands, riding a chariot pulled by one or more horses typically seven. The seven horses are named after the seven meters of Sanskrit prosody : Gayatri, Brihati, Ushnih, Jagati, Trishtubha, Anushtubha and Pankti. The Brihat Samhita of Varaha Mihira ( c. 505–587 ), a Hindu text that describes architecture, iconography and design guidelines, states that Surya should be shown with two hands and wearing
3096-721: The Chaulukya dynasty . Other major Surya temples are found in Kanakaditya Temple in Kasheli (Dist ratnagiri) – Maharashtra , near the famous Galtaji 's temple in Jaipur, Rajasthan and Assam . Adithyapuram Sun Temple is a Hindu temple located in Iravimangalam near Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala dedicated to Surya. It is noted as the only Surya shrine in
3182-511: The Devas win over Asuras who use darkness. Arka, Mitra, Vivasvat, Aditya, Tapan, Ravi and Surya have different characteristics in early mythologies, but by the time of the epics they are synonymous. The term "Arka" is found more commonly in temple names of north India and in the eastern parts of India. The 11th century Konark Temple in Odisha is named after a composite word "Kona and Arka", or "Arka in
3268-520: The Hindu temples related to Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, and Shakti. Reliefs on temple walls, forts and artwork above doorways of many Hindu monasteries feature Surya. Many of the temples that contain Surya icons and artwork are dated to the second half of the 1st millennium BCE and early centuries of the 2nd millennium. The 11th-century Vaishnava temple at Kadwaha in Madhya Pradesh, for example, features
3354-571: The Kerala state. The Martand Sun Temple in Jammu and Kashmir was destroyed by Islamic armies. A surviving Surya temple in northern India is Kattarmal Surya mandir in Almora District , Uttarakhand created by King Kattarmal in the 12th century. The Gurjars were essentially sun worshipers and some of the sun temples were erected by them during the medieval period. The sun temple known as Jayaditya
3440-510: The Ramayana 's Yuddha Kanda, Rama was taught the Ādityahṛdayam stotra before his war against Ravana , the king of the rakshasas . The stotra was composed in Anushtup Chanda in praise of Surya, who is described as the embodiment of all gods and the origin of everything in the universe. The Mahabharata epic opens its chapter on Surya that reverentially calls him as the "eye of the universe, soul of all existence, origin of all life, goal of
3526-464: The Samkhyas and Yogis , and symbolism for freedom and spiritual emancipation. In the Mahabharata , Karna is the son of Surya and unmarried princess Kunti . The epic describes Kunti's trauma as an unmarried mother, then abandonment of Karna, followed by her lifelong grief. Baby Karna is found and adopted by a charioteer but he grows up to become the greatest warrior and one of the central heroes of
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3612-718: The Shaka era with the Saka , or Scythian, people. Additionally the contributions by the Saka people would be the basis of the Indian national calendar , which is also called the Saka calendar. The Hindu calendar is a Lunisolar calendar which records both lunar and solar cycles. Like the Navagraha, it was developed with the successive contributions of various works. Surya temples are found in many parts of India. More common than Surya temples are artwork related to Surya, which are found in all types of temples of various traditions within Hinduism, such as
3698-556: The Sree Ramaseva Mandali , R.C.T (R.) Chamrajpet, organizes India's most prestigious, month-long classical music festival. The uniqueness of this 80 year old musical extravaganza is that celebrated Indian classical musicians, irrespective of their religion, from both genres – Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) – descend down to offer their musical rendition to Rama and the assembled audience. In eastern Indian states such as Odisha , Jharkhand , and West Bengal ,
3784-424: The "rising sun" and its symbolism as dispeller of darkness, one who empowers knowledge, the good and all life. However, the usage is context specific. In some hymns, the word Surya simply means Sun as an inanimate object, a stone or a gem in the sky (Rigvedic hymns 5.47, 6.51 and 7.63); while in others it refers to a personified deity. Surya is prominently associated with the dawn goddess Ushas and sometimes, he
3870-419: The 5th century Aryabhatiya by Aryabhata , the 6th century Romaka by Latadeva and Panca Siddhantika by Varahamihira, the 7th century Khandakhadyaka by Brahmagupta and the 8th century Sisyadhivrddida by Lalla. These texts present Surya and various planets and estimate the characteristics of the respective planetary motion. Other texts such as Surya Siddhanta dated to have been complete sometime between
3956-411: The 5th century and 10th century present their chapters on various planets with deity mythologies. The manuscripts of these texts exist in slightly different versions, present Surya- and planets-based calculation and its relative motion to earth. These vary in their data, suggesting that the text were open and revised over their lives. For example, the 10th century BCE Hindu scholars had estimated
4042-716: The Atman (soul, self) within, in texts such as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad , Chandogya Upanishad , Kaushitaki Upanishad and others. Surya in Indian literature is referred to by various names, which typically represent different aspects or phenomenological characteristics of the Sun. The figure of Surya as we know him today is an amalgamation of various different Rigvedic deities. Thus, Savitr refers to one that rises and sets, Aditya means one with splendor, Mitra refers to Sun as "the great luminous friend of all mankind", while Pushan refers to Sun as illuminator that helped
4128-399: The Earth on its axis. This definition is not used in practice but is required for defining the following smaller units of time. Ā dina is ~4 minutes short of 24 hours. A ghaṭikā ( Sanskrit : घटिका ) or nāḍī ( Sanskrit : नाडी ) is one sixtieth of a nakṣatra dina, or just under 24 minutes. A vighaṭikā ( Sanskrit : विघटिका ) or vināḍī ( Sanskrit : विनाडी ) is one sixtieth of
4214-422: The Earth. Ṛtu corresponds to the concept of a season. The six ṛtu of the year are known as Nākṣatra māna ( Sanskrit : नाक्षत्र मान ) is defined with respect to the fixed stars, so all elements are sidereal in nature. A dina ( Sanskrit : दिन ) is the time taken by the celestial sphere to complete one sidereal rotation around the Earth. In reality, this movement is caused by the diurnal rotation of
4300-476: The Jagannath temples and regional Vaishnava community observe Rama Navami, and begin preparations for their annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra in summer. Devotees associated with ISKCON fast throughout the day. A number of ISKCON temples introduced a more prominent celebration of the occasion of the holiday with the view of addressing needs of growing native Hindu congregation. It was however a notable calendar event on
4386-405: The Moon around the Earth. The new moon ( Sanskrit : अमावास्य , romanized : amāvāsya ) and full moon ( Sanskrit : पूर्णिमा , romanized : pūrṇimā ) are important markers in this calendar. The candra māna of the Hindu calendar defines the following synodic calendar elements: A pakṣa ( Sanskrit : पक्ष ) is the time taken by the Moon to move from a new moon to
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#17328764835394472-611: The Ramayana and by singing bhajans of Tyagaraja and Bhadrachala Ramdas . The tradition continues in contemporary times in the Hindu temples of Durban every year. Similarly, in Trinidad and Tobago , Guyana , Suriname , Jamaica , other Caribbean countries, Mauritius , Malaysia , Singapore , and many other countries with Hindu descendants of colonial-era indentured workers forced to leave British India have continued to observe Rama Navami along with their other traditional festivals. It
4558-585: The Ramayana, organizing ratha yatras (chariot processions), charitable events, hosting a wedding procession ( kalyanotsavam ) of Rama and Sita, and offering reverence to Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman who have played important roles in Rama's life story. Surya , the Hindu solar deity, is also worshipped among some communities. In Karnataka , Rama Navami is celebrated by the local mandalis (organizations) and streets, by dispersing free panakam (a jaggery drink) and some food. Additionally, in Bengaluru, Karnataka,
4644-415: The Sun to move from the spring equinox ( ecliptic longitude 0°) to the autumnal equinox (ecliptic longitude 180°) is known as devayāna ( Sanskrit : देवयान ). The time taken by the Sun to move from the autumnal equinox to the spring equinox is designated as pitṛyāṇa ( Sanskrit : पितृयाण ). Due to the axial tilt of the Earth, the Sun appears to be in the north celestial sphere during devayāna and
4730-487: The Sun to move from the summer solstice to the winter solstice is called southward movement Sanskrit : दक्षिणायन , romanized : dakṣiṇāyana . Due to the axial tilt of the Earth, the Sun appears to move towards the north from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer during uttarāyaṇa , and towards the south from the tropic of Cancer to the tropic of Capricorn during dakṣiṇāyana . The time taken by
4816-619: The Sun. Surya is a part of the Navagraha in Hindu zodiac system. The role and importance of the Navagraha developed over time with various influences. Deifying the sun and its astrological significance occurred as early as the Vedic period and was recorded in the Vedas . The earliest work of astrology recorded in India is the Vedanga Jyotisha which began to be compiled in the 14th century BCE. It
4902-625: The Swastika and the ring-stone. In various texts including Mahabharata , Suryasataka , or Prasasti of Vatsabhatti, Surya is depicted as being worshipped by a host of semi-divine beings. These beings, namely Siddhas , Charanas , Gandharvas , Yaksas , Guhyakas , and the Nagas , desirous of obtaining boons, follow the course of Surya's chariot through the sky. Surya as an important heavenly body appears in various Indian astronomical texts in Sanskrit , such as
4988-458: The birth of four sons, Dasharatha's desire was fulfilled. A number of cities mentioned in the Ramayana legends about Rama's life observe major celebrations. These include Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Rameswaram ( Tamil Nadu ), Bhadrachalam ( Telangana ) and Sitamarhi (Bihar). The rituals and customs associated with Rama Navami vary from region to region throughout India. Many of these traditions include reading and listening to discourses from
5074-502: The coinage of Greco-Bactrian kings, such as Plato I . The iconography of Surya has varied over time. In some ancient arts, particularly from the early centuries of the common era, his iconography is similar to those found in Persia and Greece suggesting likely adoption of Greek, Iranian and Scythian influences. After the Greek and Kushan influences arrived in ancient India, some Surya icons of
5160-686: The corner". Other Surya temples named after Arka include Devarka (Deva teertha) and Ularka (Ulaar) in Bihar, Uttararka and Lolarka in Uttar Pradesh , and Balarka in Rajasthan . Another 10th-century sun temple ruin is in Bahraich , Uttar Pradesh named Balarka Surya Mandir, which was destroyed in the 14th century during the Turkish invasions. Vivasvat, also known as Vivasvant, is also one such of these deities. His wife
5246-505: The creator of the material universe ( Prakriti ). In the layers of Vedic texts, Surya is one of the several trinities along with Agni and either Vayu or Indra , which are presented as an equivalent icon and aspect of the Hindu metaphysical concept called the Brahman . In the Brahmanas layer of Vedic literature, Surya appears with Agni (fire god) in the same hymns. Surya is revered for
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#17328764835395332-420: The cāndra māna and sāvana māna of the calendar define the concept of a day as tithi and dina respectively. dina are not named and are not used for calendric purposes. The tithi takes precedence instead. Human life is regulated by the rising of the Sun and not by the movement of the Moon through a 12° arc. Hence, the position of the Moon at sunrise is used to determine the tithi prevailing at sunrise. This tithi
5418-693: The day, while Agni for its role during the night. The idea evolves, states Kapila Vatsyayan, where Surya is stated to be Agni as the first principle and the seed of the universe. It is in the Brahmanas layer of the Vedas, and the Upanishads that Surya is explicitly linked to the power of sight, to visual perception and knowledge. He is then interiorized to be the eye as ancient Hindu sages suggested abandonment of external rituals to gods in favor of internal reflections and meditation of gods within, in one's journey to realize
5504-409: The four māna explained above, the concept of nakṣatra is an important characteristic of the Hindu calendar. This term has multiple meanings: The four māna explained above are used in combination in the Hindu calendar. adhikamāsa As seen above, both the cāndra māna and saura māna of the calendar define a varṣa comprising twelve māsa, but the duration of the varṣa differ; the cāndra māna varṣa
5590-709: The great war of Kurukshetra . Earliest representations of Surya riding a chariot occur in the Buddhist railings of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya (2nd century BCE), in the Bhaja Caves (1st century BCE), and the Jain cave of Ananta Gumpha in Khandagiri (1st century CE). They follow similar depiction of the chariot-riding god Helios of Hellenistic mythology, as appearing for example on
5676-417: The live-streaming of the event across the globe. During Rama Navami, reading or listening from literature about Rama is a common practice. Reading the entire Ramayana (Hindu epic entailing the adventures of Rama) for a week leading up to Rama Navami is organized. The earliest version of the text was composed by the sage Valmiki . Tulsidas 's Ramcharitmanas , a later version of the Ramayana written in
5762-415: The moon to move from a new moon to the next new moon (as per the amānta [ Sanskrit : अमान्त ] tradition ) or a full moon to the next full moon (as per the pūrṇimānta [ Sanskrit : पूर्णिमान्त ] tradition). In other words a cāndramāsa is the synodic period of the Moon, or two pakṣas . During a cāndramāsa , the Moon advances 360° with respect to the Earth-Sun axis. A candra māna varṣa or lunar year
5848-505: The moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. Rama Navami ( Sanskrit : राम नवमी , romanized : Rāmanavamī ) is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama , one of the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu . He is often held as an emblem within Hinduism for being an ideal king and human through his righteousness, good conduct and virtue. The festival falls on
5934-420: The name of the cāndramāsa which follows, viz. adhika āśvina precedes āśvina. Most times every cāndramāsa witnesses a saṅkramaṇa . If a cāndramāsa does not witness a saṅkramaṇa, that cāndramāsa is designated as a adhikamāsa thus resulting in the cāndra māna varṣa "catching up" with the saura māna varṣa. This happens approximately once every two and a half (solar) years. dina and tithi As seen above, both
6020-495: The ninth day of the bright half ( Shukla Paksha ) of the lunar cycle of Chaitra (March–April), the first month in the Hindu calendar . It is also part of the Chaitra Navaratri festival in spring. Rama Navami is a holiday for government employees in India. The rituals and customs associated with Rama Navami vary from region to region throughout India. The day is marked by reciting from the Hindu epic Ramayana which narrates
6106-696: The other, but present them independently and with equal emphasis in a complex iconography. Cave temples of India, similarly, dedicated to different gods and goddesses feature Surya. For example, the 6th century carvings in the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra as well as the 8th and 9th century artworks there, such as Cave 25, the Kailasha Temple (Cave 16) and others feature complete iconography of Surya. Hindu temples predominantly have their primary entrance facing east, and their square principle based architecture
6192-479: The pantheon of ideas adopted early in these regions and retained after Buddhism became the dominant tradition. In Kabul Khair Khāna , there is a Hindu temple dedicated to Surya, of two distinct periods. The first period consisted of a mud-brick temple with possible human sacrifice remains dedicating it. This was then superseded by three distinct sanctuaries built of schist slabs, surrounded by subsidiary buildings of diaper masonry construction and an open-air altar in
6278-642: The period that followed show him wearing a cloak and high boots . In some Buddhist artwork, his chariot is shown as being pulled by four horses. The doors of Buddhist monasteries of Nepal show him, along with the Chandra (moon god), symbolically with Surya depicted as a red circle with rays. In Hindu context, the sun-god only appears at a later period, as in the Virūpākṣa temple in Paṭṭadakal (8th century CE). The iconography of Surya in Hinduism varies with its texts. He
6364-546: The prominent deities of Vishnu or Shiva , or seen as subsidiary to them. The Sun and the Earth The Sun causes day and night on the earth, because of revolution, when there is night here, it is day on the other side, the sun does not really rise or sink. — Aitareya Brahmana III.44 (Rigveda) The oldest surviving Vedic hymns, such as the hymn 1.115 of the Rigveda , mention Sūrya with particular reverence for
6450-578: The sidereal length of a year as follows, from their astronomical studies, with slightly different results: The oldest of these is likely to be the Surya Siddhanta , while the most accurate is the Siddhanta Shiromani . Surya's synonym Ravi is the root of the word 'Ravivara' or Sunday in the Hindu calendar. In both Indian and Greek-Roman nomenclature for days of the week, the Sunday is dedicated to
6536-407: The south celestial sphere during pitṛyāṇa . In Hindu tradition, the north celestial sphere is consecrated to the gods (deva) and the south celestial sphere is consecrated to the ancestors (pitṛ). Devayāna and pitṛyāṇa are not in active calendric use any longer but do form the basis for pitṛpakṣa . A ṛtu ( Sanskrit : ऋतु ) is the time taken by the Sun to move sixty degrees on its orbit around
6622-644: The tale of Rama. Vaishnava Hindus celebrate the festival by visiting temples, praying, fasting, listening to spiritual discourses and singing bhajans or kirtans (devotional songs). Some devotees offer worship to Rama like an infant by placing an image of him in a cradle. Charitable events and community meals are also organized. The festival is an occasion for moral reflection for many Hindus. Important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya 's Ram Mandir and numerous Rama temples all over India. Ratha yatras (chariot processions) of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana , and Hanuman occur at several places. In Ayodhya, many take
6708-563: The time of his earliest appearance (the Rigveda), Vivasvat had declined in importance. He was likely a solar deity, but scholars debate his specific role as one. In the Rigveda, Indra drinks Soma alongside Manu Vivasvat and Trita . In post-Vedic literature, Vivasvat further declines in importance, and is merely another name for the sun. He is cognate to the Avestan Vivanhvant, who is the father of Yima (cognate to Yama) and Manu. As per
6794-546: The traditional Gaurabda calendar with a specific additional requirement of fasting by devotees. On April 17, 2024, the first Rama Navami after the consecration of Ayodhya's Ram Temple was celebrated by thousands of devotees across India. On this occasion, the Ram Temple witnessed a unique event at noon as the forehead of the Ram Lalla murti was anointed with a ray of sunlight, known as Surya Tilak . Scores of devotees watched
6880-471: The transition from lunar calendar of north India to solar calendar of south India can be seen in the local culture . This is probably the eastern most coastal sun temple in the peninsular India, where prayers are offered until date. The place, Chicacole , has a significance in the Kalinga (historical region) kingdom with their port at Kalingapatnam , making it to Megasthenes dairy ( Calingae ). The diaspora
6966-550: The vernacular of that time, is also popularly recited. The start of the composition of the Ramcharitmanas began on Rama Navami. A public dramatic performance, known as Ramlila , is annually hosted on the festivals of Rama Navami and Vijayadashami. Ramlila encapsulates the story of Rama through music, drama, dance and various other mediums. The enactments of Ramlila are inspired by the Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. Rama Navami
7052-403: The vicinity of Zeta Piscium ( IAST : revatī), the twelve (i.e. 360° divided by 30°) rāśi are designated meṣa ( Sanskrit : मेष ), vṛṣabha ( Sanskrit : वृषभ ) etc. A sauramāsa ( Sanskrit : सौरमास ) is the time taken by the Sun to traverse a rāśi. Sauramāsa get their names from the corresponding rāśi. sauramāsa corresponds to the concept of a month. The moment in time when the Sun enters a rāśi
7138-496: Was constructed by Gurjar king of Nandipuri , Jayabhatta II. This temple is situated at Kotipura near Kapika in the Bharukachha district. The Surya temple of Bhinmal known as Jagaswami Surya temple was also erected during this period. The Sun Temple of Multan (in modern-day Pakistan) contained a revered statue of Surya. It was one of the focal points of Hindu-Muslim religious conflicts. After 871 BCE, Multan (Panjab)
7224-667: Was furthered by additional contributions from Western Asia , including Zoroastrian and Hellenistic influences. The Yavanajataka , or 'Science of the Yavanas ', was written by the Indo-Greek named " Yavanesvara " ("Lord of the Greeks") under the rule of the Western Kshatrapa king Rudrakarman I . The Yavanajataka written in 120 BCE is often attributed to standardizing Indian astrology. The Navagraha would further develop and culminate in
7310-540: Was possibly based on works from the Indus Valley Civilization as well as various foreign influences. Babylonian astrology was the first to develop astrology and the calendar, and was adopted by multiple civilizations including India. The Navagraha developed from early works of astrology over time. The Sun and various classical planets were referenced in the Atharvaveda around 1000 BCE. The Navagraha
7396-467: Was under the rule by Arab princes, who kept the Surya temple hostage and desecrated it, in order to threaten its destruction if the Hindu Gurjara attacked them. The early Muslim rulers taxed Hindu pilgrims for the privilege to visit the Surya temple, and this provided these rulers an important source of revenue. The Surya temple was destroyed by Ismaili Shia rulers in the late 10th century, who built
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