Malayalam calendar

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Malayalam calendar (also known as Malayalam Era or Kollavarsham or Kollam Era) is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala, India. The origin of the calendar has been dated as 825 CE.^[1][2]

There are many theories about the origin of the calendar. Some say that it was founded by the ruler of Venad Udaya Marthanda Varma (a feudatory with capital at Kollam) or by the Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara or simply it is a derivation of the Saptarshi Era.^[3] But, it's generally agreed among the scholars that it was started with the reopening of the natural disaster destroyed city of Kollam on the Malabar coast.^[4]

There is also a possibility that it was in the honor of philosopher Adi Shankara's death, a new calendar was adopted in Kerala. This date is ascertained with reference to Kali Dina Samkhya "Aachaarya Vaagbhadaa" as mentioned by "Paralpperu" or Katapayadi.

Months

The Malayalam months are named after the Signs of the Zodiac. Thus Chingam (from Simham or Lion) is named after the constellation Leo and so on. The following are the months of the astronomical Malayalam calendar:

Comparative table showing corresponding months of other calendars

Months in Malayalam Era	In Malayalam	Gregorian Calendar	Tamil calendar	Saka era	Sign of Zodiac
Chingam	ചിങ്ങം	August–September	Aavani	Sravan–Bhadrapada	Leo
Kanni	കന്നി	September–October	Purattasi	Bhadrapada–Asvina	Virgo
Thulam	തുലാം	October–November	Aippasi	Asvina–Kartika	Libra
Vrishchikam	വൃശ്ചികം	November–December	Karthigai	Kartika–Agrahayana	Scorpio
Dhanu	ധനു	December–January	Margazhi	Agrahayana–Pausa	Sagittarius
Makaram	മകരം	January–February	Thai	Pausa–Magha	Capricon
Kumbham	കുംഭം	February–March	Maasi	Magha–Phalguna	Aquarius
Meenam	മീനം	March–April	Panguni	Phalguna–Chaitra	Pisces
Medam	മേടം	April–May	Chithirai	Chaitra– Vaisakha	Aries
Edavam	ഇടവം	May–June	Vaikasi	Vaisakha–Jyaistha	Taurus
Midtunam	മിഥുനം	June–July	Aani	Jyaistha–Asada	Gemini
Karkadakam	കര്‍ക്കടകം	July–August	Aadi	Asada–Sravana	Cancer

Days

The days of the week in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Azhcha (ആഴ്ച - week).

Comparative table showing corresponding weekdays

Malayalam	മലയാളം	English	Hindi
njayar	ഞായര്‍	Sunday	Ravivar
thinkal	തിങ്കള്‍	Monday	Somvar
chouwa	ചൊവ്വ	Tuesday	Mangalvar
budhan	ബുധന്‍	Wednesday	Budhvar
vyazham	വ്യാഴം	Thursday	Guruvar
velli	വെള്ളി	Friday	Sukravar
shani	ശനി	Saturday	Shanivar

Like the months above, there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswathi (Ashvinī in Sanskrit) and ending in Revatī. The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of fourteen days called Njattuvela, each one bearing the name of a star.

Significant dates

The festivals Antupirapp (ആണ്ടുപിറപ്പ് - new year, more commonly called Antupiravi (ആണ്ടുപിറവി) or puthuvarsham (പുതുവര്‍ഷം)), celebrated on the 1st of Medam, Vishu (വിഷു - astronomical new year), and Onam (ഓണം), celebrated on the star [tiruʋoːɳəm] in the month of Chingam, are two of the major festivals, the greatest of them being Onam (ഓണം).

The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the 1st day of month Makaram. This marks the grand finale of the two-month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The 1st of Makaram marks the Winter Solstice (Uttarayanan) and the 1st of Karkadakam marks the Summer Solstice (Dakshinayanam) according to the Malayalam calendar. (According to the astronomical calendar the Summer solstice is on June 21, and the Winter solstice on December 21.)

Formerly the New Year in the Malabar region was on the 1st of Kanni and that in the Travancore region was on the 1st of Chingam. When the Government of Kerala adopted Kolla Varsham as the Regional Calendar the 1st of Chingam was accepted as the Malayalam New Year.Medom is the first month according to the astronomical calendar; it is identical with Chaitram of the Saka Varsha. The first of these months are supposed to mark the Vernal Equinox. Astronomically the calendars need to be corrected to coincide with actual Vernal Equinox which falls on the 21st of March. (Chaitram 1 usually falls on March 20, and Medom 1 falls on April 14.)

Derived names

Many events in Kerala are related to the dates in the Malayalam calendar.

The agricultural activities of Kerala are centred around the seasons. The Southwest monsoon which starts around June 1 is known as Edavappathi, meaning mid-Edavam. The North east monsoon which starts during mid October is called thulavarsham (rain in the month of thulam). The two harvests of paddy are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu (harvests in the months kanni and makaram) respectively.

Notes

1. ^ Time measurement and calendar construction, 1956, pp. 218, http://books.google.com/books?id=gUlmAAAAMAAJ 
2. ^ History of Kerala. Vidyarthi Mithram Press & Book Depot. 1986. pp. 408. http://books.google.com/books?id=pXpuAAAAMAAJ. 
3. ^ Manorama Yearbook, Mal:2000
4. ^ Manorama Yearbook, Mal:2000

See also

• Hindu calendar
• Bengali calendar
• Tamil calendar

External links

• Malayalam Calendar 2010 2010 Malayalam Calendar with both Malayalam dates and English dates.
• 111 Years Malayalam Calendar Malayalam Calendar for Kolla Varsham 1076-1186 (1900-2010 A.D.) showing important festivals, events and date conversion to Gregorian format.
• Maps of India: Malayalam Calendar