Tirhuta Panchang
Tirhuta Panchang (Hindi: तिरहुता पंचांग Tirhut pan̄cāṅg / Bengali: তিরহুতা পঞ্চাঙ্গ Tirhutā pan̄cāṅg) is a calendar followed by the Maithili community of India and Nepal. This calendar is one of the many Hindu calendars. It is a sidereal solar Hindu calendar in which the year begins on the first day of Baishakh month i.e. Mesh Sankranti. Every year, this day falls on 13/14 April of Georgian Calendar.
Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal, Bohag Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, and Vaisakhi in the Punjab region are observed on the same day. These festivals also mark the beginning of the New Year in their respective regions.
Months
Names and approximate lengths of Maithili months :[1]
| No. | Name | Maithili(Tirhuta) | Maithili(Devanagri) | Sanskrit | Days (Traditional Hindu sidereal solar calendar) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baishakh | বৈসাখ | बैसाख | वैशाख | 30 / 31 |
| 2 | Jeth | জেঠ | जेठ | ज्येष्ठ | 31 / 32 |
| 3 | Asharh | আষাঢ় | आषाढ़ | आषाढ | 31 / 32 |
| 4 | Saon | সাৱোন | सावोन | श्रावण | 31 / 32 |
| 5 | Bhado | ভাদো | भादो | भाद्रपद,भाद्र,प्रोष्ठपद | 31 / 32 |
| 6 | Aasin | আসিন | आसिन | आश्विन | 31 / 30 |
| 7 | Katik | কাতিক | कातिक | कार्तिक | 29 / 30 |
| 8 | Agahan | অগহন | अगहन | अग्रहायण,मार्गशीर्ष | 29 / 30 |
| 9 | Poos | পূস | पूस | पौष | 29 / 30 |
| 10 | Magh | মাঘ | माघ | माघ | 29 / 30 |
| 11 | Fagun | ফাগুন | फागुन | फाल्गुन | 29 / 30 |
| 12 | Chait | চৈতি | चैति | चैत्र | 30 / 31 |
Months and their corresponding season
| মাহ/माह Month | ঋতু/ऋतू Season |
|---|---|
| बैसाख/Baishakh April–May |
गरमी Summer |
| जेठ/Jeth May–June | |
| अषाढ़/Asharh June–July | |
| सावोन/Saon July–August |
बरसात Monsoon |
| भादो/Bhado August–September | |
| आसिन/Asin September–October |
शरत Autumn |
| कातिक/Katik October–November | |
| अगहन/Agahan November–December |
ठण्डी/सीत Winter |
| पूस/Pous December–January | |
| माघ/Magh January–February | |
| फागुन/Fagun February–March |
बसन्त Spring |
| चैति/Chait March–April |
Baishakh-Jeth-Asarh
These three months are the summer season in Mithila, out of these 3, Jeth & Asarh are very hot. Baishakh is the month of Litchi. Jeth and Asarh are the months of Mango.[2]
Saon-Bhado
Mithila receives heavy rainfall during these two months, often resulting in flooding. Farmers wait for saon's first rain so they can sow paddy in their fields. The holy month of saon is devoted to Lord Shiva. Devotees visit Baidnath Dham in Deoghar to offer gangajal.[3]
Asin-Katik
These two months have moderate weather. Both these months are festive season for Mithila. Navaratra falls in Asin, Diwali & Chhath Falls in Katik. Moreover, Katik is the harvesting month for farmers.[4]
Agahan-Pous-Magh
Agahan, Pous and Magh are the winter seasons in Mithila. Out of these 3, Pous & Magh are the extreme winter periods, temperature sometimes falls to 5 °C. Makarsankranti falls in the month of Pous, and vasant Panchami in Magh.
Fagun-Chait
After winter, Fagun & Chait are the moderate months. Fagun & Chait again are the harvesting months. Holi falls in Fagun and Chhath falls in Chait. Chaith is the last month of Maithili Calendar.[5]
Days in Maithili calendar
Like, most of the calendars of the world, Maithili calendar also has 7 days in a week, each of 24 hour length. Ravdin or Sunday is supposed to be the first day of the week.[6]
- Ravdin / Sunday : रविदिन / রৱিদিন
- Somdin / Monday : सोमदिन / সোমদিন
- Mangaldin / Tuesday : मंगलदिन / মঙ্গলদিন
- Budhdin / Wednesday: बुधदिन / বুধদিন
- Brihaspatidin / Thursday : बृहस्पतीदिन / বৃহস্পতীদিন
- Shukradin / Friday: शुक्रदिन / শুক্রদিন
- Shanidin / Saturday : शनीदिन / শনীদিন
Significance
The Maithili calendar was the official calendar of Janakpur and originated in Mithila region of Nepal, the capital of ancient Mithila. The Nepali calendar remains the official calendar of Nepal Republic and adjoing Indian districts of Bihar and UP as Hindu Calendar. The Maithili calendar is of great importance for Maithil people in India as well as in Nepal. All auspicious dates (e.g. marriage, Mundan, Upanayana sanskar) as well as the dates of Maithili festivals (e.g. Tihar (Dipawali/Diwali), Chhath, 'Dashain, 'Janaki Navami) are set based on the Maithili calendar (now, Nepali Calendar). It has deep roots in the Hindu religion and Mithila's culture.
Related calendars
The Maithili calendar is related to the Hindu solar calendar, which is itself based on the Surya Siddhanta. The Hindu solar calendar also starts in mid-April, and the first day of the calendar is celebrated as the traditional New Year in Assam, Paschimbanga[7] Kerala, Manipur, Nepal, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu,[8] and Tripura in addition to Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka also celebrate new year around the same time (13–15 April). This day is also known as Mesha Shankranti.[9]