Other Festivals Too.

[Dick Oliver]

Jayabarathi writes:
>At present there are two systems of calender being usedin India. 
>One is the SauramAna or Solar. THhe other one is the ChandramAna or Lunar.

It should perhaps be noted for those who don't already know that there are
several variations on the lunar calendar. Most importantly, in South India
and Bengal, months begin on the new moon while in other regions months
generally begin on the full moon.

The lunar month names vary from language to language, but it's quite common
for a month starting on the full moon to have the same name in one region as
a month starting on a new moon in another (possibly nearby) region. I've
noticed that this has introduced some inconsistencies and errors in modern
festival calendars, especially those collected for travelers by western
companies. It's also something to watch out for when doing historical
research, since sources often don't clearly specify which calendar system
they are using when lunar dates are given.

--Dick Oliver ----------
  Cedar Science Center
  Wolcott, Vermont USA