lunisolar calendar

[Rajesh Kochhar]

-----Original Message-----
From: Narayan R.Joshi <giravani at JUNO.COM>

>March 26, 2001 is the Hindu Luni-solar New year day called Var.sa PratipadA
>or UgAdi or Gudhi PAdavA.This is first day when the Sun and the Moon are
>together after the day of Vernal Equinox(March21),
______________RESPONSE______________

This is not correct. In principle,the "Hindu LuniSolar New Year" should
start with Amavasya preceding the Vernal Equinox,so that the Vernal Equinox
occurs in the first lunar month (and not  in the last)

Since this calendar  has a year length that is too long , during the last
1500 years excess  of about three weeks has accumulated.That is why the
actual correlation of a Samkranti with an equinoctial os solsticial colure
,which would have existed in  say AD 300 is now only symbolic.(E.g. Makara
Samkranti,13/14 Jan. is still celebrated as Uttarayani, although winter
solstice  would have already occurred  21 /22 Dec.)

FINALLY,a question.What is the basis for the statement that "Except Buddha's
birthday  these full-moon day celebrations were in place before 550BCE
"Also, how old is the Buddha Jayanti celebration?

Rajesh Kochhar?