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Down the almanac lane

There are two schools of thought among the almanac makers

Surya Siddhanta and Visuddha Siddhanta. Surya Siddhanta is an

older method of computation laid down in around 400 AD. In

early 16th century, Raghunandan, the great scholar, prepared

the format followed in modern almanacs. But over the centuries,

it was found that the calculated positions of the heavenly

bodies, as published, did not agree with their actual positions in

the sky. The reason was the cumulative angular shift of the stars

had not been taken into account. This was particularly noticeable during the eclipses.

This lead to the birth of Visuddha Siddhanta, based on positional astronomical data. To

put an end to the controversy, the Union government formed the calendar reform

committee, under physicist Dr Meghnad Saha, in 1953, which upheld the Visuddha

Siddhanta. Yet the Surya Siddhanta almanacs have retained their popularity, selling more

than a lakh at home and abroad, in books and CD ROMs.

The boat: If the boats are in use, the rivers have to be full to the brim. This, in turn,

presupposes a good monsoon and therefore a good harvest. Noukayang

shasyabriddhistathaajalarn

The elephant: The steady and stately stride of the elephant reaps an earth full of crops.

Gaje cha jalada debi shashyapurna vasundhara

The horse: Scattering the soil, raising dust and causing a ruckus with the clutter of the

hooves, a journey on the horse ushers in devastation. The dry soil is the alarm signal for a

drought. Ghotake chhatrabhangasturongome

The palanquin: The swinging of the palanquin breeds uncertain times. A famine is in

order. Dolaayaang marakang bhabet

There is a sloka which serves as a formula to link the day of the week on which the Puja

proper starts or ends and the Devis chosen mode of transport that year.

Rabou chondre gajarurha ghotake shani bhoumayoh,

Gurou Shukrey cha dolayang noukayang budhabasharey

On Sunday and Monday, she rides an elephant; on Saturday, its a horse that carries her;

she travels in a palanquin on Thursday and Friday; Wednesday is the day for a voyage in

a boat. Though the two schools of thought among the almanac-makersSurya Siddhanta

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and Visuddha Siddhantasometimes differ by a few minutes or hours in calculations of

puja timings6, both follow the sloka in deducing the fateful mode of travel from the days

on which the Puja falls.

An elephant-elephant combination is the best as that guarantees a good year both before

and after the puja. The worst case scenario, correspondingly, is arrival by horse and

departure by the palanquin or vice versa. If the two journeys have to be n opposite notes,

people hope for the departure to be a positive indicator so that there are favourable times

to look forward to after the Pujas. But as this is based on astrological calculations,

devotees do not have any choice in the matter and one can only worship the Devi and

hope for the best.