Even though now in routine most us follow the
Western or Gregorian calendar that consist of twelve months commencing with January
and ending with December, Tulu people traditionally had have a specific calendar
which consist of twelve months in the serial order such as Paggu, Besha,
Kārtel, Āti, Sona, Nirnāla, Bontyel, Jārde, Perārde,Puyintel, Māyi and Suggi. It
is interesting to note that the first Tulu month Paggu literally corresponds with the last month Phalguna in the General
Indian Calendar. What is the significance of Paggu and why it was chosen as the
first month would make an interesting revelation.
Nowadays these twelve months are equated with
twelve months of the Standardized Indian calendar, in the order of Chaitra,
Vaishaka, Jeshta, Ashada, Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashvina, Kartika, Agrahayana,
Pausha, Magha and Phalguna.
Orbit of Moon around
Earth
The moon orbits around the Earth in a period of
27.32 days each or roughly one month. The practice
of dividing the calendar year into twelve months (the sexagesimal system), was essentially based on the lunar cycles that
lasted about 28 days each, is as old as
our human civilization. The concept of lunar calendar, with each month
beginning on a new moon day is said to
have been conceived during the ancient Sumerian civilization. Subsequently the
concept spread to various loci of civilizations.
Orbit of Earth
around Sun
The Earth rotates around its own axis in a day
and besides it also orbits around the Earth in an elliptical orbit path in 365.24
days or one year.However, generally it appears that Sun is moving around the
Earth as people earlier erroneously believed. The axis of Earths rotation is
tilted 23.5° to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. The
tilted axis of the Earth causes different seasons as Earth proximity to Sun
varies along the elliptical path, with a part of the Earth exposed to Sun and
the opposite part being hidden from the Sun. During the obit of Earth around
the Sun along an elliptical plane, it looks as if Sun is passing through various
constellations during the course of a year. Our ancestors have identified 12
such constellations (groups of stars) that appear to share 1/12 part each of
the elliptical plane. These 30° parts correspond with the twelve Zodiac
constellations such as Aries (Mesha), Taurus (Vrishabha), Gemini (Mithuna),
Cancer ( Karkataka), Leo (Simha), Virgo (Kanya), Libra (Tula), Scorpio
(Vrischika), Sagittarius (Dhanu), Capricorn (Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha) and
Pisces (Mina).
Equinoxes
Two days in year are characterized by equal
duration of day and nights. These are called vernal (spring) and autumnal
(fall) equinoxes. Traditionally, the astrologers considered the day of Vernal
or Spring equinox as the beginning of a new year which corresponded to Sun
(apparently) transiting through the constellation Aries or the Mesha.
It has been discovered that the date of
equinoxes (or the point of equinox) shifts anticlockwise by 30° every 2150 years.Thus about 6000 years ago Sun
was transiting in Aquarius; about 4000 years ago (ie ca. 2000 BC) Sun was
passing through Aries (Mesha) and 2000 years ago ie, during initial period of
the Common Era, the Sun was “passing through” the zodiac constellation of
Pisces (Mina).
Annual Calendars
During the history, there was also alternate convention
of dividing years into ten months. For example, in the old
Roman calendar the year was divided into ten months and the calendar started
from March as also indicated by names of months like September (septa means 7th
month), October (Octo, for 8th
month) November (novem, for 9th month)
and December (Decem, for 10th month) months.
Julius
Caesar introduced his calendar (Julian calendar) in 45 B.C.E. wherein each year commenced on January 1st.
The present Western calendar known as Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope
Gregory XIII (1502 - 1585).
Indian Calendar
The Indian
astrological calendar with twelve months (like the ancient Sumerian calendar) evolved
probably during the Vedic period ca 1700-1500 BC. In this calendar lunar months
were to correspond with solar months. Thus the month of Chaitra corresponded
with zodiac constellation of Mesha (Aries). During the Vedic period the Sun was
apparently transiting through the constellation of Aries during the Vernal
equinox.
The
twelve Solar Months in Indian calendars:
Mesha,
Vrishabha, Mithuna, Karka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrushchika,Dhanu, Makara,Kumbha,
and Meena.
The
lunisolar calendar combines lunar and solar features and adopts lunar calendar
such that it corresponds to solar calendar. The First day in Mesha (Meshadi) is
considered as beginning of Chaitra.
Thus
the Indian system of calendar appears to have been improvised by Vikramaditya
who started the Vikram Shaka during early years of Common Era. Now the Indian
calendars consist of tweleve lunar months such as:
1. Chaitra (30 / 31 Days) -Begins March 22 / 21
2. Vaisakha (31 Days) -Begins April
21
3. Jyaistha (31 Days) -Begins May 22
4. Asadha (31 Days) -Begins June 22
5. Shravana (31 Days) -Begins July 23
6. Bhadra (31 Days) -Begins August 23
7. Asvina (30 Days) -Begins
September 23
8. Kartika (30 Days) -Begins October
23
9. Agrahayana (30 Days) -Begins
November 22
10. Pausa (30 Days) -Begins
December 22
11. Magha (30 Days) -Begins January
21
12. Phalguna (30 Days) -Begins February 20
In
most parts of the India this calendar is being used probably since past two
millennia. Tamils use Tamil equivalent names for the months like Chittirai,
Vaikaci, Ani, Adi etc for the twelve months. Malayalees have adopted the equivalent
zodiac /rashi month names that begin
with Chingam (Leo), Kanni (Virgo) Tulam (Libra) etc. Interestingly, the Bengal and
Nepali calendars the year begins with the month of Baishakh (=Vaisakha) and
ends with Chaitro (Chaitra). Gujarati calendar starts with the month Kārtika.
Paggu month: Tulu.
The
Tulu calendar year characteristically starts with Paggu month, unlike rest of
the known calendars of India.The Tulu calendar also contains unusual month
names such as Nirnal, Bontyel, Jārde, Perarde and Puyinthel. The
names are unusual because apparently nobody knows the meanings or origin of
these strange sounding words.
Tulu
months (SW
India)
|
Indian months
(General)
|
Paggu
|
Chaitra
|
Besa
|
Vaisakha
|
Kaartel
|
Jyaistha
|
Aati
|
Asadha
|
Sona
|
Shravana
|
Nirnaala
|
Bhadra
|
Bontyolu
|
Asvina
|
Jaarde
|
Kartika
|
Peraarde
|
Agrahayana
|
Ponny/Puyinthel
|
Pausa
|
Maayi
|
Magha
|
Suggi
|
Phalguna
|
The
Tulu Nighantu just nmentions names as name of Tulu months without explaining
the source origin or meaning of thse words. In general it seems Tulu calendar
has possibly borrowed these strange sounding words for names of the months from
lingual substrata that prevailed in the land before the domination of Tulu
language and culture.
Of
these words, the name of the first month Paggu provides us some obscure clues
regarding its origin and significance.
Paggu festival
Paggu (or Phagu or Phagun) is an annual festival celebrated by
Austro-Asiatic Munda tribes in commemoration of victory of Rama and Laxmana
over the villainous Ravana. Communities of Munda tribes of
Chotanagpur-Jharkhand areas still celebrate the Phagu festival. Whether the epic
Ramayana compiled by Valmiki, a hunter turned poet, was based on a realistic
event that occurred during bronze era or a folk tale that was prevalent among
ancient Indian tribes, the Munda tribes were definitely aware of the theme and
enjoyed celebrating the festival of victory during a specific day in the year.
In the Karavali region of south western India Mundala tribes presently
constitute a small insignificant component in the society, the available
evidences suggest that the Munda tribes were a dominant community with distinct
cultural inclinations that prevailed before the arrival, ascent and domination
of Tulu speaking people.
Even
though precise information not available on the calendar system among the
ancient Munda people, it is evident that the Tulu people borrowed the name of the
festive month of Paggu from the Munda
people.
Similarly, it is also possible that the inscrutable words like Nirnal,
Bontyel, Jārde, Perarde and Puyintel were borrowed from one of the substrata
languages that prevailed in the terrain.
Inferences
1. In the Tulu calendar the first month is known as “Paggu” (which is also known as Phagu, Paghun, Pankuni, Phalguna in other lingual areas.). The Tulu
people have the word Paggu preserved unknowingly
in their language, even though now they have forgotten the meaning and heritage
of the word.
Paggu is the name of a popular festival of the Munda tribes, who ceremoniously
celebrate the victory of Lord Rama and Laxmana over the demonic Ravana. Munda
tribes living in other parts of India (like Chotanagapur, Jharkhand area) still
celebrate the Paggu festival. The Holi festival celebrated all over India
appears to be a modified form of the ancient Paggu festival. The tradition of
celebration of the Paggu festival, suggests that the original Story of Ramayana
was familiar to tribes of India like the Mundas since historic days.
2. In Tulunadu, vestiges of ancient Munda culture have been preserved in
the form of place names, fossil words and cults. Possibly the Paggu festival attributed to Munda
tribes was being celebrated in Tulunadu in ancient days during the Paggu month, even though such a festival
is rather unknown at present in Tulunadu.
3. The term Paggu, (Paghu or Paghun) has eventually become Phalgun
in Sanskrit literature and has been adopted as the twelfth month in the general
Indian calendar.
4. The first month Chaitra was
designated based on position of intersection of Earth- Sun axis towards
constellation Aries on the day of Vernal equinox about 4000 years ago.
5. However, about 2000 years ago during the initial period of Common Era,
at the time of the Vernal equinox, the notional intersection of Sun- Earth alignment
corresponded with the Zodiac constellation of Pisces. This period corresponds
with the lunar month of Phalguna.
6. Who introduced the Tulu
Calendar in Tulunadu? During the early period of Common Era (ca. 2-6 Centuries
CE), Alupa kings ruled over Tulunadu. However, the status of astronomic studies
during Alupa period of reign is not known as basically Alupas were engaged in trade.
On the other hand, the Kadamba kings Like Mayura Sharma / Varma were deeply
interested in education, literature and probably astronomy. Mayura went to
Kanchi to acquire higher education; even though he was denied entry there, it
shows his keen interest in education distinctly. After establishing a new Kingdom
at Banvasi (Uttara Kannada) he extended his suzerainty over Karavali /Tulunadu as well. He
is also credited with bringing Brahmins from Ahichatra to manage and maintain
Temples in Tulunadu and Malnad (Banvasi). It is possible that Kadamba Mayura
Varma ca 4-5 Century CE, consulted experts in astrology and revised the calendar
for the Karavali and Malnad region over which he ruled.
The Kadamba Kings are considered by some people as of Munda origin.
Kadamba Kings are known to have adopted the Kadamba tree as their royal
insignia. Traditionally, the Kadamba (Kaim) tree is of religious significance to Munda tribes.
Besides, the Paggu was an important holy festival traditionally for the people
of Munda origin.
Thus, the words of unknown meanings in the Tulu Calendar such as Paggu,
Bontyel, Jarde, Perarde, Puyintel etc could have been the heritage Munda terms designated for different seasons and those prevailed during the reign of the Kadamba Kings .
7. Thus, it appears that the Kadamba Kings revised and updated the
then prevalent calendar to correspond the corrected alignment of the zodiac
constellation of Pisces with Sun on Vernal equinox as was visible during their period.
The solar month of Pisces corresponded with the lunar month of Paggu or
Phalguna. Hence, the Kadamba subjects including the Tulu people appears to have adopted the
Paggu month as beginning of the year during the regime of Kadamba Kings.
8. It seems with passage of time the original significance of the initial Tulu
month Paggu was forgotten and eventually
has been equated inadvertently with the first month in General Indian calendar, namely the Chaitra.
Thus, the term Paggu in the traditional Tulu calendar has interesting hidden strings of history preserved for the benefit of retrospection by the posterity.
Thus, the term Paggu in the traditional Tulu calendar has interesting hidden strings of history preserved for the benefit of retrospection by the posterity.
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Really intresting Ravi.For Long, I was not able to comment on your articles in this blog. Hope this time I am able to do it.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Narayan!
DeleteLet us continue to do some good work together! Your post on Bunts and Nairs was one of the most popular one in the blog for a long time.
Yes, the month name "Kanya" is also used around Mundkur- Karkal also. The names "Dhanu" and "Makara" bear the influence of subsequent Sanskritization.
But, the wonderful word fossil in Tulu is the "Paggu" !!
So are the inscrutable words like ..Bontel/ Bontyel , Jarde, Perarde etc.
The month Nirnal we call Kanya. Some 10 km west to us (around Hiriyadka), Bontel is KoDi, Jarde is Danu, Perarde is Makara. I still remember " Paggu Du padineDma (18 th) ponaga padpe (harive soppu) bittoDu".
ReplyDeleteNice article. It is interesting that most of the names sound strange. But still we can guess their origin
ReplyDeletePaggu - Phalguna (though they are not same)
Besa. - Vaishakha (This is also sounds like Mesha)
Kartel - It is also called kartingal sometime. 'Kar' means cloud in Kannada(may be for black cloud), for example 'kaarmugilu'. Since it is the rainy time it is kaar-tingol
Aati - Ashadha
Sona - Shravana
Bontyel - Even this looks like the shortened form of Bon-tingol, opposit of kaar-tingol. May be the month with clear sky and brightness.
Ponni - 'ponnu' means gold and sometimes for wealth. But doesn't seem like it is related to that month.
Suggi - Popular word with meaning of harvest/festival.
Apart from them Nirnala, Jarde, Perarde are quite strange and weird sounding names.
Thank You Rakshith.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of Bont(y)el is quite interesting and also plausible. The suffix "tyel" [as in Kaartyel and Bontyel ] could have been an old /forgotten word for month. The word Kaar (~kari) basically means black or dark. And word "Bon" could have been an older version of "Boll" (~Bel/bili) for white or fair.