The Malayalam Calendar is a siderealsolar calendar used in Kerala. The origin of the calendar has been dated to 825 CE, the beginning of the Kollam Era.[1][2][3]
Mampalli copper plate (10th century AD), the earliest record to mention the Kollam Era.
There are many theories regarding the origin of the era, but according to recent scholarship, it commemorated the foundation of Kollam after the liberation of the southern Chera kingdom (known as Venadu) from the Chola dynasty's rule by or with the assistance of the Chera emperor at Kodungallur.[4] The origin of the Kollam Era has been dated to 825 CE, at the end of the three year-long great convention in Kollam held at the behest of the Venadu King Kulasekharan. Scholars from west and east were present in the convention, and the Thamizh Kanakku (Calendar) was adopted.
Kollam was the capital of Venadu and an important port town of the Chera Kingdom in that period. Kollam Aandu was adapted in the entire Chera Kingdom (the current day states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala), the majority of which is now in Kerala. In Malayalam-speaking Kerala, it is now called the Malayalam Era or 'Kollavarsham’ (Kollam Thontri Aandu). The earliest available record mentioning the Kollam Era is a royal decree by Sri Vallavan Goda, the King of Venadu, dated to c. 973 CE (Kollam Era 149). In the inscription, the phrase "Kollam Thontri Aandu" is employed.[5] Another era, referred to as "Kollam Azhintha Aadu", counting from 1097 CE, was reckoned by the Cholas for some time. It is tentatively calculated that the Chola overlords captured the port of Kollam in 1097 CE.[5]
The origin of the Kollam Era has been dated to 825 CE, when the great convention in Kollam was held at the behest of King Kulashekharan. Kollam was an important town in that period, and the Malayalam Era is called 'Kollavarsham', possibly as a result of the Tharisapalli plates.
There are multiple conflicting accounts regarding the origins of the Malayalam calendar, some of which are mentioned below:
It is believed that the era was started by the Syrian Christian saints Mar Sabor and Mar Proth who settled in Korukeni, Kollam, near to the present Kollam. The Tharisapalli copper plates were issued to them.[6][7][8]
The Kollam era is attributed to the legend of the hero Paraśurāma, an avatar (incarnation) of the god Vishnu. It is sometimes divided into cycles of 1,000 years reckoned from 1176 BCE. Thus, 825 CE would have been the first year of the era's third millennium.[9]
The news of the physical disappearance of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in 820 CE at Kedarnath reached Kerala only a few years later. It is believed that Kerala began the Malayalam era, also called the Kollam era, in 825 CE in his memory.[10][11][12]
According to Hermann Gundert, Kollavarsham started as part of erecting a new Shiva Temple in Kollam and because of the strictly local and religious background, the other regions did not follow this system at first. Once Kollam port emerged as an important trade center, however, the other countries also started to follow the new system of calendar. This theory backs the remarks of Ibn Battuta as well.[6][13]
Makaram month (middle of January) was the starting of the Kollam Aandu (year). It was similar to the other calendars followed in the Pandya and Chola Kingdoms. The Chera kingdom had two harvests, one in Makaram and the other in Kanni, so the year started in Makaram, the harvesting month. Later, in the 20th century, after Venadu (the Travancore Kingdom) joined the Indian Union, the Calendar was aligned with that of the Sanskrit Calendar to have the Year Starting in Medam (April middle).
The Malayalam months and the Sanskritic Sauramāsa (solar month) are almost the same, raising many doubts that which came first. If you see, Chingam is a month in Kollam Era. Sanskrit also has the solar month, the Simham, and so on. This is unlike the case in Tulu calendar which follow the names of lunar months. The following are the months of the astronomical Malayalam calendar:
Comparative table showing corresponding months of other calendars
The days of the week in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Aazhcha (ആഴ്ച), meaning week.
Comparative table showing corresponding weekdays
No.
Malayalam
മലയാളം
Sanskrit
English
Kannada
Tamil
Hindi
Arabic
Punjabi
1.
Njayar
ഞായർ
Bhānu vāsara
Sunday
Bhanuvara
Nyaayiru (ஞாயிறு)
Ravivaar/Itvaar
(रविवार/इतवार)
al-aḥad
Ravivaar/Aitvaar (ਰਵਿਵਾਰ/ਐਤਵਾਰ)
2.
Thinkal
തിങ്കൾ
Soma vāsara
Monday
Somavara
Thingal (திங்கள்)
Somvaar
(सोमवार)
al-ithnayn
Somvaar
(ਸੋਮਵਾਰ)
3.
Chowva
ചൊവ്വ
Maṅgala vāsara
Tuesday
Mangalavara
Chevvai (செவ்வாய்)
Mangalvaar
(मङ्गलवार)
al-thalāthāʾ
Mangalvaar (ਮੰਗਲਵਾਰ)
4.
Budhan
ബുധൻ
Budha vāsara
Wednesday
Budhavara
Budhan (புதன்)
Budhvaar
(बुधवार)
al-arbaʿā
Budhvaar
(ਬੁਧਵਾਰ)
5.
Vyazham
വ്യാഴം
Guru vāsara
Thursday
Guruvara
Vyazhan (வியாழன்)
Guruvaar/Brihaspativaar
(गुरूवार/बृहस्पतिवार)
al-khamīs
Guruvaar/Veervaar (ਗੁਰੂਵਾਰ/ਵੀਰਵਾਰ)
6.
Velli
വെള്ളി
Śukra vāsara
Friday
Shukravara
Velli (வெள்ளி)
Shukravaar
(शुक्रवार)
al-jumuʿah
Shukarvaar
(ਸ਼ੁਕਰਵਾਰ)
7.
Shani
ശനി
Śani vāsara
Saturday
Shanivara
Shani (சனி)
Shanivaar
(शनिवार)
al-sabt
Shanivaar
(ਸ਼ਨੀਵਾਰ)
Like the months above, there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswati (Ashvinī in Sanskrit) and ending in Revatī. The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of fourteen days called Ñattuvela (ഞാറ്റുവേല), each one bearing the name of a star.
Significant dates
Vishu (1st Medam): Malayali New Year (traditional)
1st Chingam: Malayali New Year (as per the Kollam Era calendar)
Vishu (വിഷു), celebrated on the first day of Medam, and Onam (ഓണം), celebrated on the star Thiruvonam [t̪iruʋoːɳəm] in the month of Chingam, are two of the major festivals. The first day of Chingam is celebrated as the Kerala New Year, replacing Vishu (വിഷു), which was considered the beginning of a year until 825 CE. Vishu is still celebrated as the traditional Malayali New Year, particularly in erstwhile Malabar and South Canara areas, as it is astronomically significant, 'Medam' being the first among the 12 rashis (the zodiac signs corresponding to the 12 months of a solar year).[citation needed]
The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the first day of Makaram month. This marks the grand finale of the two-month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The 1st of Makaram marks the winter Solstice (Uttarayanam) and the 1st of Karkaṭakam marks the summer solstice (Dakshinayanam) according to the Malayalam calendar (according to the astronomical calendar, the summer solstice is on 21 June, and the winter solstice on 21 December).[citation needed]
Chaitram 1 (usually coinciding with 20 March) or Medam 1 (mostly coinciding with 14 April, for 2019 it was on 15 April), both in the proximity of the date of the vernal equinox (21 March), mark the beginning of the new year in many traditional Indian calendars such as the Indian national calendar and the Tamil calendar. When the Government of Kerala adopted Kolla Varsham as the regional calendar, the first of Chingam, the month of the festival of Onam, was accepted as the Malayalam New Year instead.[citation needed]
Derived names
Many events in Kerala are related to the dates in the Malayalam calendar.
The agricultural activities of Kerala are centred on the seasons. The southwest monsoon which starts around 1 June is known as Etavappathi, meaning mid of month Etavam. The northeast monsoon which starts during mid October is called thulavarsham (rain in the month of thulam). The two harvests of paddy are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu (harvests in the months kanni and makaram) respectively.[citation needed]
^(PDF). Indian Journal History of Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
^Broughton Richmond (1956), Time measurement and calendar construction, p. 218
^R. Leela Devi (1986). History of Kerala. Vidyarthi Mithram Press & Book Depot. p. 408.
^Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 89.
^ abNarayanan, M. G. S. Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 74-76, 143.
^ abA. Sreedhara Menon (2007) [1967]. "CHAPTER VIII - THE KOLLAM ERA". A Survey Of Kerala History. DC Books, Kottayam. pp. 104–110. ISBN978-81-264-1578-6. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
^Kalady: The Triumph of Faith Over Time. Dir. Rajesh Krishnan, K. Anand, and S. Thyagarajan. Sri Shankara Advaita Research Center, Sringeri, 31 May 2010. DVD.
^Archived at Ghostarchive and the : sharadapeetham (25 April 2012). "Kalady: The Triumph of Faith Over Time (Rediscovery of Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Birth Place)" – via YouTube.
^K. V. Sarma, Kollam Era, Indian Journal of History of Science, 31(1), 1996, pp. 93-100
^. Statistical Data. kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original (Short History) on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Malayalam calendar.
Free Malayalam Calendar for Android and iPhone without download
Hindu Panchangam Calendar in Malayalam
Malayalam calendar with panchangam
Malayalam Panchang Calendars with Tithi, Nakshtra etc
Open Source software libraries for Malayalam Calendar
January 05, 2023
malayalam, calendar, midhunam, redirects, here, malayalam, film, mithunam, 1993, film, telugu, film, mithunam, 2012, film, malayalam, calendar, sidereal, solar, calendar, used, kerala, origin, calendar, been, dated, beginning, kollam, mampalli, copper, plate, . Midhunam redirects here For the Malayalam film see Mithunam 1993 film For the Telugu film see Mithunam 2012 film The Malayalam Calendar is a sidereal solar calendar used in Kerala The origin of the calendar has been dated to 825 CE the beginning of the Kollam Era 1 2 3 Mampalli copper plate 10th century AD the earliest record to mention the Kollam Era There are many theories regarding the origin of the era but according to recent scholarship it commemorated the foundation of Kollam after the liberation of the southern Chera kingdom known as Venadu from the Chola dynasty s rule by or with the assistance of the Chera emperor at Kodungallur 4 The origin of the Kollam Era has been dated to 825 CE at the end of the three year long great convention in Kollam held at the behest of the Venadu King Kulasekharan Scholars from west and east were present in the convention and the Thamizh Kanakku Calendar was adopted Kollam was the capital of Venadu and an important port town of the Chera Kingdom in that period Kollam Aandu was adapted in the entire Chera Kingdom the current day states of Tamil Nadu Karnataka and Kerala the majority of which is now in Kerala In Malayalam speaking Kerala it is now called the Malayalam Era or Kollavarsham Kollam Thontri Aandu The earliest available record mentioning the Kollam Era is a royal decree by Sri Vallavan Goda the King of Venadu dated to c 973 CE Kollam Era 149 In the inscription the phrase Kollam Thontri Aandu is employed 5 Another era referred to as Kollam Azhintha Aadu counting from 1097 CE was reckoned by the Cholas for some time It is tentatively calculated that the Chola overlords captured the port of Kollam in 1097 CE 5 Contents 1 History 2 Months 3 Days 4 Significant dates 5 Derived names 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditThe origin of the Kollam Era has been dated to 825 CE when the great convention in Kollam was held at the behest of King Kulashekharan Kollam was an important town in that period and the Malayalam Era is called Kollavarsham possibly as a result of the Tharisapalli plates There are multiple conflicting accounts regarding the origins of the Malayalam calendar some of which are mentioned below It is believed that the era was started by the Syrian Christian saints Mar Sabor and Mar Proth who settled in Korukeni Kollam near to the present Kollam The Tharisapalli copper plates were issued to them 6 7 8 The Kollam era is attributed to the legend of the hero Parasurama an avatar incarnation of the god Vishnu It is sometimes divided into cycles of 1 000 years reckoned from 1176 BCE Thus 825 CE would have been the first year of the era s third millennium 9 The news of the physical disappearance of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in 820 CE at Kedarnath reached Kerala only a few years later It is believed that Kerala began the Malayalam era also called the Kollam era in 825 CE in his memory 10 11 12 According to Hermann Gundert Kollavarsham started as part of erecting a new Shiva Temple in Kollam and because of the strictly local and religious background the other regions did not follow this system at first Once Kollam port emerged as an important trade center however the other countries also started to follow the new system of calendar This theory backs the remarks of Ibn Battuta as well 6 13 It is also believed that the era started as part of erection of the Thirupalkadal Sreekrishnaswamy Temple family temple of Venad located at Keezhperoor or Kil perur Keezhperoor is a place located near Kilimanoor which is used as prefix along with name of Venad and Travancore monarchs and is believed to be the maternal home of Kulasekhara Alvar Months EditMakaram month middle of January was the starting of the Kollam Aandu year It was similar to the other calendars followed in the Pandya and Chola Kingdoms The Chera kingdom had two harvests one in Makaram and the other in Kanni so the year started in Makaram the harvesting month Later in the 20th century after Venadu the Travancore Kingdom joined the Indian Union the Calendar was aligned with that of the Sanskrit Calendar to have the Year Starting in Medam April middle The Malayalam months and the Sanskritic Sauramasa solar month are almost the same raising many doubts that which came first If you see Chingam is a month in Kollam Era Sanskrit also has the solar month the Simham and so on This is unlike the case in Tulu calendar which follow the names of lunar months The following are the months of the astronomical Malayalam calendar Comparative table showing corresponding months of other calendars No Months in Malayalam Era In Malayalam Tamil calendar Sanskrit solar month Saka era Tulu calendar Sign of zodiac Gregorian Calendar1 Medam മ ട Chithirai Meṣa Chaitra Vaisakha Paggu Aries April May2 Idavam ഇടവ Vaikasi Vṛṣabha Vaisakha Jyaiṣṭha Besa Taurus May June3 Mithunam മ ഥ ന Aani Mithuna Jyaiṣṭha Aṣaḍha Kaarthel Gemini June July4 Karkkidakam കർക ക ടക Aadi Karkaṭaka Aṣaḍha Sravaṇa Aaty Cancer July August5 Chingam ച ങ ങ Aavani Siṃha Sravana Bhadrapada Sona Leo August September6 Kanni കന ന Purattasi Kanya Bhadrapada Asvina Nirnaala Virgo September October7 Thulaam ത ല Aippasi Tula Asvina Kartika Bonthyel Libra October November8 Vrishchikam വ ശ ച ക Karthigai Vṛscikam Kartika Margasirṣa Jaarde Scorpio November December9 Dhanu ധന Margazhi Dhanu Margasirṣa Pauṣa Peraarde Sagittarius December January10 Makaram മകര Thai Makara Pauṣa Taiṣya Magha Ponny Capricorn January February11 Kumbham ക ഭ Maasi Kumbha Magha Phalguna Maayi Aquarius February March12 Meenam മ ന Panguni Mina Phalguna Chaitra Suggy Pisces March AprilDays EditThe days of the week in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Aazhcha ആഴ ച meaning week Comparative table showing corresponding weekdays No Malayalam മലയ ള Sanskrit English Kannada Tamil Hindi Arabic Punjabi1 Njayar ഞ യർ Bhanu vasara Sunday Bhanuvara Nyaayiru ஞ ய ற Ravivaar Itvaar रव व र इतव र al aḥad Ravivaar Aitvaar ਰਵ ਵ ਰ ਐਤਵ ਰ 2 Thinkal ത ങ കൾ Soma vasara Monday Somavara Thingal த ங கள Somvaar स मव र al ithnayn Somvaar ਸ ਮਵ ਰ 3 Chowva ച വ വ Maṅgala vasara Tuesday Mangalavara Chevvai ச வ வ ய Mangalvaar मङ गलव र al thalathaʾ Mangalvaar ਮ ਗਲਵ ਰ 4 Budhan ബ ധൻ Budha vasara Wednesday Budhavara Budhan ப தன Budhvaar ब धव र al arbaʿa Budhvaar ਬ ਧਵ ਰ 5 Vyazham വ യ ഴ Guru vasara Thursday Guruvara Vyazhan வ ய ழன Guruvaar Brihaspativaar ग र व र ब हस पत व र al khamis Guruvaar Veervaar ਗ ਰ ਵ ਰ ਵ ਰਵ ਰ 6 Velli വ ള ള Sukra vasara Friday Shukravara Velli வ ள ள Shukravaar श क रव र al jumuʿah Shukarvaar ਸ ਕਰਵ ਰ 7 Shani ശന Sani vasara Saturday Shanivara Shani சன Shanivaar शन व र al sabt Shanivaar ਸ ਨ ਵ ਰ Like the months above there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswati Ashvini in Sanskrit and ending in Revati The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of fourteen days called Nattuvela ഞ റ റ വ ല each one bearing the name of a star Significant dates EditVishu 1st Medam Malayali New Year traditional Onam 1st Chingam Malayali New Year as per the Kollam Era calendar Vishu വ ഷ celebrated on the first day of Medam and Onam ഓണ celebrated on the star Thiruvonam t iruʋoːɳem in the month of Chingam are two of the major festivals The first day of Chingam is celebrated as the Kerala New Year replacing Vishu വ ഷ which was considered the beginning of a year until 825 CE Vishu is still celebrated as the traditional Malayali New Year particularly in erstwhile Malabar and South Canara areas as it is astronomically significant Medam being the first among the 12 rashis the zodiac signs corresponding to the 12 months of a solar year citation needed The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the first day of Makaram month This marks the grand finale of the two month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage The 1st of Makaram marks the winter Solstice Uttarayanam and the 1st of Karkaṭakam marks the summer solstice Dakshinayanam according to the Malayalam calendar according to the astronomical calendar the summer solstice is on 21 June and the winter solstice on 21 December citation needed Chaitram 1 usually coinciding with 20 March or Medam 1 mostly coinciding with 14 April for 2019 it was on 15 April both in the proximity of the date of the vernal equinox 21 March mark the beginning of the new year in many traditional Indian calendars such as the Indian national calendar and the Tamil calendar When the Government of Kerala adopted Kolla Varsham as the regional calendar the first of Chingam the month of the festival of Onam was accepted as the Malayalam New Year instead citation needed Derived names EditMany events in Kerala are related to the dates in the Malayalam calendar The agricultural activities of Kerala are centred on the seasons The southwest monsoon which starts around 1 June is known as Etavappathi meaning mid of month Etavam The northeast monsoon which starts during mid October is called thulavarsham rain in the month of thulam The two harvests of paddy are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu harvests in the months kanni and makaram respectively citation needed See also EditBengali calendar Hindu calendar Manipuri calendar Tamil calendar Great flood of 99 in Kerala in 1924 CE or 1099 MEReferences Edit Kollam Era PDF Indian Journal History of Science Archived from the original PDF on 27 May 2015 Retrieved 30 December 2014 Broughton Richmond 1956 Time measurement and calendar construction p 218 R Leela Devi 1986 History of Kerala Vidyarthi Mithram Press amp Book Depot p 408 Noburu Karashmia ed A Concise History of South India Issues and Interpretations New Delhi Oxford University Press 2014 89 a b Narayanan M G S Perumaḷs of Kerala Thrissur Kerala CosmoBooks 2013 74 76 143 a b A Sreedhara Menon 2007 1967 CHAPTER VIII THE KOLLAM ERA A Survey Of Kerala History DC Books Kottayam pp 104 110 ISBN 978 81 264 1578 6 Retrieved 7 August 2013 Kerala government website Archived 2007 11 21 at the Wayback Machine In the Travancore State Manual Ch XIII pages 49 50 by Sri T K Velu Pillai according to keralainfoservice Chronology Kalady The Triumph of Faith Over Time Dir Rajesh Krishnan K Anand and S Thyagarajan Sri Shankara Advaita Research Center Sringeri 31 May 2010 DVD Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine sharadapeetham 25 April 2012 Kalady The Triumph of Faith Over Time Rediscovery of Sri Adi Shankaracharya s Birth Place via YouTube K V Sarma Kollam Era Indian Journal of History of Science 31 1 1996 pp 93 100 Kollam Short History Statistical Data kerala gov in Archived from the original Short History on 21 November 2007 Retrieved 8 October 2014 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Malayalam calendar Portal India Free Malayalam Calendar for Android and iPhone without download Hindu Panchangam Calendar in Malayalam Malayalam calendar with panchangam Malayalam Panchang Calendars with Tithi Nakshtra etc Open Source software libraries for Malayalam Calendar Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Malayalam calendar amp oldid 1117647210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
