The term Uttarāyaṇa (commonly Uttarayan) is derived from two different Sanskrit words – "uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement) – thus indicating a semantic of the northward movement of the Sun on the celestial sphere. This movement begins to occur a day after the winter solstice in December, which occurs around 22 December and continues for a six-month period through to the summer solstice around June 21 (dates vary). This difference is because the solstices continually precess at a rate of 50 arcseconds per year due to the precession of the equinoxes, i.e. this difference is the difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs. The Surya Siddhanta bridges this difference by juxtaposing the four solstitial and equinoctial points with four of the twelve boundaries of the rashis.[1]
There is a common misconception[3] that Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Uttarayana. This is because at one point in time Sayana and Nirayana zodiac were the same. Every year sidereal and tropical equinoxes slide by 50 seconds due to axial precession, giving birth to Ayanamsha and causing Makar Sankranti to slide further.[citation needed] When equinox slides it will increase ayanamsha and Makar Sankranti will also slide. This misconception continues as there is not much difference between actual Uttarayana date which occurs a day after winter solstice (of Dec 21) when the sun makes the northward journey, and 14 January.[citation needed] However, the difference will be significant as equinoxes slide further. In 272 AD, Makar Sankranti was on 21 December. In 1000 AD, Makar Sankranti was on 31 December and now it falls on January 14. After 9000 years, Makar Sankranti will be in June. Then Makar Sankranti would mark the beginning of Dakshinayana. However Makar Sankranti still holds importance in Hindu rituals. All Drika Panchanga makers like mypanchang.com, datepanchang, janmabhumi panchang, rashtriya panchang [4] and Vishuddha Siddhanta Panjika use the position of the tropical sun to determine Uttarayana and Dakshinayana.[5]
Uttarayana in various treatises
Surya Siddhanta
Lātadeva, the composer of Surya Siddhanta, defines Uttarayana, at the time of composition, as the period between the Makara Sankranti (which currently occurs around January 14) and KarkaSankranti (which currently occurs around July 16).[1][6] Lātadeva describes this as half revolutions of the Sun, using the terms Uttarayana and Dakshinayana to describe the "northern and southern progress" respectively.[7] Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a scholar and mathematician, proposes an alternative, early vedic definition of Uttarayana as starting from Vernal Equinox and ending with Autumnal Equinox.[8][9] This definition interprets the term "Uttara Ayana" as "northern movement" instead of "northward movement", i.e. as the movement of the Earth in the region North of the Equator. In support of this proposal, he points to another tradition that the Uttarayana is considered the daytime of the Gods residing at the North Pole which tradition makes sense only if we define Uttarayana as the period between the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes (when there is Midnight Sun at the North Pole). Conversely, Dakshinaya is defined as the period between the Autumnal and Vernal Equinoxes, when there is midnight sun at the South Pole. This period is also referred to as Pitrayana (with the Pitrus (i.e. ancestors) being placed at the South Pole).
Drik Siddhanta
Illustration of the movement of the Sun north and south of the Equator, caused by axial tilt of the Earth.
Illustration of the observed effect of Earth's axial tilt.
This festival is currently celebrated on the 14th or 15th of January but due to axial precession of the earth it will continue to shift away from the actual season. The season occurs based on tropical sun (without ayanamsha). The earth revolves around sun with a tilt of 23.44 degrees. When the tilt is facing the sun we get summer and when the tilt is away from the sun we get winter. That is the reason when there is summer north of the equator, it will be winter south of the equator.[10] Because of this tilt, the sun appears to travel north and south of the equator. This motion of the sun transitioning from south to north is called Uttarayana (the sun is moving towards north). Once the sun reaches north, it begins moving south and is called Dakshinayana – the sun is moving towards south.[11] This causes seasons which are dependent on equinoxes and solstices.
Hindu Scriptures
Uttarayana is referred to as the day of new good healthy wealthy beginning. According to Kauravas and Pandavas, in Mahabharata on this day Bheeshma Pitamaha, chose to leave for his heavenly abode. As per the boon granted to Devavrata (young Bheeshma), he could choose his time of death so, he chose this day, when the sun starts on its course towards the northern hemisphere. According to Hindu scripture, Bhagavad Gita, those who die when the sun is on its northward course (from south to north) attain nirvana. [12] This explains the choice made by Devavrata to wait until Uttarayana to die.
According to the Hindu tradition the six months of Uttarayana are a single day of the Gods; the six months of Dakshinayana are a single night of the Gods. Thus a year of twelve months is single Nychthemeron of the Gods. This refers to the six months of single day at the North pole and concurrent six months of night at the south pole. [13]
References
^ abBurgess, Ebenezer (1858). The Surya Siddhantha - A Textbook of Hindu Astronomy. American Oriental Society. Chapter 14, Verse 7-9.
^"Uttarayana and Dakshinayana: How is the Theory of Time 'Kala' defined in Hinduism?". NewsGram. 16 December 2016.
^Makar Sankranti and Uttarayana misconception and Panchang Siddhanta
^Date and time for winter solstice marking the start of Uttarayana
^James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 351–. ISBN978-0-8239-3179-8.
^Burgess, Ebenezer. Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta, A Text-Book of Hindu Astronomy; With Notes, and an Appendix. George P. Putnam - Journal of the American Oriental Society. p. 249.
^US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Why Do We Have Seasons?". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
^Venkateswaran, T.V (2020). Heavenly Bodies, Celestial Phenomena and Calendrical Data in Tamil Epigraphical Inscriptions (Fifteenth to Seventeenth Centuries). Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 436–437.
^"Chapter 8, Verse 23-26 – Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God – Swami Mukundananda".
^Surya Siddhanta, edited by Rev. Burgess, Sutra 13 and 14 of chapter 1
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Uttarayan festival.
Animated illustration of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana
February 07, 2023
uttarayana, kite, flying, festival, makar, sankranti, 2004, film, uttarayan, film, term, uttarāyaṇa, commonly, uttarayan, derived, from, different, sanskrit, words, uttara, north, ayana, movement, thus, indicating, semantic, northward, movement, celestial, sph. For the kite flying festival see Makar Sankranti For the 2004 film see Uttarayan film The term Uttarayaṇa commonly Uttarayan is derived from two different Sanskrit words uttara North and ayana movement thus indicating a semantic of the northward movement of the Sun on the celestial sphere This movement begins to occur a day after the winter solstice in December which occurs around 22 December and continues for a six month period through to the summer solstice around June 21 dates vary This difference is because the solstices continually precess at a rate of 50 arcseconds per year due to the precession of the equinoxes i e this difference is the difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs The Surya Siddhanta bridges this difference by juxtaposing the four solstitial and equinoctial points with four of the twelve boundaries of the rashis 1 The complement of Uttarayana is Dakshinayana i e the period between Karka sankranti and Makara Sankranti as per the sidereal zodiac and between the Summer solstice and Winter solstice as per the tropical zodiac 2 Contents 1 Difference between Uttarayana and Makar Sankranti 2 Uttarayana in various treatises 2 1 Surya Siddhanta 2 2 Drik Siddhanta 2 3 Hindu Scriptures 3 References 4 External linksDifference between Uttarayana and Makar Sankranti EditThere is a common misconception 3 that Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Uttarayana This is because at one point in time Sayana and Nirayana zodiac were the same Every year sidereal and tropical equinoxes slide by 50 seconds due to axial precession giving birth to Ayanamsha and causing Makar Sankranti to slide further citation needed When equinox slides it will increase ayanamsha and Makar Sankranti will also slide This misconception continues as there is not much difference between actual Uttarayana date which occurs a day after winter solstice of Dec 21 when the sun makes the northward journey and 14 January citation needed However the difference will be significant as equinoxes slide further In 272 AD Makar Sankranti was on 21 December In 1000 AD Makar Sankranti was on 31 December and now it falls on January 14 After 9000 years Makar Sankranti will be in June Then Makar Sankranti would mark the beginning of Dakshinayana However Makar Sankranti still holds importance in Hindu rituals All Drika Panchanga makers like mypanchang com datepanchang janmabhumi panchang rashtriya panchang 4 and Vishuddha Siddhanta Panjika use the position of the tropical sun to determine Uttarayana and Dakshinayana 5 Uttarayana in various treatises EditSurya Siddhanta Edit Latadeva the composer of Surya Siddhanta defines Uttarayana at the time of composition as the period between the Makara Sankranti which currently occurs around January 14 and Karka Sankranti which currently occurs around July 16 1 6 Latadeva describes this as half revolutions of the Sun using the terms Uttarayana and Dakshinayana to describe the northern and southern progress respectively 7 Bal Gangadhar Tilak a scholar and mathematician proposes an alternative early vedic definition of Uttarayana as starting from Vernal Equinox and ending with Autumnal Equinox 8 9 This definition interprets the term Uttara Ayana as northern movement instead of northward movement i e as the movement of the Earth in the region North of the Equator In support of this proposal he points to another tradition that the Uttarayana is considered the daytime of the Gods residing at the North Pole which tradition makes sense only if we define Uttarayana as the period between the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes when there is Midnight Sun at the North Pole Conversely Dakshinaya is defined as the period between the Autumnal and Vernal Equinoxes when there is midnight sun at the South Pole This period is also referred to as Pitrayana with the Pitrus i e ancestors being placed at the South Pole Drik Siddhanta Edit source source source source source source source source source source Illustration of the movement of the Sun north and south of the Equator caused by axial tilt of the Earth source source source source source source source source source source source source Illustration of the observed effect of Earth s axial tilt This festival is currently celebrated on the 14th or 15th of January but due to axial precession of the earth it will continue to shift away from the actual season The season occurs based on tropical sun without ayanamsha The earth revolves around sun with a tilt of 23 44 degrees When the tilt is facing the sun we get summer and when the tilt is away from the sun we get winter That is the reason when there is summer north of the equator it will be winter south of the equator 10 Because of this tilt the sun appears to travel north and south of the equator This motion of the sun transitioning from south to north is called Uttarayana the sun is moving towards north Once the sun reaches north it begins moving south and is called Dakshinayana the sun is moving towards south 11 This causes seasons which are dependent on equinoxes and solstices Hindu Scriptures Edit Uttarayana is referred to as the day of new good healthy wealthy beginning According to Kauravas and Pandavas in Mahabharata on this day Bheeshma Pitamaha chose to leave for his heavenly abode As per the boon granted to Devavrata young Bheeshma he could choose his time of death so he chose this day when the sun starts on its course towards the northern hemisphere According to Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita those who die when the sun is on its northward course from south to north attain nirvana 12 This explains the choice made by Devavrata to wait until Uttarayana to die According to the Hindu tradition the six months of Uttarayana are a single day of the Gods the six months of Dakshinayana are a single night of the Gods Thus a year of twelve months is single Nychthemeron of the Gods This refers to the six months of single day at the North pole and concurrent six months of night at the south pole 13 References Edit a b Burgess Ebenezer 1858 The Surya Siddhantha A Textbook of Hindu Astronomy American Oriental Society Chapter 14 Verse 7 9 Uttarayana and Dakshinayana How is the Theory of Time Kala defined in Hinduism NewsGram 16 December 2016 Makar Sankranti and Uttarayana misconception and Panchang Siddhanta Rashtriya Panchang Date and time for winter solstice marking the start of Uttarayana James G Lochtefeld 2002 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism A M The Rosen Publishing Group pp 351 ISBN 978 0 8239 3179 8 Burgess Ebenezer Translation of the Surya Siddhanta A Text Book of Hindu Astronomy With Notes and an Appendix George P Putnam Journal of the American Oriental Society p 249 Tilak Bal Gangadhar The Orion or the Antiquity of the Vedas pp 26 31 Bal Gangadhar Tilak Biography Books amp Facts Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2022 11 04 US Department of Commerce NOAA Why Do We Have Seasons www weather gov Retrieved 2022 11 22 Venkateswaran T V 2020 Heavenly Bodies Celestial Phenomena and Calendrical Data in Tamil Epigraphical Inscriptions Fifteenth to Seventeenth Centuries Cham Springer International Publishing pp 436 437 Chapter 8 Verse 23 26 Bhagavad Gita the Song of God Swami Mukundananda Surya Siddhanta edited by Rev Burgess Sutra 13 and 14 of chapter 1External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Uttarayan festival Animated illustration of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Uttarayana amp oldid 1128497880, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
