Andhra Pradesh: Almanacs differ on Sankranti

KAKINADA: Astrologers and almanac writers wanted the state government to take steps for bringing a uniform calendar so that there was no confusion created among people. This came in the wake of the controversy over the Sankranti on the lines of Ugadi in the Hindu calendar.

Two methods are generally followed for preparing almanacs. One is the Poorva Paddathi (old method) and another the Drikh Siddantha (visible doctrine). Problems have cropped up due to contradictions between the two calendars with each claiming to be superior.

The date of Sankranti  this year has led to differences as Poorva Siddhanta almanac writers said it falls on January 15. The Drikh scholars say it would be on January 14. According to the Poorva method, Makara Sankramana begins at 7.01 pm on January 14, but Drikh method puts it at 1.46 pm.

“We should take into consideration the time before and after sunset. If Sankramana comes before sunset, Sankranti should be on January 14. Due to faulty statistics of the old method, Poorva Siddantha writers have created confusion by stating that Sankr-anti is on January 15,” said Eswara almanac calendar writer Kalepu Bhimeswara Siddanthi. 

Asthana Siddhanti Upadr-ashta Krishna Murthy of the Hariharapura Sri Adis-hankaracharya Sarada La-kshmi Narasimha Peetha said that the government should take steps to have a uniform calendar and finalise a single method of doctrine in writing almanac calendars.

He said the Centre had accepted the ‘Dirkh Siddantha’ method of calendar as it was ‘visible’ and ‘equal’ to all astronomical statistics and institutions.