Ugadi and the Astro Science of Timekeeping

The Lunisolar calendar, an ancient timekeeping system harmonising the moon's phases and the sun's movement, has been central to the cultural and religious traditions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and other parts of the country for centuries.

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Unlike the purely solar Gregorian calendar, it aligns lunar months with seasonal changes, influencing regional festivals, agriculture and astrology.

On Ugadi, the Telugu and Kannada New Year, the calendar takes center stage with Panchanga Sravanam, where astrologers recite the almanac (Panchangam) to predict the year ahead, covering rainfall, political stability, economic trends, and personal prospects.

The Lunisolar system consists of 12 lunar months, beginning after amavasya (New Moon). Since the lunar year (354 days) is shorter than the solar year (365 days), an extra month (Adhika Masam) is added every three years to maintain alignment.

Each month is divided into Shukla Paksha (waxing phase) and Krishna Paksha (waning phase).