Maagha (
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
: माघ ''maagh'') is a
month of the
Hindu calendar
The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a ...
. In
India's national civil calendar, it's the eleventh month of the year, corresponding to January/February in the
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years di ...
.
[Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) ''Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary'' Third edition. Electronic edition. Detroit: Omnigraphics, p. xxix. ]
In lunar calendars, Maagh may begin on either the new moon or the full moon around the same time of year, and is usually the tenth month of the year. It is named thus because, in this month, the full moon is usually found nearby or within the star cluster called "Magha".
In solar calendars, Maagh begins with the
Sun's entry into
Capricorn, and is usually the eleventh month of the year.
Festivals
*
Shukla Panchami:
Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja in honor of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways depending on the regio ...
*
Shukla Saptami:
Ratha Saptami
Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami ( sa, रथसप्तमी or Magha Saptami) is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day ( Saptami) in the bright half (''Shukla Paksha'') of the Hindu month Maagha. It is symbolically represented in the ...
* Maagh Mela is an important festival celebrated most of North India.
* The world-famous "Maha Maham" festival which is held every 12 years during full moon day of this month of "maasi".
*
Makar Sankranti
Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sa ...
*
Shukla Ashtami
Ashtami (अष्टमी ''aṣṭamī'') is the eighth day ( Tithi) of Hindu lunar calendar.
Festivals Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami or Gokul Ashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Hindu de ...
is called as
Bhishma Ashtami. It is the day on which
Bhishma
Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्म, , ), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, played an integral role in Mahabharata. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War mentioned in the Hindu epi ...
son of
Ganga
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
, was born.
See also
*
Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar
*
Hindu units of measurement
*
Hindu astronomy
Astronomy has long history in Indian subcontinent stretching from pre-historic to modern times. Some of the earliest roots of Indian astronomy can be dated to the period of Indus Valley civilisation or earlier. Astronomy later developed as a dis ...
*
Jyotish
References
*11
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