Historical Perspective of Samvatsari Day and Jain Calendar

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Note - Differences in Naming Convention between Rajasthani and Gujarati Calendar
In the Rajasthani calendar, the duration of the Month is the time between the two Full Moons (Purnimä). When a Full Moon occurs before sunrise, then the day that begins at Sunrise is said to be the first day of the Lunisolar month. Hence the month starts with Vad "Tithi" - declining moon phase- and ends with Sud "Tithi" - Rising Moon phase. This convention is followed not only in Rajasthan but also in a major part of India.
In the Gujarati calendar, the duration of a Month is the time between two New Moons or Dark Moons (Amavas). When a Dark Moon occurs before sunrise, then the day that begins at Sunrise is said to be the first day of the Lunisolar month in the Gujarati calendar. Hence the month starts with Sud "Tithi" - Rising Moon phase- and ends with Vad "Tithi" - declining moon phase.
During the Sud Tithi period, the names of Rajasthani and Gujarati calendar months are the same but during Vad Tithi period the names of the Rajasthani months are one month ahead of the Gujarati month.
Example - During the month of Ashädh - Sud period, both calendars will have the same name of the month. But during Vad period, the Gujarati calendar will indicate Ashädh Vad 1; the same day in Rajasthani calendar is called as Shravan Vad 1 and so on. Hence the name of the Sud months are the same in both calendars but during Vad months, the names in the Rajasthani calendar is one month ahead.
Similarly - Bhagawan Mahavir's Nirvan Day in Gujarati calendar is Asho Vad 15 (Amas) but the same day is known as Kartak Vad 15 (Amas) in Rajsthani calendar.
Extinction of Jain Ägamic Calendar
The description of the Ägamic Jain calendar exists only in the Jain Ägam literature and Jains may have used it orally probably during the first five hundred to 1000 years after Tirthankar Bhagawän Mahävir's Nirvana. Jain Ägams were written approximately 1000 years after Lord Mahävir's nirvana and since then there is no record available that some one had used or printed the Jain Agamic calendar.
The following may be the probable causes of extinction of the Jain Ägamic Calendar:
The Ägamic Jain calendar was not in line with the popular Hindu (Laukik or Lokik) calendar because Diwäli and New Year days in the Jain calendar were different than in the Hindu calendar. Sometimes one month apart.
The social activities like birth, marriage, and death ceremonies of the Jain community were always performed by the Hindu priests and the Jain community being in minority always celebrated the local religious holidays with Hindu community (Similar to celebration of Xmas holidays here in USA).
The usage of the Jain Ägamic calendar was very limited to religious activities like Samvatsari (Paryushan) and so on.
The Jain laymen may have lost the knowledge of the calculation of Tithis using the Moon and the Sun position as described in the Jain Ägams (as many famines occurred during this time).
Adoption of a Hindu (Laukik) Calendar as a Jain Calendar
Every religion needs its own calendar for the operation and celebration of its pious (religious) days as well as for the celebration of social events. In the absence of an authentic Jain calendar, the Jain Ächäryas adopted a Hindu Lunisolar calendar as a basis to create a new Jain calendar.
The Hindu Lunisolar calendar is based on the position of the Moon (Moon phase) at the time of Sunrise. The cities on different longitudes will have different Sunrise time and hence different Moon phases and hence different Tithi. So the Hindus do not have one unique lunisolar calendar among all Hindus through out India or through out the world but different cities have different
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