JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



Part II.— PHYSICAL SCIENCE. 



No. IV.— 1868. 

 The Adjustment op the Hindu Calendar ;— by Babu Pratapa- 



CUANDRA GhOSHA, B. A. 



[Received 27th May, 1867.] 



Owing to certain causes, presently to be explained, calculations of 

 the Hindus regarding the year are in error. Their calendar in cer- 

 tain points presents a state of things that existed some centuries ago. 

 It is necessary that such corrections be introduced in the elements of 

 their calendar as will make its indications consistent with reality. 



The Hindu year is determined by two consecutive conjunctions in 

 longitude of the sun with the star /? Arietis. Almost all nations 

 of antiquity have commenced their year from this moment. 



By the existing Bengal Calendar, the initial moment of the year is 

 placed on the 13th of April, about seven days earlier than the real 

 conjunction, making the subsequent eleven transits of the sun, the 

 eleven San7crdntis, seven days too early. 



The initial point of the year has retained in its name the idea of its 

 coincidence with the equinoctial point, a point now removed twenty- 

 one days from the star. The following simple solutions of spherical 

 triangles will show that the ecliptic conjunction of the sun with /? 

 Arietis the Acvini Yogatara of the Hindus happens between the 20th 

 and 21st of April in 1867. 



From the Nautical Almanac we have for /? Arietis JR = U. 47w, 

 17s. which expressed in degrees of arc = 26° 49' 44". 



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