Malayalam calendar


The Malayalam Calendar, or the Kollam Era, is a sidereal solar calendar used in Kerala. The origin of the calendar has been dated to 825 CE, commemorating the establishment of Kollam.
There are many theories regarding the origin of the era, but according to recent scholarship, it commemorated the foundation of Kollam by Maruwan Sapir Iso, who was the leader of Persian Christian Settlers and trading guilds like Anjuvannam following the liberation of the Kingdom of Venad from the Chola rule by or with the assistance of the Chera emperor at Kodungallur. The Quilon Syrian copper plates were grants and privileges given to the trading guilds involved in the establishment of Kollam by Sthanu Ravi Varma.
Kollam was the capital of Venadu and an important port town of the Chera Kingdom in that period. Kollam Aandu was adapted in the entire Chera Kingdom, the majority of which is now in Kerala. In Malayalam-speaking Kerala, it is now called the Malayalam Era or 'Kollavarsham’. The earliest available record mentioning the Kollam Era is a royal decree by Sri Vallavan Goda, the King of Venadu, dated to . In the inscription, the phrase "Kollam Thontri Aandu" is employed. Another era, referred to as "Kollam Aḻintha Aandu", counting from 1097 CE, was reckoned by the Cholas for some time. It is tentatively calculated that the Chola overlords captured the port of Kollam in 1097 CE.

History

The origin of the Kollam Era has been dated to 825 CE, when the great convention in Kollam was held at the behest of King Kulashekharan. Kollam was an important town in that period, and the Malayalam Era is called 'Kollavarsham'.
There are multiple conflicting accounts regarding the origins of the Malayalam calendar, some of which are mentioned below:
  • According to legend, Kollam era is attributed to the legend of the hero Paraśurāma, an avatar of the god Vishnu. It is sometimes divided into cycles of 1,000 years reckoned from 1176 BCE. Thus, 825 CE would have been the first year of the era's third millennium.
  • The news of the physical disappearance of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in 820 CE at Kedarnath reached Kerala only a few years later. It is believed that Kerala began the Malayalam era, also called the Kollam era, in 825 CE in his memory.
  • According to Hermann Gundert, Kollavarsham started as part of erecting a new Shiva Temple in Kollam and because of the strictly local and religious background, the other regions did not follow this system at first. Once Kollam port emerged as an important trade center, however, the other countries also started to follow the new system of calendar. This theory backs the remarks of Ibn Battuta as well.
  • It is also believed that the era started as part of erection of the Thirupalkadal Sreekrishnaswamy Temple, family temple of Venad located at Keezhperoor or Kil-perur. Keezhperoor is a place located near Kilimanoor, which is used as prefix along with name of Venad and Travancore monarchs and is believed to be the maternal home of Kulasekhara Alvar.

    Months

No.Months in Malayalam EraIn MalayalamTamil calendarSanskrit solar monthSaka eraTulu calendarSign of zodiacGregorian Calendar
1.ciṅṅamചിങ്ങംAavaniSiṃhaŚravana–''BhādrapadaSonaLeoAugust–September
2.kaṉṉiകന്നിPurattasiKanyāBhādrapada–AśvinaNirnaalaVirgoSeptember–October
3.tulāmതുലാംAippasi TulāAśvina–KārtikaBonthyelLibraOctober–November
4.vr̥ścikamവൃശ്ചികംKarthigaiVṛścikamKārtika–MārgaśīrṣaJaardeScorpioNovember–December
5.dhaṉuധനുMargazhi DhanuMārgaśīrṣa–Pauṣa PeraardeSagittariusDecember–January
6.makaramമകരംThai MakaraPauṣa/Taiṣya-MāghaPonnyCapricornJanuary–February
7.kumbhamകുംഭംMaasiKumbhaMāgha–Phālguna MaayiAquariusFebruary–March
8.mīṉamമീനംPanguni MīnaPhālguna–Chaitra SuggyPiscesMarch–April
9.mēṭamമേടംChithirai MeṣaChaitra– VaiśākhaPagguAriesApril–May
10.iṭavamഇടവംVaikasi VṛṣabhaVaiśākha–JyaiṣṭhaBesaTaurusMay–June
11.mithuṉamമിഥുനം Aani MithunaJyaiṣṭha–ĀṣāḍhaKaarthelGeminiJune–July
12.kaṟkkaṭakamകർക്കടകം Aadi KarkaṭakaĀṣāḍha–Śrāvaṇa''AatyCancerJuly–August

Days

The days of the week in the Malayalam calendar are suffixed with Aazhcha, meaning week.
No.RomanisedമലയാളംSanskritEnglishKannadaTamilHindiArabicPunjabi
1.ñāyaṟഞായർBhānu vāsaraSundayBhānu vāraNyaayiru Ravivaar/Itvaar
al-aḥadRavivaar/Aitvaar
2.tiṅgaḷതിങ്കൾSōma vāsaraMondaySōma vāraThingal Somvaar
al-ithnaynSomvaar
3.čovvaചൊവ്വMaṅgal̥a vāsaraTuesdayMaṅgal̥a vāraChevvai Mangalvaar
al-thalāthāʾMangalvaar
4.budhaṉബുധൻBudha vāsaraWednesdayBudha vāraBudhan Budhvaar
al-arbaʿāBudhvaar
5.vyāḻamവ്യാഴംGuru vāsaraThursdayGuru vāraVyazhan Guruvaar/Brihaspativaar
al-khamīsGuruvaar/Veervaar
6.veḷḷiവെള്ളിŚukra vāsaraFridayŚukra vāraVelli Shukravaar
al-jumuʿahShukarvaar
7.śaṉiശനിŚani vāsaraSaturdayŚani vāraSani
Shanivaar
al-sabtShanivaar

Like the months above, there are twenty seven stars starting from Aswati and ending in Revatī. The 365 days of the year are divided into groups of fourteen days called Ñattuvela, each one bearing the name of a star.

Significant dates

Vishu, celebrated on the first day of Medam, Onam, celebrated on the star Thiruvonam on the first day of Chingam, and Deepavali, celebrated on the first day of Thulam, are three of the major festivals. The first day of Chingam is celebrated as the Kerala New Year, replacing Vishu, which was considered the beginning of a year until 825 CE. Vishu is still celebrated as the traditional Malayali New Year, as it is astronomically significant, 'Medam' being the first among the 12 rashis.. Deepavali is traditionally celebrated during Thulam which is the months of October and November.
The Makaravilakku festival is celebrated in the Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on the first day of Makaram month. This marks the grand finale of the two-month period to the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The 1st of Makaram marks the winter Solstice and the 1st of Karkaṭakam marks the summer solstice according to the Malayalam calendar.
Chaitram 1 or Medam 1, both in the proximity of the date of the vernal equinox, mark the beginning of the new year in many traditional Indian calendars such as the Indian national calendar and the Tamil calendar. When the Government of Kerala adopted Kolla Varsham as the regional calendar, the first of Chingam, the month of the festival of Onam, was accepted as the Malayalam New Year instead.

Derived names

Many events in Kerala are related to the dates in the Malayalam calendar.
The agricultural activities of Kerala are centred on the seasons. The southwest monsoon which starts around 1 June is known as Edavappathi, meaning mid of month Edavam. The northeast monsoon which starts during mid October is called thulavarsham. The two harvests of paddy are called Kannikkoythu and Makarakkoythu.