When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you look at is your phone or the clock on the wall. Then your eyes go to the date. To know what day it is and which month it is, you take the help of a calendar. We all depend on this one piece of paper or digital date to run our daily routine.
You may be surprised to know that there is not just one calendar used throughout the world. Although you and I may look at the January-to-December calendar for office or school work, more than 40 calendars are still in use in different parts of the world today.
Our Earth is very large. Different religions, cultures, and traditions exist here. Because of this, the way of measuring time has also not remained the same everywhere. Today, we are going to tell you mainly how many types of calendars are used around the world and what their unique story is.
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The Mathematics of Measuring Time and the Three Main Types of Calendars
Before talking about different calendars, you need to understand how they are made. Humans have always estimated time by observing the stars, the Sun, and the Moon. Based on this, almost all calendars in the world have mainly been divided into three main categories.
1. Solar Calendar
Calendars that work according to the Sun come under this category. Our Earth takes about 365 days, 5 hours, and 48 minutes to complete one full orbit around the Sun. Solar calendars are based on this time cycle. Your favourite English calendar is the biggest example of this. In this calendar, the seasons always arrive at the right time.
2. Lunar Calendar
Calendars based on the changing phases of the Moon come under this category. The Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit the Earth. According to this, a lunar year has only 354 or 355 days. In this, months begin with the sighting of the Moon. In this calendar, the seasons change slightly every year.
3. Lunisolar Calendar – A Combination of the Sun and Moon
Some cultures created their calendars by combining the movements of both the Sun and the Moon. In these calendars, the months follow the Moon, but the year is connected to the movement of the Sun. When days fall short, an extra month is added in between to maintain the balance.
The 7 Most Popular and Famous Calendars in the World
Although more than 40 small and large calendars are still alive in the world today, there are 7 calendars whose influence can be seen the most in different parts of the world. Let us learn about them one by one.
1. Gregorian Calendar
The date you see on your mobile, laptop or in your office is the Gregorian calendar. It is considered the main official calendar of the world.
It was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. Before this, people used the Julian calendar, which had some errors. The Gregorian calendar has 365 days, and every four years there is a leap year with 366 days. Today, business and administration around the world operate according to this date.
2. Nanakshahi or Sikh Calendar
The Sikh community uses the Nanakshahi calendar to celebrate historical Gurpurabs and religious days.
This calendar is named after Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. The first year of this calendar begins from 1469 CE, the year of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth. It is mainly a solar calendar. The year begins with the month of Chet, which falls around the middle of March in the English calendar. The dates of major events in Sikh history and martyrdom days are determined according to this calendar.
3. Hijri or Islamic Calendar
Muslim communities use the Hijri calendar for their religious festivals. It is a completely lunar calendar.
The beginning of this calendar is considered to be in 622 CE, when Prophet Muhammad travelled from Mecca to Medina. It has 12 months in a year and about 354 days in total. This is why the holy month of Ramadan or the festival of Eid comes about 11 days earlier each year according to the English calendar.
4. Hindu Calendar (Vikram Samvat and Shaka Samvat)
In India, you can see one of the most beautiful varieties of calendars. Many types of Panchang are used in India, among which Vikram Samvat and Shaka Samvat are the most important.
The Government of India has given Shaka Samvat the status of the national calendar. It is a lunisolar calendar in which the movements of both the Sun and the Moon are taken into account. Our festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan and Navratri are determined according to the dates of this Panchang.
5. Chinese Calendar
People in China use the Gregorian calendar in their daily lives, but for their traditional festivals, they still rely on the Chinese calendar.
This is also a lunisolar calendar. Its most unique feature is that each year is named after an animal. There is a cycle of 12 animals, including the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and Dragon. Chinese New Year, which falls at the end of January or the beginning of February, is determined according to this calendar.
6. Hebrew or Jewish Calendar
Jewish people in Israel and around the world use the Hebrew calendar. This calendar is also made by combining the Sun and Moon.
According to Jewish beliefs, the counting of this calendar begins from the creation of the world. It has 12 or 13 months. To keep it in line with the seasons, an extra month is added 7 times in every 19-year cycle.
7. Persian or Jalali Calendar
This calendar, used in Iran and Afghanistan, is considered one of the most accurate solar calendars in the world.
Its calculation is completely based on astronomical events. The year begins on the first day of spring, which is called Nowruz. This calendar was prepared by the team of the famous mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyam.
Some Other Unique Calendars That Will Surprise You
There are also some calendars in different countries around the world whose features may surprise you.
- Ethiopian Calendar: Ethiopia is about 7 to 8 years behind the rest of the world. Their calendar has not 12 but 13 months. There, the New Year is celebrated on September 11.
- Julian Calendar: It was introduced by the Roman ruler Julius Caesar. Even today, some Orthodox Christian churches use this old calendar for their religious festivals.
- Maya Calendar: The calendar of the ancient Maya civilization is known for its accurate astronomical predictions. It had several complex cycles that kept track of thousands of years.
Why Did Humans Create So Many Calendars?
You may be wondering why, if there is only one world, there was a need for so many different calendars. The answer is very simple.
In ancient times, there was no internet or way to send information instantly. Every country and civilization began measuring time according to its local weather, farming seasons, and religious beliefs. Farmers needed to know when to sow crops, so they observed the movement of the Sun. Religious leaders needed to know the right time for worship, so they observed the phases of the Moon.
As time changed, the world adopted the Gregorian calendar for trade and international coordination. But to stay connected to their roots and festivals, people still keep their traditional festival calendars close to their hearts.
Every Civilization Has Its Own Way of Looking at Time
A calendar is not just a piece of paper that tells the date. It is a beautiful combination of human history, science and faith. Today, although you may look at the dates from Monday to Friday to go to the office, as soon as festivals arrive, you turn towards the Panchang of your culture.
Although dozens of calendars are followed around the world, they all have the same purpose. They teach us that time is continuously flowing and that we should make proper use of every day. The next time you look at the calendar hanging on the wall of your home, remember that somewhere in the world, a person may be living their day on a completely different date.
