Ashvin (month)
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Ashvin | |
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![]() Celebration of Durga Puja is a highlight of the month of Asvin in the Bengal region | |
Native name | अश्विन् (Sanskrit) |
Calendars | |
Month number | 7 |
Season | Autumn |
Gregorian equivalent | September–October |
Significant days | |
Ashvin or Ashwin or Ashwan (/əˈʃwɪn/; Bengali: আশ্বিন; Hindi: अश्विन; Odia: ଆଶ୍ୱିନ; Malay/Indonesian: Aswin; Thai: Asawin), also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the solar calendar where it is known as Aipassi and the solar India's national civil calendar. It is the sixth month in the solar Bengali calendar and seventh in the lunar Indian national calendar of the Deccan Plateau. It falls in the season of Shôrot, (Hindi Sharad) or Autumn. In Vedic Jyotish, Ashwin begins with the Sun's enter in Virgo.
It overlaps September and October[1] of the Gregorian calendar and is the month preceding Diwali the festival of lights. In lunar religious calendars, Ashwin begins on the new moon after the autumn equinox.
Etymology[edit]
Ashvini is the first star that appears in the evening sky. In the Indian astrology it is the head of Aries, or the first of the 27 Nakshatra. Ashvin also stands for the divine twins, the Ashvins, the gods of vision, Ayurvedic medicine, the glow of sunrise and sunset, and averting misfortune and sickness in Hindu mythology. Asawin is the Thai variant of Ashvin and stands for the warrior. The term is often translated into English as "knight".
Festivals[edit]
Several major religious holidays take place in Ashvin. Those are as follows:
- Navaratri (1-9 lunar Ashvin)
- Durga Puja (6-10 lunar Ashvin)
- Kojagiri Pornima (15 lunar Ashvin)
- Vijayadashami or Dussehra (10 lunar Ashvin)
- Diwali festival including Dhanteras (28 lunar Ashvin), Naraka Chaturdasi (29 lunar Ashvin) and Lakshmi Puja (Last day of lunar Ashvin)
- Kali Puja (new moon of lunar Ashvin), which are held as per the lunar calendar, usually fall in this month.
Regional variation[edit]
According to the latest revised calendar of Bangladesh, instead of 30 days Ashwin is now consists of 31 days. It went into effect from 16 October 2019.
Ashwin is known as aipasi (ஐப்பசி) in Tamil and begins when the sun enters Libra in October.
It's also called kunwaar (कुॅंवार) month in eastern Uttar Pradesh & western Bihar state.
See also[edit]
- Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar
- Hindu astronomy
- Hindu units of measurement
- List of most popular given names
References[edit]
- ^ Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary Third edition. Electronic edition. Detroit: Omnigraphics, p. xxix. ISBN 0-7808-0982-3