[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883) › c22 # Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c22: XVII.—Hijra Era Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c22 - **Language:** English ### XVII.—Hijra Era ### [c22.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.1) THIS era dates from the morning after the flight (\*Hijra\*) of Muhammad from Mekka to Medina, which took place on the night of the 15th July A.D. 622. The year 1, therefore, began on \*Friday\*, 16th \*July\* 622. The year is a simple lunar one of 12 lunations or lunar months, of 30 and 29 days alternately. The common year, therefore, consists of only 354 days. But as a month of 29½ days is somewhat less than one mean lunation, an intercalary day is added to the last month in the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th, and 29th years of each period of 30 years, so that the year consists of 354 11/30 days, which makes the mean lunation 29 191/360 days, or 29·5305555. This differs from the mean synodical revolution of European astronomers by only ·0000332 of a day. The Muhammadan lunar year of 354 11/30, or 354·3666 days, is, therefore, 0·970202 of the solar year of 365·25 days of the Julian reckoning. ### [c22.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.2) To find whether any given year is intercalary, divide it by 30, and if the remainder be either 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 26, or 29, then the year is an intercalary one of 355 days; but if it be any other number, the year is a common one of 354 days. ### [c22.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.3) But to save the trouble of calculation for finding on what day of the Christian era any particular Hijra date falls, I have prepared two tables, by which the corresponding date can be obtained in a much shorter time by inspection. ### [c22.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.4) Thus, to find the corresponding date of Timur’s capture of Delhi, which he has himself recorded as “Wednesday the 8th of the 2nd Rabi 801 A. H.,” first look in Table XVI for the initial day of the Muhammadan year in Christian reckoning, which was Friday the 13th September 1398. Then turn to Table XV, and look for the place of II Rabi 8, from which run the eye upwards to the horizontal line of week days, beginning with Friday, where the intersection will be found to fall on Wednesday, thus agreeing with the week day given by Timur. Next look to the Roman numerals on the right, where it will be seen that “II Rabi 8” was the 6th day of the 13th week, or the 97th day of the Muhammadan year. Then calculate from the 13th September 1398 as the 1st day as follows:— ### [c22.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.5) | In September | ... | ... | ... | ... | 18 days. | | „ October | ... | ... | ... | ... | 31 „ | | „ November | ... | ... | ... | ... | 30 „ | | „ December | ... | ... | ... | ... | 18 „ | | | | | Total | ... | 97 days. | ### [c22.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.6) The corresponding Christian date was, therefore, the 18th December 1398, which, by the tables of the Christian calendar, was a Wednesday. ### [c22.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.7) The following dates taken from several different authors agree with the tables: ### [c22.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.8) | | | | | | Page. | | A. H. 422 | Muharram 1 | = Tuesday | \*Baihakî\*, H. M. Elliot, II, | 61 | | 633 | Shabân 29 | = Tuesday | \*Minhâj\*, H. M. Elliot, II, | 330 | | 638 | Muharram 8 | = Monday | ... | ... | 338 | | 640 | Rajab 9 | = Friday | ... | ... | 343 | | 645 | Muharram 2 | = Thursday | ... | ... | 347 | | 655 | I Rabi 6 | = Sunday | ... | ... | 356 | | 656 | Muharram 6 | = Sunday | ... | ... | 358 | | 801 | II Rabi 8 | = Wednesday, | Timur's own date of | | | | | | | capture of Delhi, | | | | | | | H. M. E., III | ... | 443 | ### [c22.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.9) Dowson erroneously gives 17th December 1398 as the European date of the capture instead of 18th. The 17th December was Tuesday— ### [c22.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.10) | A. H. 912 | II Jamadi 8 | Monday | Babar's Memoirs, | page 201 | | 925 | Muharram 1 | Monday | ... | ... | „ 246 | | 925 | I Rabi 11 | Sunday | ... | ... | „ 260 | | 932 | Safar 1 | Friday | ... | ... | „ 290 | | 933 | I Rabi 16 | Friday | ... | ... | „ 347 | | 936 | Muharram 3 | Tuesday | ... | ... | „ 425 | | 949 | Rajab 5 | Sunday | Akbar born.—Blochmann. | | | | 963 | II Rabi 2 | Friday | Akbar placed on throne at | | | | | | | Kalanor by Bairâm. | | | ### [c22.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.11) Occasionally, however, the week days of both inscriptions and books will be found to differ \*one day\* from the week days of the tables. If this should be the case in several instances of the same writer, the discrepancy must be due to his having used a slightly different order of the intercalary years. The numbers of the intercalary years which I have used in the accompanying Tables are those of Ulugh Beg, which are the most generally accepted,—namely—2—5—7—10—13—16—18—21—24—26—29. But according to Jervis the Indian Almanacs give three of the numbers differently, or one in each decade of each cycle. These different numbers are 8, 19 and 27, instead of 7, 18 and 26. The result is, that where the years 8, 19 and 27 are made intercalary, those years will begin one day \*earlier\* than in the Tables, and every day throughout each of those years will also be one day earlier. In the accompanying Tables I have placed Roman numerals against the intercalary years of the accepted reckoning, and stars against the three years which differ. ### [c22.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.12) I have found this discrepancy of a single day in the following dates:— ### [c22.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.13) | | Recorded Date. | | Date by Tables. | | | | A. H. 630 | Safar 20 | Tuesday | Monday | Minhâj, H. M. Elliott, II, 327 | | | 634 | Rajab 6 | Friday | Thursday | ... | ... | | 882 | Muharram 1 | Wednesday | Tuesday | Pandua inscription. | | | 899 | Ramzân 4 | Monday | Sunday | Babar's Memoirs | ... 7 | | 926 | Muharram 1 | Saturday | Friday | ... | ... 281 | | 934 | Muharram 1 | Saturday | Friday | ... | ... 373 | | 977 | I Rabi 17 | Wednesday | Tuesday | Jahângir born. | | | 1000 | II Jamâdi 6 | Saturday | Friday | Tabakâti Akbari. | | ### [c22.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.14) It must be confessed, however, that not one of the above dates falls in the 8th, the 19th, or the 27th years, so that I can only suggest carelessness on the part of the writers as the probable explanation of the discrepancies. The following more glaring instances will be sufficient to show that even the best Muhammadan authors are not free from errors of this kind: ### [c22.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.15) Minhâj—A. H. 634, I Rabi 18—\*Sunday\*, should be \*Wednesday\*. ——A. H. 637, Ramzan 27—\*Monday\*, should be \*Friday\*. Baber—A. H. 933, Muharram 25—\*Monday\*, should be \*Thursday\*. ### [c22.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.16) This last mistake has been noticed by Erskine. ### [c22.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.17) In using the general table of the initial days of the Hijra years, it is only necessary to remember that all the dates up to the beginning of A.D. 1753 are given in Julian reckoning or Old Style, and from that date in Gregorian reckoning or New Style. The week days of course remain unchanged, whichever reckoning is used. The correction of the calendar took place in Engalnd in A.D. 1752, when eleven days were struck out after the 2nd September, making the next day the 14th instead of the 3rd. This change occurred towards the end of the Hijra year 1165. In the table I have given the beginning of the year 1166 in the New Style as Wednesday the 8th November 1752. By the Old Style reckoning the date would have been Wednesday, 28th October. ### [c22.18](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.18) To find the day of the week on which any given year of the Hijra began, the following rule is given by Woolhouse— ### [c22.19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.19) 1st.—Find the year of the current cycle by dividing the proposed Hijra year by 30. ### [c22.20](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.20) 2nd.—Divide the number of cycles thus obtained by 7, to obtain the number of the period. ### [c22.21](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.21) Now take the year 1000 A. H. as an example— 1000 A. H. 30 Cycles 33 + 10 = current year of cycle. 33 cycles. 7 4 + 5 = number of period. ### [c22.22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.22) Then look in the following table for the intersection of the current year of the cycle, or 10, with the number of the period, or 5, and it will be found that the initial day is Saturday, which is correct: ### [c22.23](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.23) | Current year of the cycle. | | | | Number of the period of 7 cycles. | | | | | | | | | | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | | 0 | 8 | ... | ... | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | S. | Frid. | Wed. | | 1 | 9 | 17 | 25 | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | S. | | \*2 | \*10 | \*18 | \*26 | Tues. | S. | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | | 3 | 11 | 19 | 27 | S. | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | | 4 | 12 | 20 | 28 | Thur. | Tues. | S. | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | | \*5 | \*13 | \*21 | \*29 | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | S. | Frid. | Wed. | | 6 | 14 | 22 | 30 | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | S. | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | | \*7 | 15 | 23 | ... | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | S. | Frid. | | ... | \*16 | \*24 | ... | S. | Frid. | Wed. | Mon. | Sat. | Thur. | Tues. | ### [c22.24](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.24) The calculation of this table is based on the fact that as the cycle consists of 30 years, the whole series of week day changes will be exhausted in each period of 30 × 7 = 210 years. Thus the year 1 A.H. having begun on a Friday, the following years would also begin on Friday:— ### [c22.25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.25) O.S. A. H. 1 = Friday, 16th July 622 A.D. 211 = Friday, 13th April 826 ,, 421 = Friday, 9th January 1030 ,, 631 = Friday, 7th October 1233 ,, 841 = Friday, 5th July 1437 ,, 1051 = Friday, 2nd April 1641 ,, 1261 = Friday, 10th January 1845 N.S. ### [c22.26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.26) As the calendar was corrected in England in A. D. 1752, during the currency of the Hijra year 1165, the last entry is given in New Style, or Gregorian reckoning. ### [c22.27](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.27) But the initial week day of any given year of the Hijra can also be obtained by a short calculation, starting from any one of the above periods. Thus taking the year 1000 A. H. as before, and remembering that the intercalary days are inserted in the following years of each cycle— ### [c22.28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.28) The calculation is as follows :— ### [c22.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.29) 1000 A. H. — 841 = 159 years. × 4 = No. of days in each year in excess of 50 weeks. 636 days 150 years = 5 cycles = 55 days, at 11 intercalary days per cycle of 30 years. In 9 years over 5 cycles = 3 intercalary days \[2nd, 5th, 8th years\] — 159 Total 694 days. ÷ 7 — Weeks 99 + 1 day = Saturday. ### [c22.30](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.30) that is, one day over Friday = Saturday, the same as derived from Woolhouse's Table.\[\*\] ### [c22.31](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.31) When a full table is not at hand for finding a date by simple inspection, either of the above methods will be found very useful, as both are absolutely correct. ### [c22.32](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22.32) ∗ Woolhouse's account of the Hijra Era will be found in "Weights and Measures of all Nations."—Weale, 1856. ## Linked texts (1) - [Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri) — Minhāj al-Dīn Jūzjānī --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.cunningham-1883.c22) · Pramāṇa