Indian Epigraphy c15.s1.t1.3

c15.s1.t1.3

The years of the Hijrī era are lunar. The months are counted from the sight of moon after the new-moon (i.e. from the evening of the 2nd tithi of the bright fortnight). The days are counted from the evening of one day to that of another. The twelve months of the Hijrī era are the following : (1) Muharram, (2) Safar, (3) Rabi’ul Avval ( i.e. Rabi’ I ), (4) Rabi’ul Akhir or Rabi’uṣ Sānī ( i.e. Rabi’ II ), (5) Jamadaul Avval (i. e. Jamada I), (6) Jamadaul Akhir or Jamadauṣ Sānī (i. e. Jamada II), (7) Rajab, (8) Shāban, (9) Ramẓān, (10) Shavval, (11) Zilqada, and (12) Zilhijja. Since the duration of the lunar month is 29 days, 31 ghaṭikās or daṇḍas 50 palas and 7 vipalas, the lunar year is shorter than the solar year by 10 days, 53 ghaṭikās or daṇḍas, 30 palas and 6 vipalas. Thus in a century of solar years, we have 103 lunar years, 24 days and 9 ghaṭikās or daṇḍas. The lunar year may happen to begin from any date in any month of the solar year without any link with the seasons.