India has a great repository of traditional knowledge which aims at the health, nutrition and well-being of humans. Such traditional knowledge grounded in scientific facts is required to be disseminated to the masses for creating scientific awareness.
On the occasion of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (NavVarsh), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR) and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) jointly released a Thematic Luni-Solar Calendar on 13 April 2021.
This thematic wall calendar is based on ‘Food as Medicine’. Since 2020, the world has been facing the acute challenge of the COVID pandemic, which has unveiled the importance of our food habits and the resultant immunity.
During the release function, Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director, CSIR-NISCAIR emphasised that Luni-Solar Calendar is based on science and its release by a science popularisation institute like CSIR-NISCAIR makes it more significant and fruitful. She highlighted two salient outcomes of this Luni-Solar calendar which are time calculation and Indian food.
On this occasion, Director General of CSIR, Dr Shekhar C. Mande said that India has a rich heritage of space exploration and time calculation. In his address, he explained the scientific basis of the Indian calendar system. He also said that the calendar features significant information on Fruits and Vegetables from India. Fruits and vegetables possess great nutritional and health values. Keeping this in view, the United Nations has declared the year 2021 as “International Year of Fruits and Vegetables”. In this context, the calendar depicts the important seasonal fruits and vegetables, their nutritional & medicinal value, and Indian names wherever possible.
Shri Jayant Sahasrabudhe, National Organising Secretary, Vijnana Bharati said that Indian traditional knowledge tells us ‘how to live in harmony with nature’. He said that there is a need for scientific temper for handling the environmental challenges. The right kinds of diet and food ensure human health. And this inspired us to develop a calendar on the theme of ‘Food as Medicine’.
Prof. Somak Raychaudhury, Director, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) delivered his lecture on the theme “Indian Astronomy and Calendar System”. He explained the scientific basis of motion of Earth around the Sun, relation of Earth with moon and other stars, the motion of Sun through the year, the importance of the Equinox, measures of time and main calendar systems (Solar, Lunar and Luni-Solar calendars). He also discussed the Roman (Julian) calendar and the Bengali calendar.
Dr Arvind C. Ranade, Scientist-F with Vigyan Prasar and Governing Body Member of VIBHA, in his address discussed the scientific concept of the Luni-Solar calendar. In addition to salient features and terms and explanation of this calendar, he also elaborated the significance of Surya Siddhanta, Chandramasa and Samvatsara. He clarified that in the calendar, all other features of the regular calendar such as the national holidays, festivals, birthdays of Indian scientists, etc. are also included.
Later, the dignitaries released the Thematic Calendar. This is a Luni-Solar Calendar, prominently displaying the ‘Tithi’ and ‘Paksha’. It also displays the corresponding date as per the Indian National Calendar of the Government of India and the Gregorian system, highlighting the scientific basis of the Indian calendar system and scientific content on the seasonal fruits and vegetables.
