ADHIKA MAASAM (Intercalary month) - Concept & Technicalities
ADHIKA MAASAM (Intercalary month)... (Concept-Technicalities) INTRODUCTION... Generally we keep hearing the word Adhika Masam once in every two/three years. In Lunar calendar we have only 12 months starting from Chaithra Masam and ending with Phalguna Maasam. Similarly; in a Solar calendar starting from Mesha Masam to Meena Masam and in a civil calendar January to December. When such is the case, what is this Adhika Masam, why is it, what is its significance, when does it occur? Let us try to understand its concept, significance and technicalities. WHAT IS ADHIKA MAASAM? WHAT IS ITS CONCEPT? Literally Adhika means additional, extra and Masa means a month. Adhika Maasa means an extra month. We would have observed that in Western Calendar there is a concept called Leap Year which occurs once in every four years when we find an extra day is added to the month of February and that calendar year will have 366 days instead of regular 365 days. Something similar to that,...