Prahar
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Prahar or Prahara is a
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
term for a unit of time, or subdivision of the day, approximately three hours long.


Definition

The day is divided into eight parts: four ''prahara''s for the day, and four for the night. The first ''prahara'' of the day begins at sunrise, and the fourth ''prahara'' of the day ends at sunset. A second round of four ''prahara''s unfolds during the night, between sunset and sunrise. The traditional system of ''prahara''s overlaps with the traditional system of
muhurta Muhūrta ( sa, मुहूर्त, translit=muhūrtaṃ) is a Hindu unit of measurement for time along with nimiṣa, kāṣṭhā, and kalā in the Hindu calendar. In the Brāhmaṇas, ''muhūrta'' denotes a division of time: 1/30 of a day, ...
s also, which is based on precise astronomical calculations. Thus, the day can be regarded as divided into eight ''prahara''s (of three hours each) or thirty ''muhurta''s (of 48 minutes each). In both systems, the day commences with sunrise. The timing of the two systems coincides only at sunrise and sunset (four ''prahara''s coincide with fifteen ''muhurta''s at the twelve-hour, or 720-minute, point).


History

In the ancient
Puranas Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
, the day is divided into eight ''praharas'': four for the day and four for the night. The concept still prevails today in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, particularly in connection with the performance of
Indian classical music Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...
(see below).


Timing

The first ''prahara'' is commonly placed at sunrise, although some sources place it at the brahma-muhurta, a period of time before sunrise (around 4.30 am when Venus can be sighted). The concept of ''prahar'' originated where the lengths of the day and night were based on actual, observable sunrise and sunset. The four ''prahara''s of the day start at sunrise, and the four ''prahara''s of the night at sunset. If the location is near the
equator The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...
, where day and night are the same length year round, the ''prahara''s of the day and the ''prahara''s of the night will be of equal length (three hours each). In other regions, where the relative length of day and night varies according to the season, the ''prahara''s of the day will be longer or shorter than the ''prahara''s of the night. Contemporary discussions of ''prahara'' often use 7:00 am (the time of sunrise at the equator and at the
equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...
es) as a theoretical fixed point of reference for mapping out the ''prahara''s at three-hour intervals (7-10, 10-1, etc.). This scheme is a useful pedagogical tool and an efficient way of applying the concept of ''prahara'' in a technological "clock" culture. However, it's important to realize that this rigid schema most likely does not capture the original application of ''prahara.'' In a traditional, non-technological culture, the length of day and night are based on observable sunrise and sunset. The day, which starts at sunrise and ends at sunset, is divided into four ''prahara''s of equal length; and, the night, which starts at sunset and ends at sunrise, is also divided into four equal watches. During the summer, when the days are longer than the nights, the ''praharas'' of the day will be longer than the ''praharas'' of the night, and vice versa during the winter. The question of how to handle the ''prahara''s when days and nights are unequal in length is critical for timing the performance of
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
s, since each ''raga'' is ideally performed during a certain ''prahara''.


Indian classical music

Some
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
s of the
Indian classical music Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...
are prescribed to be performed at a particular ''prahara'' to maximize their
aesthetic Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed th ...
effects (''see'' samay). Perhaps the earliest mention of the relation between
raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
and time is
Narada Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
's ''
Sangita Makaranda Sangita (Devanagari: , IAST: ), also spelled Samgita or Sangeeta, refers to "music and associated performance arts" in the Indian traditions. According to Guy Beck, the root "saṃ-" implies "combining, coming together, convergent wholesome blendi ...
,'' written sometime between the 7th and 11th century, which warns musicians against playing ''ragas'' at the incorrect time of day. Pandit V.N. Bhatkhande (1860-1936), who formulated the modern system of Indian musical thāt, states that the correct time (or ''prahara'') to play a ''raga'' has a relation to its ''thāt'', or scale.


Modern etymology and usage

The word commonly used in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
,
Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
is prahar (
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
/ Nepali प्रहर,
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
and
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
is prohor (
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
প্রহর) in Marathi it is pronounced as Prahar (प्रहर). In
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
and
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
Henry M. Hoenigswald, ''Spoken Hindustani'', vol. 2, p. 403. Henry Holt (1945) In
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
the corresponding word is ''dui-pôhor'' or more commonly ''dupur''. In Marathi, afternoon is Dupaar with same etymology as in Hindi. It is known as ''Paar'' in, Konkani, where First Prahara is known as '' Faantya Paar'' (from Sanskrit, प्रातः प्रहर), and afternoon is known as ''Donpaar''.


References

{{reflist Time in India Time in Hinduism