Tithi

In Vedic timekeeping, a ''tithi'' is a "duration of two faces of moon that is observed from earth", known as ''milа̄lyа̄'' () in Nepal Bhasa, or the time it takes for the longitudinal angle between the Moon and the Sun to increase by 12 °. In other words, a tithi is a time duration between the consecutive epochs that correspond to when the longitudinal angle between the Sun and the Moon is an integer multiple of 12°. Tithis begin at varying times of day and vary in duration approximately from 19 to 26 hours. Every day of a lunar month is called tithi.

Panchanga

A Hindu ''muhurta'' (forty-eight minute duration) can be represented in five attributes of Hindu astronomy namely, '' vara'' the weekday, ''tithi'', ''nakshatra'' the Moon's asterism, ''yoga'' the angular relationship between Sun and Moon and ''karana'' half of tithi.

''Tithi'' plays an important role along with ''nakshatra'' in Hindus' daily as well as special activities in selecting the ''muhurta''. There are auspicious ''tithis'' as well as inauspicious ''tithis'', each considered more propitious for some purposes than for other.

In ''amānta'' lunar calenders, ''tithi''s are counted beginning at ''śukla pratipada'', while in the ''pūrṇimānta'' lunar calenders, ''tithi''s are counted from ''kr̥ṣṇa pratipada''. The ''śukla'' ''tithi''s are when the moon waxes, and the ''kr̥ṣṇa tithi''s are when the moon wanes. The average ''tithi'' lasts 23 hours 37.5 minutes, and can range from 19 hours 59 minutes to 26 hours 47 minutes. The calculation of ''tithi'' timings may also differ on whether one uses the traditional methods for calculating the Sun and Moon's movement as promulgated in the ''Sūrya Siddhānta'' or modern methods which correctly calculate the true motions of the Sun and Moon. The ''tithi'' in place at sunrise is considered the "''tithi'' of the day", although the ''tithi'' may end before the next sunrise in which case the next ''tithi'' begins. Because the length of a ''tithi'' is also variable a case can arise where a ''tithi'' begins after sunrise and ends prior to the next sunrise, which is called a ''kṣaya tithi''. The opposite phenomenon can occur where a ''tithi'' in place during a sunrise is still present in the following sunrise which is called an ''adhika'' or ''ahorātra tithi''.

There are 30 ''tithis'' in each lunar month, named as:

See also

''Tithi'' is one of the five elements of a ''Pañcāṅga''. The other four elements:

* ''Nakshatra''
* '' Karaṇa''
* ''Nityayoga''
* '' Vāra''

References

Calendars
Units of time
Astronomy in India
History of astronomy
Hindu astronomy
Hindi words and phrases
Hindu calendar
Articles containing video clips

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