Different Thithi (Dates) for

different Hindu gods

It looks like that the IVC priests had used moon calendar
for their time keeping. The present day Hindu calendar is a
mixture of Sun calendar as well as moon calendar. But, the act
of counting days, still continues to be the cycle of 14 days + 14
days. (i.e. fourteen days of waxing moon and fourteen days of
waning moon). Some of the Indus symbols apparently tallies
with present day Hindu calendar ideas. For example, the sixth

day of the fortnight is not written as six lines , but it is

written as comb symbol indicating the word Shasti. Similar is

the way of writing the number eight. It is written as Ashtaka
symbol instead of eight lines. On the same lines, number ten

is shown as empty chair (judgement seat of Yama) . All

these evidence point out that the IVC calendar ideas have not
disappeared, but still are in practice as on today. I have made a
correlation table showing the day and relevant (ruling) god of
that day, which still surprisingly tallies with the ideas of IVC
priests. (the table is given below) Numbers, which are
frequently used are the 3rd day,4th day, 6th day,8th day & 12th
day. These days are very specific days on which rituals are
conducted after the death of the person. Whereas number 11,
13 & 14 are absent. Numbers 5, 7,9 &10 are very rarely used.
All these factors indicate that the Indus seal inscriptions of
numbers suggest that they were used for funeral ceremonies
and not for any commercial calculation. This numbering
specificity is another evidence to my necropolis theory on IVC
(1).

Frequency table of Sundar et al (2)

showing the frequency of various
numbers in Indus Inscriptions
Symbols variations of Frequency Total frequency
the numbers
1 149

2 365

3 465

4 70+ 64 =134 189

43 + 11=55

5 38+ 22 60
6 38 393

355

7 70 87
 17

number
seven within
bracket
8 Nil 227 + 26 641 (note-1)
-----------
Number eight
is totally 105
missing How
is it logically 105
possible?

91

42

35

10

9 nil Note-2
10 nil Note-2
11 nil Note-2
12 70

13 nil Note-3
14 nil Note-3

(Note-1)
This total number 641 is quite high. It is possible that all these
variations may not be indicating the word Astaka. The Symbol
Pipal leaf and it variants may be indicating the god Karkinos.

(Note-2)
Numbers nine, ten and eleven also occurs but in very small
numbers. Refer to the book of Asko Parpola (3), the figure 5.1
where these symbols and numbers are listed out. Since the
frequency is low, the team of Sundar et al has not taken these
small numbers into consideration.
(Note-3)
Numbers thirteen and fourteen are totally absent in Indus
civilisation inscriptions.
This table is prepared based on the data made available by
Sundar et al. (2)

There are 30 Thithis in each lunar month,

they named as following as given in the table:

(Details are taken from Wikipedia article under the head

Tithi)

In Vedic timekeeping, a Thithi is a lunar day or the time it

takes for the longitudinal angle between the Moon and the Sun
to increase by 12. Tithis begin at varying times of day and
vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately
26 hours. (4)

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 Thithi.

Thithi plays an important role along with Nakshatra in

Hindus' daily as well as special activities in selecting
the Muhurta. There are good Thithi as well as bad Thithis (5).
 Krishna Paksha Indus Deity and properties
Sl.No
(dark fortnight) symbols (as per Wikipedia)
The presiding deity of
the first lunar day is Agni, and
1 Prathama it is safe for all types of
auspicious and religious
ceremonies.
Vidhatr or Bramha
rules this lunar day and is
good for the laying of
2 Dwitiya
foundations for buildings and
other things of a permanent
nature.
Gauri is the lord of this
day and is suitable for the
3 Tritiya
cuttings of one's hair and
nails and shaving.
4 Chaturthi Yama/Ganapati is lord
of the 4th lunar day, which is
The fourth suitable for the destruction of
day after the death one's enemies, the removal
of a person is the of obstacles, and acts of
most important combat.
ceremony. Ruled by
Yama / may be the
day of judgement.
The five prongs of
Pitchfork may be a variation,
but this symbol also indicates
Four Kalan (Yama).
prongs of pitchfork'
also could be
indicating the fourth
day. This pitch for God with forked
weapon tallies well hands could be Kalan.
with god Yama.

This Ankush
This
symbol may be indicating the
four legged Chair or
weapon of god Ganesh. This
Stool may be
Ankush symbol indicates
indicating fourth day
destruction of one's enemies,
i.e. Chaturthi
the removal of obstacles, and
acts of combat.
 The Naga or Serpents
rule this day, which is
5 Panchami the favourable for administering
caduceus symbol medicine, the purging of
may be indicating the poisons, and surgery.
serpents as well as
the fifth day of a
fortnight.

Karttikeya presides
The six over this day and is
prongs of this comb favourable for coronations,
symbol indicate the meeting new friends,
6 Shashti
sixth day of the festivities, and enjoyment.
month, which is
called as Shashti, the God/Goddess is also
God is also called as called as Shashti.
Shashti.
The 7th lunar day is
ruled by Surya; one may
begin a journey, buy
7 Saptami
conveyances, and deal with
other such things of a
movable nature.
The Rudra rule this
day, which is good for taking
8 Ashtami
up arms, the building of one's
defences, and fortification.
The Ambika rules this
day, which is suitable for
killing enemies, acts of
9 Navami
destruction, and violence.
Inauspicious for ceremonies
and journeys.
10 Dasami The day is ruled by
Dharmaraja and is auspicious
for acts of virtue, religious
Ruled by Yama/ functions, spiritual practices,
Dharmaraja/day of and other pious activities.
judgement. The chair
symbol may be
indicating the day of God with ten
judgement and Yama heads may be Ravana, later
 identified with Yama and
Dharmaraja.
Dharmaraja.
Rudra rule this day;
fasting, religious activities,
and remembrance of the
Supreme Lord are very
11 Ekadasi
favourable. This day has
special religious significance
in Hinduism and Jainism
usually observed by fasting.
The Vishnu or Aditya
rules this day, which is
auspicious for religious
12 Dvadasi
ceremonies, the lighting of
the sacred fire, and the
performance of one's duties.

Pradosha is a
bimonthly occasion
on the thirteenth day The day is ruled by
of every fortnight in Cupid and is good for forming
13 Trayodasi
Hindu calendar. It is friendships, sensual
closely connected pleasures, and festivities.
with the worship of
Nandi, messenger
and gatekeeper of
Hindu god Shiva.
(Note-1)
Kali rules this day,
Chaturdash suitable for administering
14
i poison and calling of
elementals and spirits.
The Pitru-Devas rule
Amavasya
the New Moon, suitable for
(new moon)
the propitiation of the Manes
(or) and performance of
15
austerities. Purnima is
Purnima or
governed by Moon and is
Paurnami
suitable for merry making
(full moon)
and fire sacrifice.

All these 15 days will be repeated again for the waxing

phase/waning phase of the moon with the same numbers and
gods and relevant rituals. These numbering pattern available in
Indus inscriptions show that the IVC priests had used moon
based calendar, which is still being used in modern India for
fixing the dates of religious festivals and important ceremony
dates. Most probably Indus seal inscriptions numbers and days
were used for calculation of funeral ceremonies.

(Note-1) Pradosha or Pradosham (IAST: Pradoa) is a

bimonthly occasion on the thirteenth day of every fortnight in
Hindu calendar (6). It is closely connected with the worship of
Hindu god Shiva.
During every month and every Paksha, the point of time
when Triyodashi (13th day of the fortnight) meets the end of
Dwadasi (12th day of the fortnight) is called Pradosha (7).
During Pradosha, Nandi (the sacred bull of Shiva) in all the
Shiva temples in South India is worshipped. The festival idol of
Shiva with Parvathi in a seated pose on Nandi is taken as a
procession in the temple complex.

1. Jeyakumar(Necropolis).
Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilization. www.academia.edu. [Online]
2009.
https://www.academia.edu/7773502/Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilizati
on.
2. Sundar, G.,Chandrsekar,S.SureshBabu,G.C.,Mahaadevan,I. The-
Indus-Script-Text-and-Context. wordpress/wp-content/uploads. [Online] 2010.
http://203.124.120.60/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/43-The-Indus-Script-Text-
and-Context.pdf.
3. Parpola, Asko. Deciphering the Indus Script. Cambridge : Cambridge
University Press, 2000.
4. Defouw, Hart and Svoboda, Robert. Light on Life: An Introduction to
the Astrology of India. . s.l. : Lotus Press. , 2003. ISBN 0-940985-69-1..
5. wikipedia(Tithi). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithi. [Online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithi.
6. wikipedia(V._Nagam_Aiya). Travancore state Manual. 1906.
7. Subramuniyaswami, Satguru Sivaya. Dancing With Siva :
Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism,. s.l. : Himalayan Academy, (2003). , ISBN
0-945497-89-X..