Hindu Calendar
The Hindu calendar allows people to look for auspicious days and not-so auspicious days. Whenever somebody is trying to start something new, they always look out for an auspicious day to begin the new start.
It could be reporting to a new job, starting a new project, beginning something on a personal note, starting a new venture and so on.
For all these purpose, people make sure to begin something on a very auspicious day, so that the start leads them to prosperous new roads.
Everybody strives hard to achieve success in their lives. Success does not come easily. It comes with a lot of hard work.
So when that hard work is doubled up into success, people thank god for blessing them. When somebody wants to purchase a new article or a gadget for their home or may be a new vehicle, it all depends on the auspicious time and auspicious day of purchase.
People consult experts in this field when it comes to doing big dealings like property related matters. Politicians rely on expert astrologers to give them expert advice on when to file their nomination papers so that the auspiciousness of the day delivers them luck and prosperity.
Hindus believe in many gods and deities and hold special puja and fasting to please them. But there are also days that are considered not so auspicious to do anything new. For example, buying a property on the day of Amavasya is considered bad.
It is not good to travel in certain days of the month. It is not good to start new ventures on particular days of the month and so forth. Likewise, Hindu calendars provide and extensive and exhaustive guide on when to find a good day or when not to start on a bad day.
Auspicious and Inauspicious Days
People usually do not begin anything new on a Tuesday of any week. It is considered totally inauspicious and totally non-effective to start something on a Tuesday.
Married women are particularly chosen not to leave for their parents’ places on a Friday evening as it symbolizes leaving the house at the wrong time.
These are practices that have come forth since ancient times and our forefathers believed in them strongly, many people believe in them even today.
The No-Moon Day
The day of Amavasya is considered a no-moon day. It is a day of total darkness in the sky.
Tides in the sea and beaches can be seen to rising particularly high during the days of Amavasya since the lunar pull or the gravitational pull towards the moon is considered to be specifically high on such days.
Travelling on an Amavasya day or the day before or after Amavasya is considered to be very dangerous and risky. People prefer not to travel far off distances when they have to leave on an Amavasya day.
It is known to cause accidents since there is no moon in the sky and the Amavasya nights are known to be especially powerful.
People on vacations near beaches would be advised to stay off shores as they may experience high tides in the sea, which would not be the usual case and hence advisable to take precautions when venturing out.
Fishermen on a regular basis know the sea too well and on Amavasya days, have their change in the routine. People prefer not to dust their homes on that day as it is considered to bring bad omen to the house.
There are many cases when major accidents have occurred when people travelled long distances on an Amavasya day. There are certain days when traveling are most favorable.
But with the passage of time and the hectic lifestyles and busy work schedules, in today’s world, nobody really bothers too much about these issues.
Special Occasion’s
There is also a day in the Hindu calendar called Mahalaya Amavasya, just before the start of Navarathri and the day holds great significance in Hindu customs. Forefathers and ancestors are remembered on that day and offerings made in their names.
People flock to great rivers to take a holy dip in the national and big rivers. It is known to ward off their sins by taking a holy dip in the rivers on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya.
The Amavasya of Diwali is a very special one. People perform puja to Goddess Lakshmi on that day, praying her for luck and prosperity.
Shopkeepers in particular do special puja at their shops and distribute sweets to their customers on that day. People keep the gold coins and expensive jewelleries to perform puja and thank god for whatever she has offered them.
Since on Amavasya, there is no moon to see, the sky appears darker. People are known to injure themselves when going on long drives and elders of the house surely disagree travelling extensively on such days.
Amavasya is inauspicious to some people, but for some others it is a day when they feast and celebrate.
Different takes on Amavasya
Different people have different forms of faiths and traditions. It all depends on the people to perceive the right thing and differentiate it from the bad.
In many temples of South India, it is considered to be inauspicious on Amavasya days. Priests do not perform anything special on those days.
There are many women who deliver babies on the day of Amavasya. The strange thing is, their husbands who think of Amavasya as a bad omen or a day that is not so auspicious resist their wives from giving birth on the day of Amavasya.
This may lead to complications in delivery, so for some exceptional cases, there would be a need to go against traditions and customs.
In India, people refer to the ancient scriptures applied in modern ways to follow our culture and faiths. Every person has his own faith regarding things about Amavasya etc. Every religion and faith has its own concerns regarding certain days like Amavasya, etc.
In many houses crystallized salt would be placed in a bowl. The salt placed in the bowl acts as a powerful medium to absorb all the negative energy and act normal.
Amavasya falling on a Monday is also considered to be very auspicious. It is believed to help childless parents to have children of their own. There are many beliefs in Hindu traditional systems that have been followed since time immemorial.
Some practices may find relevance even today and some may not be followed with the passage of time. People believe in the power of the Amavasya day and try to be as cautious as possible.
Little children are not allowed to play for long durations in the park and it’s only with parent supervision that they let them play.
Relevance with our Lives
Amavasya or the day of total darkness gives way to another day, followed by another night when the moon could be spotted.
This holds relevance in our everyday lives also. A no-moon day is generally considered to like a dark phase in the Hindu calendar.
Similarly this can be related to the problems we have in our lives. Life is filled with both happiness and miseries.
But we must have the patience to allow the sad phase to move and make way for new light and brightness to spread cheer. Amavasya is a very dark and negative day that holds no light in it.
This can be compared to a dark phase in our own lives. If we sit worrying in the dark phase, naturally it wouldn’t yield any sort of result.
We must conquer our fears and fight the dark phase. We must allow brightness to set in and leave the darkness behind.
This happens in everybody’s lives and this is a wonderful way of nature to teach man to be simplistic and honest in his deeds.
Every night makes way for another day. But every night of Amavasya is an even darker night that can be compared to a dark patch in our lives. Something like a non-performing or non-yielding phase.
But it’s bound to change. Every month, the day of Amavasya recurs. In the same way, problems recur in man’s life. It’s a big struggle for man to achieve success.
The path of life is definitely not a simple one and the best way nature educates man about this is through the different working of nature.
All that is required is our strength to overcome darkness, just as we cross the day of Amavasya and begin a new day in a new way.
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