Research Article written by London swaminathan

Date: 31  December 2015

Post No. 2445

Time uploaded in London :– 12-56

( Thanks for the Pictures  ) 

DON’T REBLOG IT AT LEAST FOR A WEEK!  DON’T USE THE PICTURES; THEY ARE COPYRIGHTED BY SOMEONE.

This article is uploaded in TAMIL as well.

Every year we hear a debate, sometimes becoming a raging controversy, whether we can celebrate English New Year or not on 1^st January. Actually there is more ‘Hinduism’ in English New Year than any other religion.

So please celebrate Hindu New Year on First January! But it should be a ‘no drinks’, no ‘hanky-panky’ celebration.

Calendars have been changed continuously from the dawn of history. Hindus have more calendar systems than any other culture in the world. The whole world is celebrating New Year based on one or the other of the Hindu calendars. Most of the countries follow either a New Year calendar as March or April as the first month.

January Ganapathy! Ganapathy January!!

January, the first month of English calendar is named after Lord Ganesh. Romans called Ganesh as Janus and worshipped him for 800 years between 400 BCE and 400 CE. Anyone who reads about Janus will find it is nothing but the corruption of Hindu God Ganesh! J and G are interchangeable.

Here are the similarities:

1.Romans worshipped him with two faces facing opposite direction, looking at future and past

2.They installed Janus temples on road sides, entrances and gates.

3.They named the first month after him.

4.Janus is connected with war.

5.Janus temples were constructed in square shapes.

All these are based on Hindu beliefs. Hindus begin any work with the worship of Ganesh. That is why Romans made it as the first month after calendar reformation.

Hindus install Ganesh at the gates or entrances of the temples. Most of the Tamil Ganesh temples are on road sides and in square shaped buildings or platforms. Ganesh is in charge of our future and that is why he is worshipped first. Bhuta Ganas under the leadership of Ganesh serve the army of Lord Shiva.

Romans had Janus temples all over Italy and Nero and other kings issued coins with Janus temples pictures. Even today Janus is displayed in all the museums from Vatican to Louvre. Romans had a city in the name of Janus, ‘Janiculum’ on the banks of River Tiber. Even today, Hindus install Ganesh under a tree mostly on river banks.

So the reformed English calendar is actually Hindu calendar.

Janus in Vatican City.

January 9^th was celebrated as the Birth day of Janus/Ganesh in Italy 2000 years ago!

So we can even sing a Bhajan song in the name of January!

January Ganapathy, Ganapathy January Paahimaam

Ganapthay January, January Ganapathy Rakshamaam

(Paahimaam, Rakshamaam= Protect me, bless me)

Janus Temple in a coin of Emperor Nero

Hindu Sanskrit Months in English!

Sapta = 7= September

Ashta = 8 = October

Nava = 9 = November

Dasa = 10 = December

Sanskrit words for 7, 8, 9, 10 are still used in the names of English months. The entire world was following Hindu calendar beginning in March at one time and so the names for 7,8,9, 10 for September, October, November and December. The latest calendar was called Julian calendar after his reformation. Romans also made lot of changes in the calendar naming certain months after the Roman emperors Julius (July) and Augustus (August) Caesars.

So long as we have these months we will be remembering the Sanskrit numbers.

Even today the Saka year of the Government of India begins around March.

Hindus followed both solar (Tamil, Singhalese, Nepalese, Bengalis, South East Asian countries) and Lunar ( National year, Telugus, Kannadigas etc) calendars. Since it was the largest country in the ancient world each king or region followed different systems.

Hinduism is a religion which will digest everything alien to it and absorb or adapt it to suit it. Tamils have started going to temples like Tirupati, Tiruttani, Palani etc on Pada Yatra ( by foot ) on the English New Year day. This is a typical example how Hindus take everything to their advantage.

Muslim and Christian invaders were so ruthless and killed several thousand before converting them to their religion. They converted the whole of South America and most of Africa. But they could not do such a thing in India even after 1000 years! This is the secret of adaptation and absorption. Hindu religion is an ever changing religion. But it will never sacrifice its basic values such as Truth, Peace, Love, Kindness, Charity, fear of God, Respect for culture, Respect for Elders etc. They don’t bother about superficial forms. They digested and absorbed all that is good from the Greeks, Romans, Sakas and Huns. They boldly adapted certain systems from the Christians and Muslims. The world also took all that is useful from the Hindus such as the numbers, value of zero, domestication of cow and horse etc. Without these Hindu contributions the world would never have seen computers or space rockets! Or a civilization.

ijanus0001p1

Let us celebrate “English” New Year as Hindu New Year on 1^st January in addition to our traditional new years’ celebrations!

Wish you all a Very Happy New Year!

–subham-