People believe that Jyotish (Vedic astrology) is a pseudoscience, yet we accept and follow the Western calendar. In Indian astrology, the names of the months have astronomical significance, whereas the Western calendar does not.
| Month | Number | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | Named after Janus, the Roman god |
| February | 2 | Derived from Februa, a Roman festival |
| March | 3 | Named after Mars, the god of war |
| April | 4 | Origin is unclear; possibly named after Aphrodite |
| May | 5 | Named after Maia, a Roman goddess |
| June | 6 | Named after Juno, wife of Jupiter |
| July | 7 | Originally Quintilis; later renamed after Julius Caesar |
| August | 8 | Originally Sextilis (sixth month) but renamed after Augustus Caesar |
| September | 9 | Originally the seventh month (“sept” means seven) but became the ninth |
| October | 10 | Originally the eighth month (“oct” means eight) but became the tenth |
| November | 11 | Originally the ninth month but became the eleventh due to the addition of two months |
| December | 12 | Originally the tenth month (“dec” means ten) but became the twelfth |
In contrast, the Indian or Hindu calendar is astronomical and dates back thousands of years, as documented in texts like the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavata, and other Indian astronomical works. The names of the months align with the positions of the full moon in specific constellations (Nakshatras):
| Indian Month | Start Month | End Month | Astronomical Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaitra | March | April | Full moon in Chitra (Star: Spica) |
| Vaishakha | April | May | Full moon in Vishakha (Stars: Alpha Librae / Zubenelgenubi) |
| Jyeshtha | May | June | Full moon in Jyeshtha (Star: Antares) |
| Ashadha | June | July | Full moon in Uttara Ashadha (Stars: Sigma Sagittarii / Nunki) |
| Shravana | July | August | Full moon in Shravana (Star: Altair) |
| Bhadrapada | August | September | Full moon in Purva Bhadrapada (Stars: Alpha Pegasi / Markab) |
| Ashwin | September | October | Full moon in Ashwini (Stars: Beta Arietis / Sheratan) |
| Kartika | October | November | Full moon in Krittika (Stars: Pleiades Cluster / Seven Sisters) |
| Margashirsha | November | December | Full moon in Mrigashira (Star: Bellatrix) |
| Pausha | December | January | Full moon in Pushya (Star: Cancri / Asellus Australis) |
| Magha | January | February | Full moon in Magha (Star: Regulus) |
| Phalguna | February | March | Full moon in Uttara Phalguni (Star: Denebola) |