Explanation on why Diwali falls on October 30

Oct 15, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
My name is Pandit Yudhishthir Dhanrajh. I am the son of Pandit Munesh Dhanrajh, and grandson of the late and renowned Pandit Dhanrajh of Essequibo. Pt. Dhanrajh was an excellent scholar of Jyotish, and one of the top Astrologers in Guyana in his time. I am currently studying Sanskrit Vyakaran, Karmakand, and Jyotish at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in Varanasi, India. In the past few weeks there have been conflicting reports regarding the precise dates of Hindu Festivals.
On October 10th, 2016, Pandit Balbadar stated that since Amaawasya Tithi (New Moon Phase) ends at exactly 1:37pm on the 30th, it is not possible to celebrate Diwali on the night of the 30th, as the auspicious time (Mangal Samay) would have expired. This is not accurate according to Vedic Astrology. According to the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, department of Jyotish, when a Panchang is prepared, it takes India as the point of reference.
In the past, this system would have applied to the majority of Hindus, and it worked very well. However now there is a growing Indian Diaspora spread throughout the Globe in different time zones. When it is 10:00am in Guyana, New York, and Toronto (Before Daylight Savings), it is 7:30pm in India.
This doesn’t mean that we should eat dinner instead of breakfast. The same applies to our festivals. Living in Guyana, we have to take our position in the globe as our point of reference. The question will be raised, that the phases of the moon are the same for the entire world, and do not depend on time. Moon phases can change during the day. So why is it that Hindu and Sikh women celebrate Karwa Chauth by waiting to see the moon before breaking fast? Why don’t they break their fast during the day when devotees in India see the moon? We should learn from this example.
Due to our point of reference being different from India, the Mangal Samay has not expired, even though Amaawasya may have concluded with respect to India. It is considered very auspicious to see the moon (Soma Darshan) at night, since during the day Surya Deva is ruling.
Therefore, to say that Diwali is finishing in the afternoon of the 30thand therefore must be celebrated the night before (29th of October) shows a lack of understanding of Jyotish, astrophysics, and astronomy.
India celebrates Diwali on October 30th, but India and Guyana are not in the same time zone and location in the globe. When India celebrates Christmas on the 25th, do we celebrate it on the 24? No, instead we have a western calendar calibrated for our needs. Unfortunately, no astrologer to date has created a Panchang for our continent and time zone. That will be a project I will work on upon completion of my studies in Varanasi. It is also worth noting that many of these Panchang have influence from South Indian Astrology, which tends to celebrate festivals a day early.
The position of the moon relative to India, will not be the same relative to Guyana, in terms of visibility and distance. That is why only some places are able to see the Lunar Eclipse, whilst others are not. We live in a Spherical world, not a flat one where India rests in the center, and as such those qualified in the field of Jyotish should dispel the doubts of devotees of Satya Sanatan Dharma by scientifically explaining our Calendar, relative to our needs as a country in the western hemisphere.
I have consulted extensively with many doctors in Sampurnanand Sanskrit University about this issue. Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is the most ancient Sanskrit University in the world and the leading authority for Sanskrit and Jyotish in India. This article is approved by them, and we are in agreement that Diwali should be celebrated the night of October 30th in Guyana.
Pt. Yudhishthir Dhanrajh, BSc.

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