Old Javanese calendar

Old Javanese calendar (or Ancient Javanese calendar) was a dating system previously used in inscriptions from various kingdom eras, starting from the Medang Kingdom up to the Majapahit Empire. This dating system was widely used, particularly for writing inscriptions in Java and Bali. Unlike the present-day Javanese and Balinese calendar system, the Old Javanese calendar incorporates a greater number of chronological elements (features more dating components).^[1] It can be said that the Old Javanese calendar is a synthesis of the Hindu Indian calendar, western zodiac and pre-existing indigenous Javanese calendrical traditions.

In the inscriptions of the kingdoms in Java and Bali (from the Medang Kingdom era up to the end of Majapahit), the chronological elements used included: warṣa (year), māsa (month), tīthī (lunar day), pakṣa (fortnight), wāra (day cycles, such as the 6-day cycle, 5-day cycle, 7-day cycle), wuku (210-day cycle), karaṇa (half-lunar day), yoga (stellar combination), nakṣatra (lunar mansion), dewatā (deity), grahacāra (planet movement), maṇḍala (circle), parwēṣa (season/period), muhūrta (smallest time unit), and rāśi (zodiac). Not all elements were used in every inscription, but typically more than five chronological elements are present.^[2]

The year (which in Old Javanese is referred to as Warsa) in the Old Javanese dating system often utilizes the Saka Year; however, some existing inscriptions show the use of the Sanjaya Year in their chronology.^[3]

The month, which in Old Javanese is referred to as Wulan or Masa, was written in ancient inscriptions using names derived from Sanskrit months. The names of the months listed in these inscriptions are: Caitra, Waiśākha, Jyeṣṭha, Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapāda, Āśvina (or Āśuji), Kārttika, Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa (or Poṣya), Māgha, and Phālguna. The Old Javanese calendar had years that consisted of either twelve or thirteen months. The system itself utilized a solar year for calculating one year, while the months were calculated using lunar movements, making it a lunisolar system.^[4]

The calendar for the Saka year 1945 (2023) demonstrates a key feature of the Old Javanese system: the addition of an intercalary month. The external image here shows that the extra month, named Punah Śrāwaṇa, was inserted immediately following the regular month of Śrāwaṇa.

The 30 Tīthī (Lunar day) are grouped into two halves called Pakṣa (lunar fortnights).^[6]

Note on Tithi 15: The 15th Tithi is called Pūrṇimā (Full Moon) in Śuklapakṣa and Amāvasyā (New Moon/Dark Moon) in Kṛṣṇapakṣa.

Karana (sometimes write Karaṇa) is a half lunar day, equivalent to half a tithi. A full lunar month is composed of 60 karaṇas, but only 11 distinct names are used.

The 11 names of the Karaṇa are: Kiṃstughna, Wawa, Walawa, Kaulawa, Taitila, Gara, Waṇija, Wiṣṭi, Śakuni, Catuṣpāda, and Nāga.

The first karaṇa ends at the midpoint of the tithi, and the second karaṇa ends when the tithi is completed.

The naming convention is as follows:^[7]

1. The first tithi (1st śuklapakṣa) begins with the Kiṃstughna karaṇa and ends with the Wawa karaṇa.
2. The second tithi (2nd śuklapakṣa) up to the 29th tithi (14th kṛṣṇapakṣa) consists of a combination of the paired karaṇas: Wawa, Walawa, Kaulawa, Taitila, Gara, Waṇija, and Wiṣṭi.
3. The second karaṇa of the 29th tithi is Śakuni. Subsequently, the last tithi (15th kṛṣṇapakṣa) begins with the Catuṣpāda karaṇa and ends with the Nāga karaṇa

A day, or Wāra in Old Javanese dating terminology, is a unit of time that begins at sunrise and lasts until the next sunrise. In the Old Javanese dating system, the day (wara) is organized into several concurrent cycles: the 5-day cycle (Pancawara), the 6-day cycle (Sadwara), and the 7-day cycle (Saptawara).^[8]

The Wuku is a chronological cycle derived from the combination of the Sadwāra (6-day cycle), Pañcawāra (5-day cycle), and Saptawāra (7-day cycle). This combination results in a 210-day cycle, which occurs once or twice a year. The 210-day cycle is grouped into 30 distinct wuku, with each wuku lasting 7 days and defined by a unique combination of the 6,5,7 day-cycles. Along with Sadwāra and Pañcawāra, the wuku is believed to be an indigenous Javanese dating element. For example, the date "Ma Ka Bu" (Mawulu Kliwon Budha) marks the 144th day in the 210-day cycle and belongs to Wuku Mahatal (the 21st wuku).^[10]

Nakṣatra & Dewatā always come in pairs. Nakṣatra simply means a group of stars. In Hindu astrology, this term almost always refers to 27 specific groups of stars or constellations located along the Sun's path (the Ecliptic). All planets, including the Moon and the Sun, pass along the Ecliptic and align with one of the 27 nakṣatra.^[12]

Muhūrtta (sometimes write Muhurta, Muhurtta) is the smallest unit of time in the Old Javanese dating system. One solar day (wāra) is divided into 30 muhūrtta. Thus, one muhūrtta is equivalent to 48 minutes.^[13]

The term Graha Cāra is derived from two Sanskrit words: graha meaning 'planet', and cāra meaning 'path, route, or journey'. Therefore, graha cāra signifies the 'path/journey of the planet.' Which planet is being referred to? Considering the consistency with other elements of the dating system, the 'path of the planet' refers to the Sun (Sūrya). From a geocentric perspective, the Sun revolves around the Earth, rising in the east and setting in the west, then reappearing in the east the following day, and so on. Thus, graha cāra indicates the daily journey of the Sun over 24 hours (a solar day/wara).^[14]

There are eight directions (or positions) that refer to the Sun's position:

Since one solar day equals 24 hours, each of these eight positions has a time duration of 3 hours. Because the Sun rises in the east, which marks the start of a new day, the position must begin in the east (Purwāstha), which is approximately from 04:30 to 07:30 in the morning. Therefore, Nairītistha graha cāra means the 'position of the Sun is in the southwest,' which corresponds to the time between 19:30 and 22:30 (at night).

Unlike the Western (Tropical) zodiac, which uses the Sun as its primary parameter resulting in 12 zodiac signs over the course of a year, the utilization of the zodiac (rāśi) in the Old Javanese calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Consequently, the duration of each zodiac sign in the Old Javanese calendar is significantly shorter. For instance, the Aries zodiac sign (Meṣa) in the Old Javanese calendar begins on November 4, 2025, at 14:05 (2:05 PM) and concludes on November 6, 2025, at 13:17 (1:17 PM).^[15]

Although the Old Javanese calendar is no longer utilized, its core components remain integrated into the modern Balinese and Javanese calendar systems.

• The Balinese calendar continues to use the Saka year numbering system inherited from the Old Javanese calendar. Other elements preserved from the older system include the wuku (the 210-day cycle), the pasaran (the 5-day cycle, or Pancawara), the paringkelan (the 6-day cycle, or Sadwara), and the 7-day cycle (Saptawara).^[17]
• The present-day Javanese calendar retains the wuku (210-day cycle), the pasaran (Pancawara), and the 7-day cycle (Saptawara) from the Old Javanese calendar. Some printed versions of the Javanese calendar also retain the Sadwara (6-day cycle) within their system.^[18]
• Some small communities on the island of Java still use (or at least revive) the Old Javanese calendar today. As an example, the external image here shows an Old Javanese calendar for the Saka year 1945 (2023).