Chula Sakarat
Chula Sakarat or Chulasakarat (
Although the name Culāsakaraj is a generic term meaning "Lesser Era" in
Etymology
The name Chula Sakarat is derived from Pali culā "small" and Sanskrit śaka + rāja, literally meaning "
In Thailand, this era is used in contrast with the
History
The calendar was launched in 640 CE in
The use of the calendar appears to have spread southward to the Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and eastward to Laotian states in the following centuries.[4] Subsequent Siamese kingdoms retained the Burmese calendar as the official calendar under the name of Chula Sakarat (Culasakaraj) until 1889.[6]
The calendar fell out of use throughout the region in the second half of the 19th century with the advent of European colonialism. The only remaining independent state Siam too dropped the calendar on 1 April 1889 per King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)'s decree. It was replaced by Rattanakosin Era. Today, the calendar is used purely for cultural and religious festivals in Myanmar. Thailand has moved on to its own version of Buddhist calendar since 1941 although the Chula Sakarat era dates remain the most commonly used and preferred form of entry by the academia for Thai history studies.[5]
Differences
Nomenclature
Month numbering
Various regional versions of Chula Sakarat/Burmese calendar existed across various regions of mainland Southeast Asia. Unlike Burmese systems,
Month | Khmer, Lan Xang, Sukhothai | Kengtung, Sipsong Panna | Chiang Mai |
---|---|---|---|
Caitra | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Vaisakha | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Jyestha | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Ashadha | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Sravana | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Bhadrapada | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Asvina | 11 | 12 | 1 |
Karttika | 12 | 1 | 2 |
Margasirsha | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Pausha | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Magha | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Phalguna | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Note: The Sukhothai and Lan Xang numbering systems and the now abandoned Burmese numbering system are the same.[9]
Animal names
Cambodian and Thai systems give animal names to the years from a cycle of 12.[10] The practice also existed in Burma[11] but had died out by the 17th century. In March 1638, King Thalun of Burma rejected the proposal by King Prasat Thong of Siam to change the animal names of the calendar months because the animal naming system was no longer in use in Burma.[12]
Year | Animal | Khmer |
---|---|---|
1 | Rat | ជូត (Choot) |
2 | Ox | ឆ្លូវ (Chhlov) |
3 | Tiger | ខាល (Khal) |
4 | Hare | ថោះ (Thos) |
5 | Naga/Dragon | រោង (Rorng) |
6 | Snake | ម្សាញ់ (M'sanh) |
7 | Horse | មមី (Momee) |
8 | Goat | មមែ (Momèr) |
9 | Monkey | វក (Vork) |
10 | Cock | រកា (Roka) |
11 | Dog | ច (Char) |
12 | Pig | កុរ (Kol) |
Calculation methodology
Chula Sakarat, like the Burmese calendar, was largely based on the
Intercalation
The Siamese system uses three similar but not identical types of lunar years used by the Burmese system.[7] Each calendar has the same regular year of 354 days and a leap year of 384 days. However, whereas the Burmese calendar adds the intercalary day only in a leap cycle according to its Metonic cycle, the Siamese calendar adds the intercalary day to a regular year. The Siamese calendar does add the extra day in the same place (Jyestha/Nayon), however.[14]
Calendar | Regular | Small leap year | Big leap year |
---|---|---|---|
Burmese | 354 | 384 | 385 |
Chula Sakarat | 354 | 355 | 384 |
Length of the year
Down to the mid-19th century, the Burmese calendar and its Siamese cousin both used the Surya method. But between 1840 and 1853,
Metonic cycle
Since the Thandeikta system not only does not solve but actually increases the accumulating drift issue, Burmese calendarists have resorted to periodically modifying the intercalation schedule of the Metonic cycle, starting in 1839 CE, using apparent reckoning. The fixed Metonic cycle remained in place in Siam.
See also
References
Bibliography
- Aung-Thwin, Michael (2005). The mists of Rāmañña: The Legend that was Lower Burma (illustrated ed.). Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 9780824828868.
- Busyakul, Visudh (2004). "Calendar and Era in use in Thailand" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand (in Thai). 29 (2, April–June). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand: 468–78. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- Eade, J.C. (1989). Southeast Asian Ephemeris: Solar and Planetary Positions, A.D. 638–2000. Ithaca: Cornell University. ISBN 0-87727-704-4.
- Eade, J.C. (1995). The Calendrical Systems of Mainland South-East Asia (illustrated ed.). Brill. ISBN 9789004104372.
- Irwin, Sir Alfred Macdonald Bulteel (1909). The Burmese and Arakanese calendars. Rangoon: Hanthawaddy Printing Works.
- Luce, G.H. (1970). Old Burma: Early Pagan. Vol. 2. Locust Valley, NY: Artibus Asiae and New York University.
- Ohashi, Yukio (2001). Alan K. L. Chan; Gregory K. Clancey; Hui-Chieh Loy (eds.). Historical Perspectives on East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine (illustrated ed.). World Scientifi. ISBN 9789971692599.
- Oriental Institute; East India Association (1900). The Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review and Oriental and Colonial Record. London and Working, England: Oriental Institute.
- Smith, Ronald Bishop (1966). Siam; Or, the History of the Thais: From 1569 A.D. to 1824 A.D. Vol. 2. Decatur Press.
- Rong, Syamananda (1986). A History of Thailand (5 ed.). Chulalongkorn University.