The Hindu Calendar as a Lived Experience

The purpose of this course is to acquaint someone completely new to the religious traditions of South Asia with Hinduism as a lived experience. It is meant to introduce students to ways of lifethat are informed by the most prominent sub-traditions of Hinduism today as they are reflected in the different versions of the Hindu calendar, also called Pañcāṅga or Pañjikā. Building on the history of different Hindu calendars, which consist of lunar dates (tithis), this course aims to give a broad overview of Hindu religious life as it revolves around festivals, fasts, seasonal rituals and pilgrimages that comprise each version of the calendar.