Adikha Masam- The Additional Month

Adhikha Masam:

Adika Masam is the 13^th month (extra month) as per the Hindu lunar calendar. This Month comes to  equalize the solar and lunar calenders.The year will be having solar calendar(365 days) and Lunar calendar(354 days).The difference in the days makes the additional month between the two calendars. An Adhikha masam comes for every 32 months and is followed mainly by the people from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Cultural Beliefs:

Once Goddess Lakshmi Devi has asked Lord Vishnu (Srihari), how to perform the Adika Masam Pooja and danams. Lord Vishnu explained her that he is the god of Adikha Masam, also named as Purushottama. People who perform good deeds like Japam, Homam will bring good benefits and for people who does not do anything will bring bad fate and grief due to the loss of a son.

If not possible to perform during the whole month at least they should do on Krishna   paksha   Astami,   Navami,   chaturdashi,   Dwadashi,   pournami, chaturdashi etc.

A Brahmin named kaushika had a son, Maitreya who was addicted to drinking. One day in the forest Maitreya killed a Brahmin by name sourashtra and snatched all the money from him. After that the whole city as burnt as Maitreya has killed the Brahmin. Maitreya death took place. He was taken to Yama lokam by the Yama doothas and was thrown into hell for more than 10000 years.

After some period of time, Kaushila came to know about his son and started searching all the Shastras to find a remedy for killing the Brahmin. Then he performed the Vartha and gave 33danams. His son was saved from the hell.

Adhikha Masam Duties:

• Getting up early and doing bath in rivers or wells.
• Fast till night and eat food at night.
• Don’t ask anybody anything.
• Giving tamboolam danam to Brahmins,removes poverty.
• Charity (Danam) has to be given on all the days. If not possible on all the days we can give on purnami, dwasahi and chaturdashi.
• Danam of fruits and foods like Rice, jaggery,ghee.

Significance:

• Adikha Masam begins on Shudda padya and ends on Amavasya day.
• Adhikha Masam is also known as Purshottama (Lord Vishnu is the head of this Masam) Masam and Mala (sins) Masam. Adhikha Masam is dedicated to Lord Krishna.
• Among the Dwadasa Adityas there will be Aditya but in Adikha Masam there is no Aditya.
• No festivals and functions are conducted during the adikha Masam.
• Any Japam, Danam (charity) performed during this month will give extra benefits.

Interesting Facts:

• In Adika Masam Tirupati Brahmotsavams will be conducted twice.
• Fasting during Adika Masam will be very beneficial when compared with other days.
• We should not perform auspicious activities such as installing god idols (devatha pratishta), marriage, Upanayanam, house warming (gruha pravesham) and all vrathams (except Ekadashi, Chaturmas).Golden womb (Hiranya Garbha) danam and pilgrimages are strictly prohibited.
• Other functions and rituals like worshipping god, Sandhya Vandanam, seemantham (baby shower), Shardam (offering to the dead) can be done normally.

Scientific Reasons:

• Solar Year is defined as one rotation of earth around the sun in its orbit. Due to moon rotation around the earth, lunar months are defined. But we can't say 12months = 1year based on moon rotation. Based on Sun, Moon, Earth ancient people developed lunar day, Months and Years. Solar months are defined as a measure based on movement of Sun.
• Sun will change every zodiac sign (Aries, Taurus, etc.) in a span of 30 days this known as zodiac transit or zodiac constellation. But at sometimes Sun will stay 60 days in one zodiac sign and causes extra month. The first 30days are considered as Extra month("Adhikha Masam ").
• Actual cause of this extra month is due to moon rotation. Sun will travel all zodiac signs in exactly one year(12months) but moon  will complete a month in 29days 12hours 43 minutes this makes difference when calculating a year. Moon will travel 13 degrees 20Minutes a day. The exact difference between Sun and Moon is 1- 13 degrees 20 minutes equal to 12 degrees 20 minutes this called as Lunar Day("Tithi"). One Lunar day is approx. equal to a Normal Day. 1month = 30 Lunar days(Tithi), 1 year = 360 Lunar Days but there exist only 354 days according to moon rotation. Moon will stay with one star in a day we have 27 stars = 27 days. 27days * 12 = 354days. This is because moon will not maintain constant speed while rotating around earth in a year.
• Earth will rotate around sun exactly 365 days 6 hours 11 minutes 31 seconds. But Moon will rotate in 354 days. There is approx. 11 days difference between Earth and moon rotation around Sun. if earth rotate 19 times around Sun that is  19* 12 = 228 Months,  Moon rotates 235 times around earth and Sun. Because of this moon is rotating 7 months extra in its orbit. Our ancients stipulated a formula that for every 32.5 Solar Months there is One Extra lunar month is occurring.
• If one extra month was occurred it will take another 28 months to occur another extra month thereafter it will occur in 34,34,35,28 months respectively.
• Traditions says that in this extra month we can do our daily routines except not to start any special or auspicious celebrations (Marriage, House construction, Etc.). People strictly pray Lord Shiva and Vishnu and do meditation, donations, river bathing, visiting sacred shrines. People who are doing Chaturmas vrat need to do 5 months with inclusion of extra month.