Frequently asked questions

General

Why does your maps show some different dates than other calendars?

We use the topocentric position of the moon, whereas some other websites use the geocentric position. For more information about this, see here.

What if I'm located at a place near the border between two dates of your maps?

If you select "show enquiries for different places, you will get a form under each map where you can fill out the name of the place, and later the webmaster will respond to that."

Will you respond to those enquiries?

Yes, but not every day. It is recommended to post enquiries at least a week before the event.

Certain events seem to be missing in your list. What about them?

If you think more events and celebrations should be added, you can contact the webmaster here.

Is it possible to get a more traditional calendar from you?

If you mean something like this, yes, you can contact the webmaster here.

What is the meaning of "double tithi" and "missing tithi"?

A tithi is commonly described as a lunar day. The tithi for a day is calculated for the sunrise of that day. A tithi can sometimes last longer than 24 hours and sometimes shorter. If it lasts longer than 24 hours, for some places two days will share the same tithi and that is what is called "double tithi". if a tithi lasts for a shorter time than 24 hours, for some places the tithi will start after sunrise and end before the next sunrise, and that is what is called "missing tithi". Most vaiṣṇavas observe those dates on the first of the two days, but some vaiṣṇava missions choose to observe the dates on the second day instead.

Why is Gaura Pūrṇimā always celebrate in March, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born on the 18 February 1486?

First of all, the date 18 February 1486 is given according to the old Julian calendar, and that corresponds to the 27 February 1486 according to the modern Gregorian calendar. Also, that year Gaura Pūrṇimā/Holī took place during one of the earlier possible dates. Furthermore, the range of possible dates keep shifting due to the fact that Western calendars are based on the tropical year, while the Vedic calendars are based on the sidereal year. Due to this shift, the possible dates for Gaura Pūrṇimā nowadays almost exactly matches the Western month of March. This shift is still going on, so in a few centuries, Gaura Pūrṇimā will occasionally be observed in April.

Why don't you have any information about the significance of the various events?

That might be controversial to some readers. We assume that the readers get that information from the vaiṣṇava saṅgas they associate with.

Who are included among the modern gurus?

They are Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Bhakti Hṛdaya Vana Mahārāja, Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Mahārāja, Bhakti Pramoda Puri Mahārāja, Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Mahārāja, Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja, Bhakti Vallabha Tīrtha Mahārāja, Kīrtanānanda Svāmī Bhaktipāda, Bhakti Vedānta Tripurāri Mahārāja, Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja, Siddhasvarūpānanda, Rādhā-Vṛndāvana-Candra Svāmī, Bhakti-Yoga Svāmī, Madhusūdana Bāpujī.

Why do you show the appearance day of Kīrtanānanda Svāmī Bhaktipāda among the modern gurus?

He is the de facto successor of A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda. A lot of his innovations, that he was criticised for, have now been accepted in other missions. EDIT 1 November 2013: Furthermore, one of the most popular ISKCON gurus bases his popularity on his status as a former śikṣā disciple of Bhaktipāda. For more information, you can contact the webmaster here.

Why don't you show the appearance day of Bhakti Sundara Govinda Mahārāja among the modern gurus?

He is too bogus. There has been too many scandals and inappropriate behaviour in the Śrī Caitanya Sārasvata Maṭh under his guidance. especially in London. For more information, you can contact the webmaster here.

Why don't you have any ISKCON gurus among the modern gurus?

The webmaster has been kicked out of ISKCON and is therefore not interested in including their gurus.EDIT 7 July 2014: Furthermore, some GBC resolutions have clearly turned ISKCON into an apasampradāya.

Do you have any other web sites?

We have the following web sites: gaudiya-vaishnava-calendar.net, gaudiya-vaishnava-calendar.info, vaishnava-calendar.info/gaudiya. The first two are practically identical, the last one has a few less functions and show a few less months.

About pāraṇa times

How are the times calculated?

The times are calculated for a number of reference points, spread out evenly over the world. Then, when the latitude and longitude are received from your browser, the site makes an interpolation between the 4 nearest points, and gives the resulting times.

Do you store any geolocation data?

Yes, we store the latitude and longitude in a log file, together with the times generated. This is to enable the webmaster to make sure these functions work as intended. The latitude and longitude are rounded to nearest minute of arc, which is good enough for said purpose. This data is deleted from the server after being checked by the webmaster.

How accurate are the times for breaking fast after ekādaśīs?

In most parts of the world, they seem to be accurate to ±1 minute or, in rare cases, ±2 minutes. For locations far from the equator (Latitudes of about 60° or more), the variation can be larger.

What about summer time/daylight savings time?

The times are given according to your present time zone. If your location changes times due to summer time/daylight savings time, the time has to be adjusted accordingly.

Why do I get the message "High uncertainty" or "Very high uncertainty"?

The geolocation function gives the longitude, latitude, and also accuracy. This means that it actually gives the information that you are within distance x from latitude φ and longitude λ. If this distance is above 5 km but below 100 km, the site gives a warning about high uncertainty. If the distance is above 100 km, it gives a warning about very high uncertainty. Typically, this happens in some cable networks, or in some wireless networks on trains.

Why do I get the message "Time for breaking fast cannot be determined"?

The times are calculated by interpolating the values from 4 different reference points near your location. This is only possible if the values are compatible. The times can be incompatible for other reasons than different dates for fasting. They are also incompatible if some, but not all, 4 reference points have exceptions to the standard rule that pāraṇa occurs within 1/3 of the time between sunrise and sunset.

Why do I get the message "Data unavailable"?

This should only happen while the webmaster is updating the site. Please check back a few hours later.

Why does nothing happen after seeing "Loading data"?

This could happen for more than one reason. It could be because your browser or network failed to give latitude and longitude. In that case, try reloading the page. If this doesn't work, you probably have an outdated browser. In that case, you will not be able to see the times until you upgrade your browser.

Is there anything I should think of if I travel, and look at this site from different places?

Yes, you should adjust the time zone settings of your device to the time of your location. Some information about how to do that in Windows is given at Microsoft's website here.