Ritu ( Two Months )
A Ritu consists of two Lunar Months. Thus there are 6 Ritus in a year.
Ritu
Months and Stars
Basanth
Chaitra
and Vaishakha
( Chitta
and
Visakha )
Grishma Jyeshta and Ashada ( Jyeshta and Poorva Shada)
Versha
Shravana and Bhadrapada
( Sravan and Poorva Bhadra )
Sharat
Ashvija and Kartika
( Ashwini and Krittika )
Hemant
Marg shira
and Pushya ( Mrigshira and Pushyami )
Sishira
Magha and Phalgun ( Makha and Uttar Phalguni )
These Lunar Months takes their names after the star on the full Moon day of the Month. The Stars on the full Moon days of the respective months are written in English
Paksha ( Half a Lunar month )
Sukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha rules a Lunar Month. From the time of separation of Sun and Moon to the point of direct opposition it is named as Shukla Paksha. From opposition to Conjunction it is Krishna Paksha.
Vara
There are seven week days from Sunday to Saturday. As per western calander these days rule from Midnight to Midnight while as per Hindu and Astrological purposes the week day always commences from Sun Rise. The week day takes its name after the Hora at Sun rise.
Hora ( One Hour )
Each Hora rules an hour. It looks as if the word Hour is derived from Sanskrit word Hora. There are seven Hora on the basis of seven Planets Sun etc. leaving of Rahu and Ketu who are mere Chaya grahas ( Shadow Planets). These Horas have a particular order. Sun –Venus – Mercury - Moon – Saturn – Jupiter – Mars . In this order they complete there full cycle a day covering 21 hours as each Hora rules an hour. The first Hora takes the name of that week day. Thus after 3 cycles in a day there remain 3 Horas to complete the day. The fourth Hora starts the next week day. Thus you find that observing the order of Horas the fourth represents the next week day. From Sun Hora the fourth Hora is Moon. So after Sunday you have Monday. From Moon Hora the fourth Hora is Mars , so Tuesday. Fourth Hora from Mars Hora is Mercury hence Wednesday. Fourth Hora from Mercury Hora is Jupiter Hora, hence Thursday and So on. Please note that Hora plays a very important part in deciding the time of daily predictions which will be treated later.
