Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Rigveda & cosmology

Sir, — This is with reference to the article `Cosmology in Rigveda' by Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet (Open Page, July 9).

Her statement that Rigveda is replete with references to tropical zodiac and is in no way related to the sidereal zodiac in vogue for the last 1,000 years brings us to an important question as to who started this sidereal zodiac in our country and why? Quite interestingly, the system of expunging some samvatsaras was stopped in south India around that time as a result of which we have `Durmukhi samvatsara' in the north and `Chitrabanu samvatsara' in the south (an important item in daily sankalpa for Hindus), apart from other confusions such as the correct date of celebrating the Sankranti.

Perhaps, some Sanskrit scholars/math heads can clarify these vital points.

N. Kalyanaraman,
Chennai

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