KSHAYA MAASA - month skipped

In the process of synchronization between Lunar and Solar calendars there is also a possibility of adding more months over a longer period of time. Under this concept it is said that for 1920 solar months, 60 Adhika Maasas will be added when 59 would be adequate. Hence, in order to bring in further refinement and to suppress this excess in Adhika Maasas our ancient seers have also devised a concept wherein one month is reduced or dropped in the Lunar Calendar by ignoring the count of Lunar month at appropriate intervals. This concept of reduction or dropping of a Lunar month is known as Kshaya Maasa where, in such an eventuality there will be no new Moon (Amavasya) in a particular solar month. Sun’s stay in a particular Raasi or sign will be less than the duration of a Lunar month and it results in two Sankramanas or Solar transits taking place in a particular lunar month. It is said that Kshaya Maasa occurs generally once in 141 years and again after 19 years. It doesn’t occur at short intervals of time. Generally Kshaya Maasa occurs in one of the Lunar months of Kartika, Margasira and Pushya Maasa. In the year when Kshaya Maasa occurs there will be two Adhika Maasas, one before and the other after the Kshaya Maasa.

In simple terms an Adhika Maasa occurs when there are two New Moons in a Solar Month and there will be no Sun’s transit or Sankramana in that Lunar month. In such a situation we find Sun transit or Sankramana happening just before and just after the Adhika Maasa. In other words a Lunar month with no Sun transit or Sankramana is referred to as Adhika Maasa or Mala Maasa. Generally, Adhika Maasa occurs in the period from Chaithra to Aaswayuja the first seven months of the Hindu Lunar Calendar.