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Q:: In my horoscope made in three different places in as many softwares, in Chennai. In each one of them there are different ‘Ayanamsa’ in which the charts are calculated. I notice the placements of Planets in the same Data given also in different places in the Natal Chart Why? (Sath....3/2/ 2009)

 

I may have to answer this at length.

 

Our early calculations, before 1200 AD or about that time, were all made in Siddhantic Calendar and our time was under Vedic Principles of the movement of the Moon and rising of the Sun.

 

This was extensively brought to practice by Aryabatta (AD 476 – 523) and Parasara (fifth century AD). This could be found in ‘Hora Sastra’ the first major astrological treatise. But the most revered astrologer was Varahamihra (AD 505 – 587), a student of Parasara and transmitter of the knowledge that Parasara was notable to convey to public. The Siddhantic calendar, minus the implementation of the precession of the equinoxes, continued to be used as India’s official calendar until A.D.1200. That is the time India fell into Muslim rule, from 1200 to 1757 A.D., when Lunar Hijira calendar was introduced.

 

Hindu communities through out India managed to continue to maintain independence and retained their calendars for religious purposes. This eventually left to the task of calendar making in the hands of regional astrologers, who had little knowledge of actual astronomy. Even now the astronomical calendars (Panjang) continue to be in the hands of those in the field in Kancheepuram, Arani, Tinnevelly, Palghat, Mangalore and Tanjore schools of compiling. They depended on direct observations and unscientific ancient treatises for their calculations ( ref: the Calender Reform Committee. P.2)

 

The variety of Ayanamsas can be attributed to the fact that astrologers disagree about starting point of Aries, the exact annual rate of progression, and the year in which the vernal equinox actually coincided with 0° Aries.

 

Shree Lahari, the secretary of Calendar Reform committee, is the compiler of India’s official ephemeris, and his Ayanamsa is close to correct arrival of calculations. Krishnamurthy’s Ayanamsa is also close to Lahari’s, as he calculated 50.27 seconds, being the rate of progression, and the year of two coinciding Zodiacs as A.D.285. It is relevant to account that, Mr Cyril Fagon, who campaigned to the use of Sidereal Zodiac in Western school of Astrology, determined the starting year as 221