Most people usually rely on the weather channel and on their mobile phones to check on the weather, wind, seasons and the temperature.
But did you know that the Balinese have their very own ancient system which lets them track weather changes and natural occurrences that take place every month throughout the year? Examples would include changes in the weather, rain or drought, planting and harvest seasons, wind movements and even animal behavior!
They call this the “Balinese Saka calendar” – a system based on the positions of the sun and the moon.
There are 12 months in the Balinese Saka calendar and each month begins the day after a new moon and has 15 days until the full moon (Purnama), then 15 days of waning, ending on the new moon (Tilem).
The names of the twelve months are taken from a mixture of Old Balinese and Sanskrit words for 1 to 12. Every new year in the Balinese Saka calendar begins right after Nyepi. We thought that this was an interesting concept and wanted to share this ancient calendar with you!
According to this Balinese website, the following events usually take place in the following months:
Sasih Kasa (Month 1)
41 days
Dry season
Trees are bare without leaves and flowers
Crop planting season begins
The grasshopper lays its eggs
The sun moves south
The wind blows Northeast to Southwest
Sasih Karo (Month 2)
23 days
Dry season and drought
The earth splits from dryness
Crops and plants must receive water
The kapok tree and the mango tree begins to flower
The sun moves from North to South
Wind blows Northwest to Southwest
Sasih KaTiga (Month 3)
23 Days
Dry season and drought
Crops, potatoes and other plants begin to grow
The sun move North towards the Equator
The wind blows from North to South
Sasih Kapat (Month 4)
25 days
Pumpkin season, entering into the rainy season
The water well is dry
The Cotton Silk Tree produces fruit
The Manyar bird begins to nest
The sun moves from the equator towards the south
Wind blows from Northwest to Southeast
Sasih KaLima (Month 5)
27 days
Pumpkin season, entering into the rainy season
The water well is dry
The Cotton Silk Tree produces fruit
The Manyar bird begins to nest
The sun moves south from the equator
Wind blows from Northwest to Southeast
Sasih KaEnam (Month 6)
43 days
Rainy season
Mango and rambutan season
Time to plow the ricefields
The sun moves south
Strong winds blow from west to east
Sasih KaPitu (Month 7)
43 days
Disease season
Floods and strong winds
Rice planting begins
The sun sits on the southern line
Strong winds blowing from the west in all directions
Sasih KaUlu (Month 8)
27 days
Rainy season begins
Rice starts to grow
Worms appear in the ground
The sun moves from south to north
Strong wind blows from northwest to east in all directions
Sasih Kasangga (Month 9)
25 days
Rainy season
The cicada sings
Dogs begin to mate
Rice paddies bend with age
The sun moves from south to north
Strong winds blows from south in all directions
Sasih KaDasa (Month 10)
24 days
Transition begins from rainy season to dry season
Female animals are with child
Birds begin to nest
Rice paddies are ready for harvest
Fishermen go out to sea
The sun moves north
Strong winds blow from the northeast
Sasih KaJestha (Month 11)
24 days
Dry season
Birds lay eggs that hatch
The peak of rice harvest season
The sun moves north
Wind blows southeast to northeast
Sasih KaSadha (Month 12)
41 days
Cold weather
Harvest season for apples, oranges and pineapples begin
Harvest season for rice paddies end
Planting of crops begin
The sun moves north
Gentle breeze blows from east to west
What do you think of the Balinese Saka calendar and this wonderful ancient system? If you’d like to read more about this, check out this Wikipedia page for more information.