Calendar of Pranata Mangsa and Sundanese Calendar

| December 27, 2008

Beside the Javanese calendar, which is identical to the Hijriyya Calendar, the Javanese people also know a solar calendar of Pranata Mangsa (”Month Arrangement”) which was created by Sunan Paku Buwana VII (1830-1858) of Surakarta in 1855. The Pranata Mangsa calendar starts on 22 June and based on seasons in the Island of Java. That is why the number of days in its each month are varied: Kasa (41 days, starting June 22), Karo or Kalih (23 days, 2 August), Katelu or Katiga (24 days, 25 August), Kapat (25 days, 18 September) , Kalima (27 days, 13 October), Kanem (43 days, 9 November), Kapitu (43 days, 22 December), Kawalu (26 or 27 days, 3 February), Kasanga (25 days, 1 March), Kadasa or Kasapuluh (24 days, 26 March), Desta or Hapit Lemah (23 days, 19 April), and Sada or Hapit Kayu (41 days, 12 May).

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Javanese Hijriyya Calendar

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 26, 2008

The Javanese’s ancestors used the Saka calendar, when they still embraced Hindu. Even when they have embraced Islam, the Saka calendar was still used in Java until the early of 17^th century. The Sultanate of Demak, Banten, and Mataram used the Saka calendar and Hijriyya Calendar altogether.

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Pernah Ada Komunitas Yahudi di Cina

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 25, 2008

Bukti-bukti arkeologis menunjukkan adanya eksistensi komunitas Yahudi di Cina pada awal abad ke-8. Ketika itu memang banyak saudagar Yahudi yang bepergian melintasi Jalur Sutra antara Persia dan India. Banyak pengelana, termasuk Marco Polo, pada abad 13, melaporkan pertemuan mereka dengan orang-orang Yahudi di Cina. Pada masa Dinasti Ming (1368-1644), salah seorang kaisar Ming diberitakan pernah menganugerahkan tujuh nama marga kepada orang-orang Yahudi yang tinggal di sana. Beberapa nama tersebut masih teridentifikasi hingga zaman sekarang: Ai, Lao, Jin, Li, Shi, Zhang dan Zhao. Shi dan Jin adalah nama-nama yang sama dengan nama Yahudi yang umum ditemukan di barat: Stone dan Gold.

Topics: Religion & Philosophy >< Agama & Filsafat, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Saka Calendar and Buddhist Calendar

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 24, 2008

Saka calendar began in year 78 CE when the Ujjayini city (now Malwa in India) seized by the people of Saka (Scythia) under the leadership of Emperor Kaniska from the people of Satavahana. New Year occurs in Minasamkranti (sun under the Pisces constellation) or the early spring. Name of the months are Caitra, Waisaka, Jyestha, Asadha, Srawana, Bhadrawada, Aswina (Asuji), Kartika, Margasira, Posya, Magha, Phalguna. To fit back with the sun’s position, month of Srawana and Asadha is repeated every three years and they are named Dwitiya Asadha and Dwitiya Srawana.

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Kenapa Tahun Baru Masehi Dirayakan?

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 22, 2008

Tepat pada malam tanggal 1 Januari, rakyat Indonesia biasanya menyambut kedatangan Tahun Baru Masehi dengan penuh sukacita. Tanpa memandang agama, ras, dan suku, lapangan Monas biasanya disesaki lelaki & perempuan tua, muda, remaja, dan kanak-kanak menyambut kehadiran tanggal 1 Januari dengan penuh keceriaan. Situasi di Monas merepresentasikan situasi di Indonesia pada umumnya. Di kota-kota lain, situasi semacam itu juga tercipta dengan segala pernak-perniknya. Peringatan Tahun Baru Masehi memang telah menjadi bagian dari budaya masyarakat Indonesia.

Topics: Religion & Philosophy >< Agama & Filsafat

Calculation of Hijriyya, the Islamic Calendar

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 21, 2008

At the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), the utterance of years did not use numbers, but based on an event that was considered important in those years. For example, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) was born on 12 Rabi-ul Awwal in `Year of the Elephant’ (`Am al-Fil), for the year, the force of Abrahah, a Yemenite Vassal of Ethiopia, intended to attack Ka`abah. Prophet Muhammad Elephant went for Isra’ Mi’raj on 27 Rajab ‘Year of sorrow‘(`Am al-Huzn), for the year, Khadijah (wife of the Prophet) and Abu Talib (uncle of the Prophet) passed away. The birth of the Prophet and events Isra’ Mi’raj coincided with the date 23 April 571 and 27 February 621 CE.

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Purification of Arab’s Lunar Calendar in the Early of Islamic Era

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 20, 2008

After the Arab people embraced Islam and united under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him), then Allah SWT commands the Islam People to use a purely lunar calendar with the elimination of nasi’ month. This is listed in the Holy Koran, the Surah At-Taubah Verse 36-37:

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Lunar Calendar of Pre-Islamic Arabia

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 19, 2008

Before the advent of Islam brought the Prophet Muhammad, the Arab community used a lunisolar calendar. It was a lunar calendar adjusted by the sun’s position. Beginning of the year (Ra’s as-Sanah = Head of Year) is used to take place after the end of summer, or at around September. The first month was named Muharram, for in the months all tribes in the Arabian Peninsula agreed to proscribe war. In October, the leaves turn yellow so the moon was named Shafar (”yellow”). November and December in the autumn (Rabi`) was respectively named Rabi-ul Awwal and Rabi-ul Akhir. Winter comes in January and February, so they were named Jumadi al-Awwal and Jumadi al-akhir (jumad means “frozen”). Then the snow melts in the month of March (Rajab).

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah

Model Role Playing Dalam Aktivitas Pembelajaran

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 18, 2008

Tujuan pendidikan di sekolah harus mampu mendukung kompetensi tamatan sekolah, yaitu pengetahuan, nilai, sikap, dan kemampuan untuk mendekatkan dirinya dengan lingkungan alam, sosial, budaya, dan kebutuhan daerah. Sementara itu, kondisi pendidikan di negara kita dewasa ini, lebih diwarnai oleh pendekatan yang menitikberatkan pada model belajar konvensional seperti ceramah, sehingga kurang mampu merangsang siswa untuk terlibat aktif dalam proses belajar mengajar (Suwarma, 1991; Jarolimek, 1967). Suasana belajar seperti itu, menjauhkan peran pendidikan IPS dalam upaya mempersiapkan warga negara yang baik dan memasyarakat (Djahiri, 1993)

Topics: Family & Education >< Pendidikan & Keluarga

Is now year 2009?

By Mahardhika Zifana | December 17, 2008

What year is now? The answer is 2009, if we follow Dionysius Exiguous estimation that Jesus was born in 47 Julian. This calculations was based on the data in Gospel of Luke that Jesus started to teach the Son of Israel in the 15^th year of Emperor Tiberius governance, who governed from 60 to 83 Julian (14-37 CE). So, Luke tells that this event was happened in 75 Julian (29 CE). Luke was playing tic by stated that the age of Jesus was “approximately 30 years” (quasi annorum triginta). This made Dionysius estimating that Jesus was born in 47 Julian, which he defined as Year 1 of Anno Domini.

Topics: Science & Technology >< Sains & Teknologi, Social & History >< Sosial & Sejarah