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Javanese Hijriyya Calendar
By admin | 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 17th century. The Sultanate of Demak, Banten, and Mataram used the Saka calendar and Hijriyya Calendar altogether.
In the year 1633 CE (1555 Saka or 1043 Hijriyya), Sultan Agung Ngabdurahman Sayidin Panotogomo Molana Matarami (1613-1645) of Mataram eliminated the use of Saka calendar from the Island of Java. Then he created Javanese Calendar based on the Hijriyya calendar. However, the year number of 1555 was still continued. So, 1st Muharram 1043 Hijriyya coincided with 1st Muharram 1555 Javanese, which fell on Friday at the Legi (Sweet Friday), and 8th July 1633 CE. Javanese year number has difference to 512 from the Hijriyya’s number. Sultan Agung’s decision was approved and followed by Sultan Abul-Mafakhir Mahmud Abdulkadir (1596-1651) of Banten. Thus, Saka calendar was finished in the history of Java, and replaced by the Javanese calendar, which has Islamic figure, and was no longer contained the Hindu culture of India.
Name of the months was then adjusted to Javanese tongue: Muharram, Sapar, Rabingulawal, Rabingulakir, Jumadilawal, Jumadilakir, Rejeb, Saban, Ramelan, Sawal, Dulkangidah, Dulkijah. Muharram is also called the month of Sura for there is the Ashura Day which falls on 10th Muharram. Rabi`ul-Awwal is called the month of Mulud, for it is the month when Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) was born. Rabi-ul akhir is called Bakdamulud or Silihmulud, meaning “after Mulud.” Sya’ban is called Ruwah month, when the Javanese pray for the spirit of their family who had died. To welcome the fasting month (Ramadan), themonth is called Pasa or Puasa. Dzulqa`idah is called Sela or Hapit for it is occurred between Aidil Fitr and Aidil Adha. Dzulhijjah is called the month of Hajji, or Besar (or also Rayagung), for it is time when the religious hajj pilgrimage and Aidul-Adha are conducted.
The names of the Saka calendar days in the Sanskrit language (Raditya, Soma, Anggara, Buddhist, Brehaspati, Sukra, Sanaiscara), which is considered as the form of worshiping sky objects then was replaced by Sultan Agung with the names of day from the Arabic language that was adapted to the Javanese tongue: Ahad, Senen, Seloso, Rebo, Kemis, Jumuwah, Saptu. But the days of pancawara (Pahing, Pon, Wage, Kaliwuan, Umanis or Legi) is still fixed, for they are derived from the genuine concept of Javanese, not taken from the Saka calendar, or Indian culture.
In a cycle of a windu (eight years), 1st Muharram (Sura) respectively fell on day 1, 5, 3, 7, 4, 2, 6, and 3. That is why years in a windu are named based numerology of Arabic letters: Alif (1), Ha (5), Jim Awwal (3), Zai (7), Dal (4), Ba (2), Waw (6) and Jim Akhir (3). Of course, their pronunciations are adjusted to the Javanese tongue: Alip, Ehe, Jimawal, Je, Dal, Be, Wawu and Jimakir. Years of Ehe, Dal and Jimakir are defined as leap years. The number of days in a windu is (354 x 
+ 3 = 2,835 days, completely can be divided by number 35 (7 x 5). That is why in each beginning of windu (1st Muharram Alip year) always falls on the same day.
It is interesting to note that the non-Javanese Muslims only know Monday 12th Rabi`ul-Awwal as the day and date of birth of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) while the Javanese Muslims can mention the birth date of our prophet it in a more comprehensive way: Monday 12th Pon Rabingulawal (Mulud) Year Dal.
Because the Javanese leap years are three of the eight years (3/8=45/120), while the leaps in Hijriyya Calendar are 11 of 30 years (11/30=44/120), then in every 15 windu (120 years), which is called a kurup, Java calendar should disappear one day, to return in accordance with the Hijriyya Calendar. For example, first kurup is Friday of Legi 1st Muharram year Alip 1555 until Thursday of Kliwon 30th Dulkijah year Jimakir 1674. Here, 30 Dulkijah was removed. Thus, Wednesday of Wage 29th Dulkijah 1674, end of kurup, was followed by the new second kurup which is Thursday of Kliwon 1st Muharram year Alip 1675. So, the beginning of Windu (1st Muharram Alip year) is moved from Friday of Legi to Thursday of Kliwon. After the next 120 years, the beginning of Windu must be moved again to Wednesday Wage, and so on.
Each kurup (the period of 120 years) is named according to its first day. Period of Javanese 1555-1674 (1633-1749 CE) is called kurup jamngiah (Awahgi = Alip year starting from Jumuwah Legi), and Period of Javanese 1675-1794 (1749-1866 CE) is called kurup kamsiah (Amiswon = Alip-Kemis-Kliwon), and Period of Javanese 1795-1914 (1866-1982 CE) is called kurup arbangiah (Aboge = Alip-Rebo-Wage).
Since the 1st Muharram Alip year 1915 (1st Muharram 1403 Hijriyya Calendar), which coincided with the date 19th October 1982, we are in kurup salasiah (Asapon = Alip-Seloso-Pon), or Period of Javanese 1915-2034 (1982-2099 CE), where every 1st Muharram Alip year will fall on Tuesday Pon. The New Year of 1st Muharram (Sura) Alip year 1939 fell on Tuesday Pon January 31, 2006, and new year of 1st Muharam ehe year 1940, which is 1st Muharram 1428 Hijriyya Calendar, fell on Saturday Pahing 20th January 2007.
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