Ridiculous History: The World of Non-Gregorian Calendars – What Day Is It, Really?

In this captivating episode of Ridiculous History, hosts Ben Bolan and Noel Brown explore the intriguing landscape of non-Gregorian calendars. While the Gregorian calendar reigns supreme in global coordination, numerous cultures and religions persist in using their own unique calendrical systems. This episode delves into the history, structure, and significance of several alternative calendars, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of how different societies measure and perceive time.

1. Introduction to Non-Gregorian Calendars

Ben Bolan sets the stage by highlighting the dominance of the Gregorian calendar while acknowledging the existence of other calendars still in use worldwide.

Ben Bolan (01:42): “The Gregorian calendar, despite being the de facto world calendar, is far from the only calendar still in use.”

He emphasizes that various reasons, including religious beliefs and cultural traditions, sustain the use of these alternative systems.

2. The Hebrew Calendar

The discussion begins with the Hebrew calendar, a lunar calendar deeply rooted in Jewish tradition.

• Dual Usage: In countries like Israel, both the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars are employed. Secular activities rely on the Gregorian system, while religious events adhere to the Hebrew calendar.

  Noel Brown (05:02): “The Hebrew calendar, a lunar calendar used alongside the Gregorian for secular purposes in places like Israel.”

• Structure and Adjustments: The Hebrew calendar originally consisted of ten months of 30 days each. Post the Babylonian exile, it expanded to twelve months to align with lunar cycles. To prevent the calendar from drifting out of sync with the solar year, a leap month is added every 19 years, a system established by Hillel II in the 4th century.

  Ben Bolan (09:29): “These are different calendars. The people who practice both of these calendars do constantly have to compare and contrast them.”

• Cultural Significance: The Hebrew calendar determines the dates of Jewish holidays, Torah portions, and memorial services, intertwining religious observance with timekeeping.

  Ben Bolan (10:37): “The year number on the Hebrew calendar represents the number of years since the creation of humanity.”

3. The Hindu Calendar

Next, the hosts delve into the Hindu calendar, renowned for its complexity and multidimensional approach.

• Multiplicity: The Hindu calendar operates in three major forms alongside the Islamic calendar, catering to diverse regional and religious practices within India.

  Ben Bolan (15:16): “The Hindu calendar, Indian calendar that operates in three major forms all in parallel.”

• Lunar and Solar Integration: Combining lunar days, solar days, lunar months, solar months, and astronomical events, the Hindu calendar offers a precise method of structuring time.

  Noel Brown (18:33): “It offers a very precise multidimensional approach to the structuring of time.”

• Leap Months: To reconcile the 354-day lunar year with the 365-day solar year, an extra month, known as "Adik," is added approximately every three years.

  Ben Bolan (17:34): “The Hindu lunar calendar has an extra month similar to the Jewish calendar, every three years, called adik.”

• Cultural Depth: The Hindu calendar is not just a timekeeping tool but also integrates astrological elements, making it integral to festivals, weddings, and other significant events.

4. The Chinese Lunar Calendar

The Chinese lunar calendar, rich in mythology and cultural significance, takes center stage next.

• Zodiac Cycle: Central to the Chinese calendar is the 12-year zodiac cycle, with each year represented by an animal sign—such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and Snake. 2025, for instance, is the Year of the Snake.

  Ben Bolan (23:19): “The Year of the Snake ([23:19]).”

• Mythological Origins: The hosts recount the legendary story of the Jade Emperor and the race that determined the order of the zodiac animals, highlighting the blend of mythology and timekeeping.

  Noel Brown (24:01): “The dragon is kind of the deus ex machina of the whole affair.”

• Modern Relevance: Despite China’s reliance on the Gregorian calendar for business and civil purposes, the traditional lunar calendar remains pivotal for festivals like the Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year.

  Ben Bolan (21:24): “Modern day China, like so many other countries, heavily relies on the Gregorian calendar. But this traditional lunar calendar is still our go-to authority on when to celebrate things like the Lantern Festival.”

• Astrological Significance: The Chinese zodiac influences not only yearly predictions but also personal horoscopes based on the month and year of birth.

  Ben Bolan (23:48): “This is something that's really common in a lot of our favorite restaurants here in the United States.”

5. The Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar, strictly lunar, presents unique challenges and cultural practices.

• Lunar Structure: Comprising 12 months totaling approximately 354 days, the Islamic calendar lacks the mechanisms to align with the solar year, resulting in a 10-day annual drift.

  Ben Bolan (33:42): “The Islamic calendar will drift about 10 days a year.”

• Religious Significance: The calendar marks important events like Ramadan and Hegirah (Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina), with the start of each month determined by the sighting of the new moon.

  Ben Bolan (32:44): “The Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina, the Hegirah, that's the start date of the calendar.”

• Challenges in Modernity: Moon sightings can vary by geographic location, causing discrepancies between countries about the start and end of months.

  Noel Brown (34:56): “Two Muslim countries who are on the same page about literally everything else may be in different months of the calendar at the same time.”

• Adaptations: Some regions, like Iran and Afghanistan, have adopted the Solar Hijri calendar for civil purposes, blending astronomical precision with traditional practices.

  Noel Brown (33:18): “Iranian and Afghan countries, however, use something called the Solar Hijri calendar.”

6. The International Fixed Calendar

The episode concludes with an exploration of the International Fixed Calendar, an innovative yet unadopted system.

• Uniformity: This calendar proposes 12 months, each with exactly 28 days, divided into four-week segments starting on Sunday and ending on Saturday.

  Ben Bolan (37:06): “Every month has exactly 28 days.”

• Additional Days: To maintain alignment with the solar year, a 13th month is introduced between June and July, and an extra “Year Day” is celebrated outside the weekly cycle.

  Noel Brown (38:41): “So to fix the fixed calendar, you have to add a new 13th month between June and July.”

• Challenges: The introduction of an extra month disrupts traditional seasonal associations and poses significant practical challenges, hindering widespread adoption.

  Ben Bolan (39:00): “They added that month between June and July, which throws our whole summer baby thing way off.”

• Reception: Despite its logical benefits for scheduling and planning, the calendar faces resistance due to people's strong attachment to existing systems.

  Noel Brown (40:06): “I think I'm into this still. I think I'm on board with the international fixed calendar.”

7. Conclusion: The Persistence of Diverse Calendars

Ben Bolan and Noel Brown wrap up the episode by reflecting on the intricate relationship between culture, religion, and timekeeping. They acknowledge that while the Gregorian calendar offers simplicity and global uniformity, the richness and depth of alternative calendars provide a window into the values and traditions of diverse societies.

Ben Bolan (45:49): “There are so many other things we could talk about. I'd love maybe to do a history in the future about the various self-created calendars of cult leaders.”

Noel Brown (45:07): “These are all very much tied to culture and tradition and myth-making and all of that. It's a complex cosmic gumbo that yields all these fascinating different calendars.”

Notable Quotes

• Ben Bolan (01:42): “The Gregorian calendar, despite being the de facto world calendar, is far from the only calendar still in use.”

• Noel Brown (09:27): “This does not sound like a fix to me. This sounds absurd.”

• Ben Bolan (10:37): “The year number on the Hebrew calendar represents the number of years since the creation of humanity.”

• Noel Brown (18:33): “It offers a very precise multidimensional approach to the structuring of time.”

• Ben Bolan (32:44): “The Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina, the Hegirah, that's the start date of the calendar.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of Ridiculous History masterfully unpacks the complexities and cultural significances of various non-Gregorian calendars. By weaving historical insights with engaging storytelling, Ben Bolan and Noel Brown offer listeners a deeper appreciation of how time is measured and celebrated across different civilizations. Whether it's the meticulous calculations of the Hebrew calendar or the rich mythology of the Chinese zodiac, the episode underscores the diverse ways humanity understands and organizes time.

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