Introduction: The Significance of Each Month

The division of a year into months and its evolution through the ages, as we arrive at the modern 12-month calendar that is universally accepted and followed is interesting. The ancient Romans, for instance, had a 10-month calendar covering the period from March to December, since these were the official working months for the government. 

Figure: Ancient Roman Calendar

Eventually, the Romans decided to fill the calendar by adding the remaining two months when the government was on vacation. 

Figure: Roman Calendar

It was Julius Caesar who then reorganised the calendar to make the Julian calendar, which is the foundation for the modern calendar.

Figure 1: Julian Calendar

The Hindus followed a lunar calendar for setting months and days and a solar calendar to set the year. The names of the current months have evolved from the Roman calendar, but what we follow today is the Gregorian calendar in which every month is assigned 28 to 31 days. The advantage of this calendar is that it is based on a solar year, which aligns closely with Earth's orbit and keeps the seasons on track. 

 

Through this blog, let us understand the significance of each month.

January: New Beginnings

January is the beginning of the year and gets its name from the Roman god Janus, who is responsible for doorway transitions and initiations. As per legend, Janus has two faces, one looking towards yesterday and another towards tomorrow. It signifies the onset of a new year and a time to reflect on the past and prepare for the future. The people of the northern hemisphere experience peak summer and those in the southern hemisphere experience peak winter in this month. 

February: Focus and Foundation

February gets its name from Februa, which was the festival of purification. It marks the end of winter and the onset of spring in most parts of the world. Most cultures celebrate spring cleaning customs in this month to invite positivity and goodwill into their homes. February is the shortest month of the year and generally has 28 days, however, once every four years, on the leap year, it has 29 days. 

March: Growth and Momentum

March is named for Mars, the Roman god of war. This is the month when spring blooms and we head towards scorching summer in the northern hemisphere, in the summer hemisphere this is an autumn month. This month is marked with harvest festivals as the days lengthen and temperatures rise. While it is springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere experiences the start of winter during this period. 

April: Reflection and Renewal

The name April comes from the Roman word Aprilis which means “to open”. It is the month when flowers are abloom, and seeds are sprouting in the field. April is the month of productivity, growth and expansion. While it is spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere experiences winter in this month.

May: Preparation and Perseverance

May derives its name from Maiesta, the goddess of honour. It reflects the peak period for fertility and growth as the fields are flourishing green and signify an abundant harvest to come.  The Northern Hemisphere transitions from spring to summer in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere from autumn to winter in this month.

June: Celebration and Transition

June gets its name from the Goddess Juno, the goddess of marriage, childbirth and family life. This month is considered to be the most favourable period for weddings and starting a new family. This month marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

July: Exploration and Independence

July was known as Quintilis, meaning fifth in Latin till 44 BCE, after his death, this month was renamed as July in honour of the birth month of Julius Caesar. It is generally warm and sunny in the Northern Hemisphere. However, monsoon reigns in regions such as Southeast Asia and India and, it is winter in the countries located in the Southern Hemisphere.

August: Preparation and Planning

August was called Sextilis in ancient Rome, where it used to be the sixth month. However., thirty-six years after Julius Caesar’s passing, in 8 BCE, Sextilis was renamed August to honour Augustus Caesar. While it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is cold and dark in the Southern Hemisphere. However, in most of Asia and the Indian subcontinent, this month is warm and humid.

September: Fresh Starts

As per the Julian calendar, September was called Septem, which means seventh, signifying that it is the seventh month. This name can be a bit of a misnomer as per the Gregorian calendar where September is the ninth month. September marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

October: Creativity and Exploration

In Latin, Octo means eight, which was the name of this month as per the Julian calendar. Building on the same premise as September, this month retains the name of the traditional Roman calendar in the Gregorian calendar too. in this month, it is fall in the Northern Hemisphere, when trees shed leaves. In the Southern Hemisphere, the weather is approaching springtime as it becomes warmer, and flowers bloom.

November: Gratitude and Reflection

The term Novem means nine in the Latin language, and it was given the name as it was the ninth month in the 12-month Roman calendar. In November, the Northern Hemisphere experiences late autumn while it is late spring in the Southern Hemisphere. 

December: Celebration and Closure

December’s name is derived from the Latin word Decem which means tenth as this was the 10th month on the Roman calendar. This is the final month of the calendar and marks the end of the year. It marks the phase where the Earth finishes one revolution of the sun. In this month, it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Month-wise festival and important days

Conclusion

Every month has its special days, festivals, significance in different nations, and weather conditions. A nation’s agriculture practices, finance administration and the functioning of important institutions such as schools, colleges and courts of justice are tied to the calendar and months of the year. Hence, it is hard to ignore the days of the weeks or months.