Itanagar
By Chow Bilaseng Namchoom
The chief Abbott of Theravada Buddha Vihara, Venerable Ratnadeepa on Tuesday released the first ever Tai Khampti – English calendar of Theravada Buddhist Society Itanagar in presence of Chairman Chau Dhanya Mungyak and members of the society at vihara premises.
The calendar has pictures of 12 different occasions which includes visit of His Holiness Dalai Lama, the then Chief Justice of India C.S.Anand, visit of ambassador of Mongolia and various festivals celebrated at Theravada Buddha Vihara Itanagar.
It is based on Theravada Buddhist Lunar Calendar to observe the Theravada Buddhist festivals. The lunar months, normally twelve of them, consist alternately of 29 days and 30 days. As per this calendar, the year of Theravada Buddhist is 2112 which is 2018 in Gregorian calendar. The dates of the lunar months are marked in blue colour and written in Tai Khampti Script. The dates marked in black colour is of the Gregorian Calendar.
This year, the part of the Tai-calendar was compiled by President Arunachal Pali Vidyapith Society Chongkham Venerable Pragyashil Mahathero which has been used and incorporated in the Theravada Buddhist Society calendar to give it an aesthetic look.
The calendar includes all important national holidays besides showing the important Theravada Buddhist holidays.