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The Celestial Dance
The Astronomy of the Panchanga
Speaker
Can ancient astronomy teach us how to measure both a second and a trillion years?
In this special session, astronomy enthusiast S Kishore Kumar brings the ancient Indian Panchanga (the Hindu calendar) alive through modern Stellarium software. Celestial movements unfold as vivid animations, making complex ideas simple and visual. Participants will learn the meaning of terms like Masa, Paksha, Tithi, and Nakshatra, and discover why festivals shift dates each year, why zodiac signs number twelve, and why cosmic rhythms still shape our daily lives.
The Panchanga is more than an almanac; it is a scientific framework linking human life to the cosmos. For over 1,500 years Indian astronomy thrived, reaching a peak in Vijayanagar and Kerala, charting planetary motions with astonishing precision. Texts like the Surya Siddhanta imagined time on scales from a fleeting breath (prana) to a cosmic cycle (parardha) spanning 155.52 trillion years.
Through a blend of science and storytelling, S. Kishore Kumar reveals how this timeless tradition connects us to the universe.
Step in, and witness time unfold!
Presented by:
Supported by:
Speaker
S Kishore Kumar
S. Kishore Kumar is a technologist with a lifetime of experience in the Indian software industry.
He completed his BE from NIT Trichy and his MS in Computer Science from the State University of New York, Buffalo, USA.
He began his professional journey in 1984 in Bangalore. Since then, he has worked with major software companies such as Tata Unisys, Cognizant and Siemens Healthineers in a variety of techno-managerial roles, eventually retiring as Senior Vice President with Siemens Healthineers.
Following his retirement, he has dedicated himself to his passion project, “The Astronomy of the Hindu Calendar.” Having studied, understood and internalised the astronomy of the Hindu calendar over the last fifteen years, he is now focused on sharing his understanding with a wider audience. His mission is to demystify the astronomical foundation of the Hindu pañcāṅga in such a way that it can be understood by all Indians, especially Hindus. Drawing on a lifetime of skills honed in the software industry, he has created unique and original multimedia content under his brand Ahargana. This content brings sophisticated and intricate ancient astronomy to life through clear and compelling visual orbital simulations. These simulations have been created using Stellarium, a modern-day planetarium software, and serve as an effective bridge from the ancient to the modern.
He also has a successful YouTube channel – @Ahargana – with over 11,000 subscribers. The twenty-seven episodes on this channel explain the astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar in great detail.
