Thiti (Mahala 1)

The word ‘thitī’ is a modified form of the Sanskrit word ‘tithi.’ The interchange of the letters ‘t’ and ‘th’ changes ‘tithi’ to ‘thiti/thitī.’ This word literally means ‘date,’ ‘day,’ or ‘lunar day,’ a count from the first to the fifteenth day based on the moon’s movement. Both ‘tithī’ and ‘thitī’ are used in Panjabi. In the Guru Granth Sahib, this word appears in various forms like ‘thiti,’ ‘thitī,’ ‘thīti,’ etc.

The waxing and waning phases of the moon are also referred to as ‘thit,’ which is the origination of the concept of measuring time through the fifteen lunar days. Since ancient times, two methods have been prevalent for measuring a year. First is by the sun’s movement, and second is by the waxing and waning of the moon. Based on these two, the year is referred to as either a ‘solar year’ or a ‘lunar year.’ It is also worth mentioning here that the lunar year is more prominently used for religious ceremonies.

The ‘lunar year’ is calculated according to the lunar days. It consists of twelve months and is made up of thirty days each. Each month is counted by a pair of fifteen days, ‘vadi’ (fifteen days of the moon’s waning) and ‘sudi’ (fifteen days of the moon’s waxing). According to Sahit Kosh, ‘vadi’ is a derivative form of the Sanskrit word ‘bahul,’ which means black. ‘Vadi’ is also known as ‘shyam paksha’ (dark phase) or ‘krishna paksha’ (dark phase). In Panjabi, this phase is known as ‘hanera pakh’ (dark phase). ‘Sudi’ is a derivative form of the Sanskrit word ‘shukla,’ which means white or day. In Panjabi, this phase is known as ‘chanan pakh’ (bright phase). Therefore, sometimes ‘vadi’ is used for night, while ‘sudi’ is used for day. Each day’s name is the same from the first (ekam) to the fourteenth (chaudas) day in both the waxing and waning phases. However, on the fifteenth day of the hanera pakh, or krishna paksha, the dark phase when the moon wanes, the day of the new moon is referred to as ‘massia.’ In contrast, in the chanan pakh, or shukla paksha, the bright phase when the moon waxes, the day is called ‘puranmashi’ or full moon.

In this way, in the traditional months, the full moon becomes visible on the fifteenth lunar day (tithi), which is called ‘puranmashi.’ Then, after fifteen days, when the moon is not visible at all, it is called ‘massia’ (amavas/amavasia). This phenomenon can also be understood from an alternate perspective. After the new moon (massia or amavas), the size of the moon increases day by day and becomes complete in fourteen days, called the full moon (puranmashi or purnima). After the full moon, it starts waning gradually until it finally disappears on the night of the new moon or ‘massia’.

Thitti as a poetic-form
‘Thitti’ may also refer to a poetic form. As a poetic form, it relates to a composition based on the fifteen days of the lunar month. The fifteen days of the lunar month occupy a central place in this form. It tends to include days from the first day to the new moon of the waning cycle (ekam to amavas). However, this is not a rigid rule. The days from the first day to the full moon of the waxing cycle (ekam to puranmashi), falling after the new moon can also be used as a base. According to Piara Singh Padam, the oldest work in the form of Thitti poetry is found in the name of Gorakh Nath, ‘Pandrah Thitti.’ An example of ‘Pandrah Thitti’ from Gorakhbani is as follows:
bandai gorakh ekaṅkār. pandarah tithi kā karhū vicar. ṭek.
amāvas driṛ āsaṇ hoe. ātam parcai marai na koī.
mūl sahsrār pavnā bahai. baṅknāli tab bahat rahai.1.

Thitti as a poetic-form in the Guru Granth Sahib
In the Guru Granth Sahib, compositions based on seasons, dates, days, quarters of the day, etc., are also prevalent, such as:

• ‘Rutti,’ based on the six seasons of the Indic and Panjabi calendar year.
• ‘Barah Maha,’ based on the twelve months of the year.
• ‘Thitti,’ based on the days (thit) related to different phases of the moon, counted according to its positions.
  A fortnight of waning (vadi: full moon to new moon) and a fortnight of waxing (sudi: new moon to full moon) of the moon in a lunar month.
• ‘Var Sat,’ based on the seven days of the week.
• ‘Din Raini,’ based on the day and night.
• ‘Pahare,’ based on the four quarters of the day or night.

Under the title ‘Thitti,’ the Guru Granth Sahib contains three compositions:

Serial No.	Title of the Composition	Revealer	Rag	Page Number
1	bilāvalu mahalā 1 thitī gharu 10 jati	Guru Nanak Sahib	Bilaval	838-840
2	thitī gaüṛī mahalā 5	Guru Arjan Sahib	Gauri	296-300
3	rāg gaüṛī thitīṁ kabīr jī kīṁ	Bhagat Kabir Ji	Gauri	343-344

Except for the days of the new moon and full moon, each day of the lunar month is named numerically. In the above compositions, this number runs uniformly from one to fourteen, followed by the names of the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon. However, this composition under consideration ends at the new moon, not mentioning the full moon. According to Rattan Singh Jaggi, in this composition, the Guru describes the days of the dark phase, that is, the waning phase of the moon (hanera pakh or krishan paksha). This depiction is also in accordance with the theme of the composition because the world is described as having strayed from the right path in the dark phase, wandering into the darkness of ignorance. Only in the illumination of the ‘full moon’ of the Guru’s teaching and guidance can the being find the right path.

Giani Harbans Singh provides a list of the names of these days in the compositions of the Guru Granth Sahib and in vernacular language as follows:

Guru Nanak Sahib	Guru Arjan Sahib	Bhagat Kabir Ji	Vernacular Language
ekam	ekam	parivā	Ekam/Pahila
dūjī	dutīā	dutīā	Duj
tritīā	tritīā	tritīā	Tij
caüthi	caturthi	caüthahi	Chauth
pancamī	pancami	pāṁcai	Panchami
khasṭī	khasṭami	chaṭhi	Chath
saptamī	saptami	sātaiṁ	Sate/Satto
asṭamī	asṭamī	asṭamī	Atthe
naümī	naümī	naümī	Naumi
dasmī	dasmī	dasmī	Dasmi
ekādasī	ekādasī	ekādasī	Ekadashi
duādasi/duādasī	duādasī	bārasi	Duadashi
terasi	traüdasī	terasi	Trei/Tera
caüdasi	caüdahi	caüdasi	Chaudas
amāvasiā	amāvasi	ammāvas	Massia
-	pūrnamā	pūniu	Punnia/Puranmashi

Bilaval Mahala 1 Thitti Gar 10 Jati
This composition is revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib (1469-1539 CE) in Rag Bilaval and is recorded on pages 838-840 of the Guru Granth Sahib. It has twenty pauris, with an additional two-line stanza of rahau in the first pauri.

In this composition, a description of the days as per the waxing and waning of the moon is used to communicate a message to eradicate illusions and superstitions of common people; the contemplation of IkOankar is emphasized in the lines of ‘rahau.’

Superstitions Associated with Thittis
Thittis are essentially days associated with the moon (lunar cycle). However, astrologers attach certain superstitious beliefs to particular days. For example, some regions observed the first and sixteenth day of the lunar month by refraining from reading or studying. Some believed that if a person studied on the lunar month’s first day (ekam), education (learning) would elude them. Thus, some days were considered auspicious and some inauspicious. For example, ekadashi (eleventh day) and puranmashi (full moon) are considered auspicious, while massia (new moon) is considered inauspicious.

In his discussion on fasting on the day of the full moon and rituals associated with thittis, Giani Haribans Singh argued, “Currently, the number of people observing fasting on the full moon is increasing day by day. This inapt practice has also spread in gurduaras (popularly gurdwaras). The practice of reading the tale related to the full moon (puranmashi katha) has increased to such an extent that women have started organizing special programs in gurduaras based on it. To associate the imaginary tale of the full moon with Guru Gobind Singh and Bhai Daya Singh is ignorance. The author of ‘Guru Nanak Darpan,’ based on personal information, has stated that there are three versions of the tale of the full moon; one in the form of verse, the second in prose, and the third in the tales related to twelve months. This tale was first written by Sant Puran Singh of village Balksar, Tehsil Chakwal, District Jhelum. Later, ashamed of his own action and realizing his mistake, during a congregational gathering of the Khalsa Diwan (1909), he apologized by raising both his arms and saying the following words: ‘duhāī rabba dī, duhāī rabba dī, maiṁ jo kujh kītā anarth kītā, maiṁ kuphar toliā, logo maiṁ kuphar toliā.’ (O Divine! Whatever I did was wrong, I indulged in impropriety).”