Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 5/The Turkish almanac
THE TURKISH ALMANAC (TAKVIM).
The Turks, the youngest of all the Eastern nations, though they have now been for centuries in continual intercourse, political and commercial, with all the countries of the civilised world in and out of Europe, have, nevertheless, preserved to this day, in all their integrity, all the ancient prejudices and popular traditions of their race, and to which they still adhere with a pertinacity that neither time nor the frequent attempts at civilisation have, in the least, been able to modify. Even their common almanac (Takvim) shows how widely the Turks still differ from us in their views and notions of even common life relations, and no wonder that the Turkish astronomers direct their attention chiefly to the gratification of the popular taste in the daily wants, wishes, dealings, and requirements of practical life generally. The Takvim is thus the household book of the common people, and embraces all sorts of moral, social, religious, and even sanitary precepts, in a national point of view.
The very clumsy size and form of the Takvim speaks already of a different taste even in book-making, its width being about four inches, while the length measures upwards of six and a-half feet! The top of the inside is adorned with various pictorial illustrations of stars, crescents, spheres, telescopes, arms, standards, &c. These are followed by an astronomical account, written in a truly pathetic style, of the exact time when the sun is to pass the equinoctial line, and having reference to the respective eras as computed by the Copts, Greeks, and Arabs. Next comes the astronomical calendar, commencing with New Year’s Day (Nevruz). It is introduced and prefaced by some religious hymns and blessings on the heads of the orthodox believers. Then follow—from right to left—the old Turkish signs of the zodiac, with their Persian names: swine, dog, ox, leopard, crocodile, serpent, monkey, sheep, rat, horse, hen, and hare. Next come—from left to right—our Christian signs of the zodiac, with their Arabian names, as also of those of the sun, moon, and planets.
The Takvim is divided into twelve parts, under the following headings:—1. Remarkable days; 2. Days of the week; 3. The Arabian era; 4. The Greek era; 5. Dominant constellations; 6. Hour and minute of sun-rise; 7. Mid-day prayers; 8. Afternoon prayers; 9. Evening prayers; 10. Morning prayers; 11. New moon; and 12. Miscellaneous.
We will select a few items for the month Moharrem (first month of the year), which begins on the 23rd of our February month.
27th1st day.—The moon rises in the north, high and bright.
27th3rd day.—„The second heat descends into the water.
27th5th day.—„Storks arrive.
27th10th day.—„Ashorday. (On that day the benevolent prepare from all sorts
of fruit a dish called ashor which they distribute amongst
the poor.)
27th11th day.—„The third heat descends to the earth, and the two seasons
separate. The strength of winter is broken, and any
subsequent severe cold is of no duration.
27th14th day.—„Bushes begin to sprout forth.
27th16th day.—„The old women-winter [?] commences.
27th19th day.—„First of March, old style.
27th20th day.—„Wood-pigeons make their appearance, and the old women-
winter is at an end.
27th day.—„The silk-worm season begins.
In part 6 we read:—
As the sun always sets at twelve, the hour for evening prayers remains unchanged; but it varies with that of sunrise, which is not always the same!
The last part, Miscellaneous, contains things that are to be done on certain days in the month.
22nd1st day.—Visit cheerful society.
22nd2nd and 3rd are auspicious days.
22nd4th day.—Pay your respects to the great of the state.
22nd5th day.—„Learn music.
22nd6th day.—„Seek for the learned.
22nd7th day.—„Buy male slaves.
22nd8th day.—„Ordinary day.
22nd9th day.—„Portion your daughters.
22nd10th day.—„Engage in business.
22nd11th day.—„Work in gold and silver.
22nd12th day.—„Engage in maritime undertakings, in building wharves,
docks, &c.
22nd13th day.—„Gladden the hearts of the needy.
22nd14th day.—„Converse with the wise.
22nd15th day.—„Prepare essences.
22nd16th day.—„Prepare electuaries.
22nd17th day.—„Avoid travelling or ascending mountains.
22nd18th day.—„Pay your respects to the ministers of state.
22nd19th and 20th are lucky days.
22nd21st day.—Visit the pious.
22nd day.—„Give your company to your wives.
22nd23rd day.—„Buy landed property.
22nd24th day.—„Keep quiet at home.
22nd25th and 26th are lucky days.
22nd27th day.—Engage in commercial speculations.