Sai was 96 as per Stellar Indian Calender !

The Roman Calender used the solar years of 365.25 days.

In the Indian Calender, many years exist. We have the

Solar Year - of 365.25 days ( Sam Vatsaram )
Lunar Year - 29*12 days ( Indha Vatsaram )
Stellar Year - 27*12 days ( Nakshatra Vatsaram )

Anu vatsaram pari vatsaram indha vatsaram eva cha
Samvatsarm vatsarascha vaidhooryeva prabhashathe


Since the Ecliptic or the Zodiac is tenanted by 12 Signs of 30 degrees and 27 constellations or Nakshatras, one stellar or sidereal ( " pertaining to the stars ") month is 27 days and one Stellar Year is 12*27 = 324 days.This stellar month stem from Beta Arieties ( Aswinit ) to Zeta Piscium ( Revathi ) and is of 27 days.

Hence if we calculate Sai's age, he was 96 when he left his body. He had lived 30, 834 days, from his birthdate from 23 Nov 1926 to 24042011. We get 95 years and 54 days and Sai was in his 96th year.

In Indian Astrology, there are many who calculate planetary periods using solar ( 365.25 days) , lunar ( 354 days ) or stellar years ( 324 days). There are also some astrologers who calculate 360 days as an year, since the Zodiac is 360 degrees !

The Western Tropical Calender is not exact and the Gregorian Calender came into being as a modification of the Julian Calender. Gregory decreed on Oct 4 th that the next days is Oct 14th. So the Western Tropical Calender needs modifications from time to time, as the Tropical Zodiac is ever moving, in contrast to the Indian Sidereal Zodiac, which is static and immobile. The Roman Calender was imposed on India by the British !

Sai leaves for His Heavenly Abode

Sai left earth at 0740 AM, Sunday, Uthrashada, Sapthami Thidhi. At that time Taurus was rising, Taurus was his Eighth House, He being born in Libra.

May His soul rest in peace.

Patham Udayam or the 10th Rising of the Sun is very auspicious, as the Sun is in deep exaltation ! He was indeed a Maha Purusha !

He was born with Libra rising, like Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi, with Mars in Aries, forming Rucha Maha Yoga. Jupiter is debilitated in Capricorn, but Retrograde, equalling exaltation. He was an embodiment of Love, Compassion and Service.

Athirathram at Panjal

After 12 days of chanting mantras and peforming Homam, rain lashed the Kerala village, as the Vedic fire ritual ended yesterday.

I could see the black clouds hovering around 0600 PM at Trichur. I was aware of the Athirathram which concluded yesterday.

Along with virtue, Athirathram is the age old Fire Festival which will bring in rains and good harvest. Inevitably, there is rain on the last day everytime it is performed,
after the Yaga Shala is set on fire and yesterday again it was proved to be true.

In 1975, Frits Staal, Indologist and Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South/Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley documented the ritual in a two-volume Vedic treatise -- "Agni: The Vedic Ritual of the Fire Altar".

200,000 people had assembled at the Yaga Shala and they erupted into thunderous applause as rain fell.

Fritz Staal thanked the scholars for sharing their knowledge.

The venue was selected based on geographic and Vaasthu principles. The Yagashala is uniquely positioned to imbibe the Solar Energy , which has made Panjal the venue for key Yagas in Kerala in the past.

Staal, 81, , watched the proceedings from behind an enclosure. "Not much has changed. The ritual is alive and well. But it is a real pleasure to be back to Thrissur." said he.

A team from Harvard University led by professor Micheal Witzel is also studying the Sama Vedic chants. "It is one of the oldest living Vedic traditions and has not changed much," Witzel said.