Description of rainfall variability in Br hat -samhita of Varâha-mihira

Iyengar, RN (2004) Description of rainfall variability in Br hat -samhita of Varâha-mihira. In: Current Science, 87 (4). pp. 531-533.

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Abstract

Br hat -samhita of Varâha-mihira (5–6th century AD) provides valuable information on the approach in ancient India towards monsoon rainfall, including its measurement and forecasting. In this context, we come across a description of the expected amount of total seasonal rainfall depending on the first rains under the 27 naks atras of Indian astronomy. This provides a rough statistical picture of what might have been the rainfall and its variability in the region around Ujjain, where Varâha-mihira lived. The coefficient of variation of the model, described by him, is 37%. This value is close to the present-day climatic variability of station-level monsoon rainfall in and around Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Current Science
Publisher:	Indian Academy of Sciences
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Indian Academy of Sciences.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Date Deposited:	09 Nov 2004
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 04:17
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/2293

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