Central Asian Calendar

The Central Asian calendar in use primarily in Turkestan and Ugyuristan is an adapted Gregorian calendar which blends in elements of the Persian and Chinese calendars.

The Months

The names of the months are Persian in origin:

Navruz       March
Çavır          April
Mamur       May
Mizäm        June
Şildü           July
Tamuz        August
Kärgüyük    September
Hazan        October
Qariça        November
Jaltuqsan    December
Qaņjar        January
Aqpan        February

However, the numbering of days within the months follows the standard Gregorian pattern, and the new year begins on the first of March, not the equinox as was traditional in the Persian calendar.  The Central Asian New Year holiday remains on the 21st/22nd, however.

Year Numbering

Numbering of years also follows the Gregorian calendar brought by the Russians, but there is a two month lag between the Western and Central Asian calendars due to the differing start dates.  Thus, the date of 11th January 2009 in the Russian Gregorian calendar is 11- Qaņjar 2008 in the Central Asian calendar

The Cycle of Animals

In addition, there is a Chinese-derived animal cycle system of naming the years which runs in parallel with the Gregorian year numbers.  There are some differences from the usual Chinese system, replacing some of the animals with more Central Asian ones:

Year name:         Years:
Rat (Çıçqan)      1888    1900    1912    1924    1936    1948    1960    1972    1984    1996    2008
Ox (Buqa)          1889    1901    1913    1925    1937    1949    1961    1973    1985    1997    2009
Panther (Bars)    1890    1902    1914    1926    1938    1950    1962    1974    1986    1998    2010
Rabbit (Qoyan)  1891    1903    1915    1927    1939    1951    1963    1975    1987    1999    2011
Snail (Ulu)         1892    1904    1916    1928    1940    1952    1964    1976    1988    2000    2012
Snake (Yılan)     1893    1905    1917    1929    1941    1953    1965    1977    1989    2001    2013
Horse (At)         1894    1906    1918    1930    1942    1954    1966    1978    1990    2002    2014
Sheep (Qoı)       1895    1907    1919    1931    1943    1955    1967    1979    1991    2003    2015
Camel (Tüyü)    1896    1908    1920    1932    1944    1956    1968    1980    1992    2004    2016
Cock (Ätiş)       1897    1909    1921    1933    1945    1957    1969    1981    1993    2005    2017
Dog (It)            1898    1910    1922    1934    1946    1958    1970    1982    1994    2006    2018
Pig (Qaban)      1899    1911    1923    1935    1947    1959    1971    1983    1995    2007    2019

Thus, the start of the Basmaçı Revolt would be written out in full as 13- Jaltuqsan, Ulu Jıl 1916.