On the afternoon of New Year’s Day (14th April), the panchangam (‘liturgical almanac’) was read out in Bhagavan’s Shrine. The reading serves to confirm key festival dates for the upcoming year. Panch or ‘five’ refers to the limbs (anga) or placement of the moon calculated in five ways, namely, tithi, nakshatra, rasi, yoga, and karana according to which muhurthas are determined and festival dates fixed.  —