Review of Vaishnava Calendar for Android

BY: ABHAYA PRADA DEVI DASI

Sep 10, 2016 — INDIA (SUN) —

Table of Contents


Month view - main screen Day view


This article introduces Vaishnava Calendar - Android application which calculates most popular Vaishnava events and shows them in Gregorian month view (see Reference № 1). Ekadashi fastings are also included because the predecessor of this app is 'Ekadashi Reminder' (see Reference № 2).
Additional benefits are:

  • the number of supported Vaishnava events is 146
  • there is a story/description for each event
  • sends notification about today's events
  • supports Daylight Saving Time (Summer Time)
  • supports English, Ukrainian, Russian and Portuguese
  • has time machine for years 2010-2026 AD
  • doesn't have unwanted popups, spam and ads
  • has very small size and consumes minimum of resources
  • doesn't require Internet connection
  • doesn't retrieve or store any identifying information
  • doesn't collect anonymous usage data
  • has very simple and user-friendly interface:


1. Installation

Ok, let's start and install the application from Google Play: http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acd.calendar
After opening for the first time it asks questions for configuring:
  • Current location
  • using Summer Time (DST)
  • showing events in Month view
  • notifying events
  • algorithm of calculations


The section 5. Settings describes these in details.
Then 'Help screen' is appeared and shows the main controls:

  • Menu 1
  • Menu 2
  • Refresh
  • Swipe left - swipe right


After tapping on any place of the screen the 'Help screen' disappears and the 'Main screen' is opened.

2. Month view

Top and bottom parts are described later in the section 4. Top and bottom bars.
In the center of the Month view there is swipe area which can be scrolled left or right with a finger. Scrolling left to right leads to displaying previous month. Scrolling right to left leads to displaying next month. This way it is possible to get information about all months in one Gaurabda/ChandraVarsha: from one Gaura Purnima to the next Gaura Purnima. Switching Gaurabda/ChandraVarsha in the past or in the future is done by using 'Go to Date' (or 'Time machine' which is described in the section 8. Go to Date).
Month view consists of days, which are numerated from 1 to the last day of the current month. Days from previous or next months are inactive and shown lightened. Each day can contain such icons:
  • Purnima or Amavasya
  • Vaishnava holiday
If there are more than 2 holidays in some day then they are shown in such way:
  • Ekadashi icon is always shown the first.
  • If the day doesn't have Ekadashi then the icon of 1st group event (RED) is shown.
  • Similarly, if the day doesn't have RED event then the icon of 2nd group event (GREEN) is shown.
  • And similarly - with 3rd group events (BLUE).
Second and other events are shown in the bottom as circles with appropriate color.
Current day is painted orange. This coloured day is also called 'selected'.

3. Day view

After tapping on a day in Month view the Day view is opened.
Top and bottom parts are described later in the section 4. Top and bottom bars.
In the center of the Day view there is swipe area which can be scrolled left or right with a finger. Scrolling left to right leads to displaying previous day. Scrolling right to left leads to displaying next day. This way it is possible to get information about all days in one month: from the first day to the last day. Switching months (past or future) is possible by some ways, e.g. 1) return to Month view 2) change month 2) go to Day view again. Or it is possible to use 'Go to Date' (or 'Time machine' which is described in the section 8. Go to Date).
Day view contains information about selected day:
  • Panchanga/Panjika: Tithi (with end time), Paksha, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana and Vaara
  • Gaurabda and year
  • Gaudiya Vaishnava masa and Purnimanta masa
  • phase of Moon
  • Brahma Muhurta
  • Sunrise and Sunset
  • Moonrise and Moonset
  • for Ekadashi vrata day additionally: the time when fasting begins and the period of breaking the fast
  • for Vaishnava holiday additionally: info about fasting

Each Vaishnava event has the text with story (or description). After tapping on the event in Day view the new fullscreen window with the story text is opened:

It needs to tap any place (except top color line) to exit from full screen mode.
NOTE: After tapping top color line the 'Share' dialog is appeared. This allows to share this story with others.

4. Top and bottom bars

Top bar
In the Month view the bar on the top displays current month and Gregorian year, e.g. August 2016.
In the Day view the bar on the top displays current Gregorian day, e.g. 25 August 2016, Thursday. NOTE: the format of this string is configured in 'Settings'.
The top bar also has 2 important elements - 2 menus which drop out after tapping on Lotus-Tilak icon (Menu 1 on the left side) and on the vertical menu - 3 vertical dots (Menu 2 on the right side).
'Menu 1' consists of 4 elements:
  • 'Share' - this one allows to share/send the information about current (selected) event. Also it is possible to share installation/support links in social networks, including Facebook
  • 'Help screen' - shows hints about the location of some control elements on the Month view
  • 'Acknowledgments' page says 'Big thanks' to everybody who has taken part in application development and support
  • 'About' - shows application version and developer's email address
'Menu 2' consists of 2 elements:
  • 'Settings' - this will be described in the section 5. Settings in details
  • 'Language' - let's change language. NOTE: after selecting the language it needs to exit from app and then start it again to apply changes
Bottom bar
The bar on the bottom consists of 4 most usable buttons:

5. Settings

This menu configures all static parameters of the application:
  1. Current location
    NOTE: Built-in database of 4,000 cities is in English, so, it needs to input only Latin letters!
    Start with entering Latin letters of a City name. After entering at least 2 letters the window with available Cities is appeared (all these Cities will contain entered letters). It is possible to scroll top-bottom to show more Cities available. After it please choose your City from a list. When the full name of your City appears in the input field please tap 'Accept' to apply or 'Cancel' - to reject.
    It is also possible to view a list of available cities by entering 2-letters Language Code only, e.g.
    • 'in' - is 2-letters code of India
    • 'us' - is 2-letters code of USA
    and so on. It is always possible to add new City to database by emailing to Abhay Charan prabhu directly (Reference № 1). Full list of Language Codes is available http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php
    NOTE: It is planned to get rid of using Language Code and move to using Country Code instead.

  2. Daylight saving time
    Currently 3 preferences are available for using Summer Time (DST):
    • Europe
    • USA
    • Australia
    It is possible to add more preferences by request (contacts are in Reference № 1).
    After setting DST option on this screen the value of 'Time zone' will be shown below. Also it is recommended to check current clock value (from smartphone chip) with the last string on this screen (which is calculated by application) named 'Local Time'. If everything has been set correctly then both values will be equal.

  3. Show events
    All events are divided on groups:
    • Main holidays
    • Appearance/disappearance
    • Extra holidays
    • Plus holidays
    NOTE: Last group isn't used now and reserved for future use (for user's events).
    This setting allows to switch on/off the show of these groups on the Month view.

  4. Notify events
    Read details about grouping events from previous option.
    This setting allows to switch on/off the notification of events for each group.
    The application generates notifications and fires them in the system status bar. These notifications are fired in the day of event (because it is not reminder app, so, there are no options to choose 'Notify in 1 day' or 'Notify in 2 days'...). All notifications are checked and fired at approximately 10 minutes after the midnight.

  5. The algorithm of calculations
    This option was designed mainly for ISKCON devotees, who currently use 2 different algorithms for calculating the start time of events. Both of them has been implemented, so, the application states full support for ISKCON (Reference № 3, Reference № 4):
    - using Shri Mayapur city - stated by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and widely used until 1990 AD
    - using the 'Current location' - an alternative algorithm proposed in 1990 AD and also used now.


6. Change layout

The idea behind this feature is very simple - some devotees prefer Horizontal layout, some - Vertical layout:
Horizontal layout Vertical layout

To change layout it needs to tap 'Change layout' button in the bottom bar of Month View. After this action an additional menu is appeared on the top with new options. Tap 'Change layout' option and check whether you are happy with new layout.

To change the first displayed day of the week it needs to tap appropriate option on the right of 'Change layout' option. NOTE: It is possible to set any day as the first displayed in the week - from Sunday till Saturday.

7. Find and Go to Event

This feature allows to see all available holidays in the application. Just tap 'Find and Go to Event' button in the bottom bar of any View and the menu is appeared:


Selecting appropriate group of events it is possible to see all of them as a list in the next window. After selecting one event, e.g. 'Ratha Yatra', from the list the app shows this event. It looks like the operation 'Go to Ratha Yatra' has just been performed.
NOTE: In the window with the list of events a function 'Search' is also available and waiting for the input.

8. Go to Date

'Time machine' is built-in mechanism for switching year/Gaurabda in period of 2010-2026 AD (or Gaurabda 524-540) in the past or in the future.
The control 'Go to Date' can be used to travel to an arbitrary point in time and get information about an event for that moment.
E.g. after tapping 'Go to Date' and setting the date in 2 years, then the application recalculates everything by setting that future date to now and doing this date selected. It looks like travelling in future time.
To return to current moment it needs to tap on 'Refresh' control or close application.
Note: the application doesn't save a time or info between sessions. Every time the app is launched (or 'Refresh'-ed) it takes current time from system clock and makes calculations again.

Thanks for reading this, hope it was useful, Hare Krishna!
Your servant
Abhaya Prada devi dasi


Reference № 1

More details about the application and contacts:
- project Home page: http://www.facebook.com/vc108
- install application from Google Play: http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acd.calendar
- YouTube class: Working with Vaishnava Calendar
- add new cities to database, feature requests and so on: Abhay Charan prabhu "abhay.charan.d@gmail.com"

Reference № 2

Ekadashi Reminder project Home page is http://www.facebook.com/EkadashiReminder
Google Play page is http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acd.ekadashi
This app calculates Vaishnava (or Bhagavata) Ekadashi which are Suddha (or pure): an observance is based on the rule that Dashami or the tenth day during a lunar fortnight should have ended before Arunodaya (96 minutes period before sunrise on the Ekadashi or the 11th day in a lunar fortnight).
Note: Smarta Ekadashis are not supported (available in any Hindu calendar).

Reference № 3

Calculations of Vaishnava events are based on 'Shri Navadwipa Panjika' by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, who cultivates Shri Harinam Kirtan worldwide. 'Shri Navadwipa Panjika' was designed according to Vaisnava Smriti - 'Shri Hari-bhakti-vilasa' (by Sanatana Gosvami). This book can be easily found in Internet in English translation by Manoj Mitra, e.g. in the page https://www.facebook.com/notes/ekadashi-reminder-for-android/sri-navadwip-panjika/1140923125931329

Reference № 4

The calculations were checked against Gcal for Windows Version 11
NOTE: GCal (for 'Gaurabda Calendar') is a full-featured calendar calculation program for Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Downloaded from www.KrishnaDays.com. Developed by Gopalapriya prabhu of ISKCON Bratislava, Slovakia.
The results of the check are available on project's Home page.


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