Adhikamasa also called the Adhikmasa, Mala¬masa, and the Purushottam masa, is an intercalated month in the Hindu calendar that is inserted to keep the Lunar calendar aligned with the Solar calender. Malamas is a way to align the lunar calendar with the solar one.
A solar calendar year has 365 days and 6 hours long, while a lunar calendar year has 354 days and 9 hours long, with a difference of 11 days between the two, this difference needs to be adjusted every three years to align the lunar and solar calendars. The 11 days’ difference becomes 33 days over three years. These 33 days are grouped into an additional 13th month in the lunar year and that month is called Malamas.
Another legend states that demon Hiranya Kashyapu was inflicting cruelty all over the world. He had received a special boon from Brahma which, among other things, meant that he could not be killed in any of the 12 months of the year.
So, Vishnu created a 13th month and killed Hiranya Kashyap as Narsingha. The 13th month was thus called Adhikmasa or Malmasa. Because of this association with Lord Vishnu, Malamas is also called Purushottam Mas, Purushottam being another name for Vishnu.
As Malamas is an irregular month made up of the leftover days of the year, astrologers do not consider it appropriate for auspicious occasions.
Hence, special event and festival are not organized during this time and the month holds no space for propitious moment like weddings, coming-of-age ceremonies, home construction and entry pujas, birthdays and other special events.
Couples who have been married for less than a year should also not stay in the same home and maintain sexual relations because a child conceived at that time will not have a long and prosperous life, as believed.
This is why new wives go to live with their parents during Malamas in our society.
However, the month still holds great religious significance because of its attachment to Lord Vishnu.
Hence, activities related to Lord Narayan, donating alms and holding Purushottam Mahatmya are encouraged and are believed to yield good fortune during the time.
