Leap Day

February 29, a Special Day in the Cycle

Come this February 28, when you think I am done with February, the reality dawns that we have one more day to go. Yes, it is a leap year. Symbolically, it has to jump that extra day; hence, it is a leap day and year! Not that leap year comes once in four years always. The years divisible by four and evenly divisible by 100 are not leap years. The years which are evenly divisible by 100 and 400, like 2000, are. The Gregorian and other calendars have mechanisms to maintain synchronisation with astronomical events. The Hindu calendar has several traditional systems with unique features and purposes. Leaplings are the people who have their birthday on February 29. Many Leaplings celebrate their birthdays either on February 28 or March 1 or even both days on non-leap years. As the sun rises and sets in the west and the new day is born, so are the hopes and challenges. It is the determination to leap and move and achieve satisfaction, contentment and determination to make one’s life beautiful, eventful and purposeful. Not to forget our responsibility to make this world sustainable. Special days like these are reminders of our commitment to Mother Earth.

In the leap year, time stretches its wings and takes flight.

Come February, it is time to settle into the new year, with January going into celebrations and resolutions. The best part of February is it has a shorter month span. Those employed get the same salary for working for a smaller number of days. Come this February 28, when you think I am done with February, the reality dawns that we have one more day to go in 2024. It is a leap year. Oxford Dictionary says a leap is “to jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force”. Ironically, an extra day in the year is called leap year and the extra day leap day. Symbolically, it has to jump that extra day; hence, it is a leap day and year!

A leap year(intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day. The extra day is added to synchronise with the seasonal year. Earth takes approximately 365.425 days to orbit the sun. Adding an extra day once in four years so we don’t fall several hours behind each year. This extra day is added to the calendar in February. Though the exact reason for choosing February is unclear, it is reasonable to think that the extra day is added to that month with minimum days, and here comes February 29. It is believed that it is not normalising the days. The extra day is to harmonise the earthly rhythms with the celestial movements.  

Not that leap year comes once in four years always. The years are divisible by four and evenly divisible by 100, and they are not leap years (1800 and 1900 are not leap years). The year is evenly divisible by 100 and 400, like 2000, a leap year. For commoners, all these explanations look a little complicated.  The length of a day is also occasionally corrected by inserting a leap second to account for the variations in Earth’s rotation period.

Leap into the future with hope and excitement.

Dwelling into the history of leap years is intriguing. Ancient civilisations primarily relied on celestial cues to structure their lives. Calendars were based on lunar or solar patterns or a mix of both (lunisolar). The first Calendar in which the leap year was featured is attributed to the Julian calendar. The Julian calendar underwent changes, and Pope Gregory introduced the Gregorian calendar, which is currently in use. British came and made Indians use the Gregorian Calendar.

The Gregorian and other calendars have mechanisms to maintain synchronisation with astronomical events. The Hebrew Calendar (a Lunisolar) adds an extra month called Adar II in leap years. Islamic Calendar (Lunar), consisting of 12 months of 29 or 30 days each and a cycle of 30 years, during which 11 of those years have an extra day added to the last month (Dhu al-Hijjah). The traditional Chinese Calendar (lunisolar) adds an extra month in leap years. So is the Ethiopian Calendar (lunisolar).

What about the Hindu calendar? It has several traditional calendar systems, each with unique features and purposes. Hindu Calendar (Panchanga) (lunisolar) has an extra month once every 32–33 months. It ensures that festivals and crop-related rituals fall in the appropriate season.  

Coming to birthdays, older people wish you what they call a star birthday, which they believe is your actual birthday. What about people born on February 29. They are known as Leaplings and are unique because they have their birthday once in four years. The wait for four years to celebrate your birthday is too long. Many Leaplings celebrate their birthdays either on February 28 or March 1 or even both days on non-leap years.

UN data says that every day, around 365,000 babies are born. Going by these numbers, the same must be valid for Leaplings. Some of the more known Leaplings are former PM of India, Morarji Desai, Motivational speaker and life coach, Tony Robbins, Well-known Indian classical dancer and choreographer and founder of Kalakshetra,Rukmini Devi Arundale, Italia composer well known for his operas, Gioachino Rossini.

As the sun rises and sets in the west and the new day is born, so are the hopes and challenges. It is the determination to leap and move and achieve satisfaction, contentment and determination to make one’s life beautiful, eventful and purposeful. Not to forget our responsibility to make this world sustainable. Special days like these are reminders of our commitment to Mother Earth.

Let 29 February brings 24 extra hours
of happiness, love, and laughter.

Toons: Reema  
Logs: M Sai Baba
ToonLogs