Meticulous and Meritorious Meteorology Enshrined in the Brihat Samhita - a Comparative Case Study over Four Indian Regions Situated in Diverse Climatic Zones

The Brihat Samhita is the magnum opus of Varaaha Mihira, comprising about 4000 verses (slokams). Among these, 27 predictions were chosen for the present study, which were sub-divided into Movement of Venus, Raahu's course, Predictions based on planetary conjunctions, Prediction for the Sun's entry into Aardra star, Predictions based on the directions of clouds and winds and Predictions based on lunar conjunctions. These predictions were compared with the on-site real-time recorded values of meteorological parameters like rainfall, wind velocity, wind direction, cloud direction, etc. over four Indian regions, viz. Tirupati, Ajmer, Shillong and Port Blair, situated in diverse climatic zones of the country. The period of study was from 1992- 1993 to 2002 - 2003, using the data provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Despite being compiled and formulated about 1500 years prior to contemporary times, these predictions maintained a healthy success rate in significant number of instances. During some episodes, they were spot - on with the forecast as the actual measured parameters reflected the same trend. Tirupati and Ajmer were found to comply more with the predictions than Shillong and Port Blair, though in some cases, the latter two exhibited a relatively better association compared with the former duo. Overall, the rate of correspondence was above 50%. Many a time, it was around 55% - 57%, barring a few cases where there was complete or almost complete correlation with the documented data, where correlation stretched from as high as 80% to 100%. Furthermore, intensive investigation - oriented studies need to be initiated in this direction, while the government and other scientific establishments need to encourage the students and researchers by providing appropriate incentives and facilitating Research&Development on this front.