Dakshinayana

Dakshinayana (दक्षिणायण), is the six-month period between Summer solstice and Winter solstice, when the sun apparently travels towards the south on the celestial sphere. Dakshinayana begins on Karka Sankranti or July 16, as it marks the transition of the Sun into Karka rashi (Cancer). This also marks the end of the six-month Uttarayana period of Hindu calendar, and the beginning of Dakshinayana, which itself end at Makar Sankranti and the Uttarayan period begins.[1]

References

  1. James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 351–. ISBN 978-0-8239-3179-8.