There is confusion regarding the date/date for performing Upakarma,called Avani Avittam .
It is one of the major festivals for Brahmins,though all the three varnas,Brahmana,Kshatriya and Vaisyas must perform.
It is natural for us to get confused about Hindu Festivals,as ,I might add,to my regret,we are familiar with only English Calendar and not our calendar/s.
Hindu calendar follows both Surya Maanasa and Chandra Maanasa,that is Time calculated on the basis of Sun and Moon.
The Gregorian Calendar Calendar underwent a lot of changes,including changing the calendar on the whims of a Ruler(Julius Caesar).
It would be of interest to note that Britain was following Our Hindu Calender!
Now to Upakarma,Avani Avittam dates.
The Yajur Upakarma is to be celebrated on 6th September 2017,as the earlier day happens to be day when Grahana,Eclipse takes place.
Rig Upakarma August 28th,(Aadi12th),
Sama Upakarma,August 25th( Avani 9th),
This decision has been announced by Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt.
Generally,the Rig Vedis,Yajur and Samavedis perform on different days.
Details are given towards the close of this article.
Rigvedis generally follow Suryamaanasa and hence give importance to Nakshatra,in this case,Sravana Nakshatra.
Yajurvedis generally follow Chandra Maanasa,therefore they give importance to Thithi,the waxing and waning of the Moon.
So they perform Upakarma,Avavi Avittam on the Full Moon Day,Pournami.
However,one must remeber that by tradition,Upakarma is not performed if Grahana occurs on the Upakarma Day.
Next Nakshatra or next same Thithi is declared to be auspicious for performing Upakarma.
One may observe that Upakarma is basically equivalent to the beginning of Academic Year,that’s all.
That it should not be performed on Grahana day is something I do not find any Smriti mentioning it.
Readers may send information.
Smritis declare that any new endeavor or Auspicious activity undertaken on Grahana day would be successful and Mantras chanted during Grahana(Eclipse) would yield thousand fold result.
So this practice of changing days on account of Grahana seems not sound,barring the tradition.
For details on Vedic Syllabus and Upakarma.
‘Normally the child is sent for learning at the age of Five after Yagnayopaveeda ceremony to the teacher where the child stays and learns.
The period of study:
Nine years, called Adhama, not very auspicious,
Twelve Years,Madhyaman, Acceptable,
Eighteen Years,Uthamam, The best.
There were also people who were doing the Adyayana, or the learning of the Vedas, for thirty-six years or through out their Life.
One can remain a Brahmachari, without marrying through out Life learning the Vedas.
There were Two Terms in a year.
The First Term is called ‘Upakarma‘ Months.
The Second Term is for Seven moths called ‘Uthsarjanam or ‘Uthsargam’
One is reminded of Upakarma.
This is when the Upakarma term begins.
For Rig Vedis,Upakarma falls on the Sravana Nakshatra during th Sravan Month.
This period is between the Amavasya of Adi and Avani.
For Yajur Vedis. the Upakarma falls on the Full Moon , Poornima of Sravana month.
During the Mahabharata battle Lord Krishna artificially created an Eclipse to ensure the ‘Ritual Killing of a Prince(Arjuna’s son, Aravan)
The Rig Vedis and the Yajur Vedis were performing the Upakarma on the Poornima Day..
This resulted in the change of days in Thithis, the waxing and waning of the moon.
The next Nakshatra is Avitta.
So, the Upakarma was performed in Avitta with Poornima by the Yajur Vedis.
But Rig Vedis stick to Sravana nakshtra.
Sama Vedis perform this Upakarma in the Pathrapad(Purattasi) in Hastha Nakshatra.
Mostly this falls on Ganesh Chaturthi day.
The Veda teaching begins on the Upakarma Day.
Students will be taught Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads,
This shall continue till Pushya Monh, ‘Thai’ in Tamil.
The Term will end here by performing ‘Uthsarjan karma’
This will be performed on the Poornma or the Rohini Nakshatra that occurs before this Poornima.
Rig Vedis and Yajur Vedis follow this.
Sama Vedis end the term in Maaka Month Ppornima.
Uthsarjanam means’ leaving out’
The term ends here.
Next term begins from the Upakarma Day.
Here the Vedangas,the other Sciences will be taught, Astrology,Astronomy,Linguistics, etc,
Veda will not be taught in this period.’
https://ramanisblog.in/2013/08/06/yajur-upakarma-avani-avittam-vedic-course-details/
What is Shukla Yajur Veda Shukla Yajur Upakarma Mantras
Why this difference?
Sage Yajnyavalkya was studying under a Guru ,Vaisampayana.
The Gurus, including Vaisampayana used meet regularly.
On one such occasion, Vaisampayan was indisposed and could not attend the meet.
Therefore, he nominated one of his Sishyas,(pupil )to attend the meeting.
Miffed at not being chosen to represent the Guru at the meet, Yajnyavalkya…
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