Malamasa

(“Impure month”) An intercalary
month inserted into the lunar calendar
about every 21⁄2 years, to correct the
discrepancy between the lunar and
the solar calendars. Although this
month is necessary to maintain the
412
Malabar
Ascetic wearing a mala of sacred wooden beads.
correspondence between the two calendars—and thus, for example, to keep
the spring festivals in the spring—it is
considered an unusual event, impure
and ritually dangerous.