179A majority of the lexemes that make up this calendar are shared with the Kannada
sequence of maḷe , although the pronunciations are another step removed from the
Sanskrit names. One signifi cant deviation from the Kannada calendar is that the
Solega sequence does not cover the entire year. Instead, the fi rst Solega maḷe is said
to fall in early April (Fig. 6.2 ), and literally refers to pre- monsoon showers, instead
of a more abstract astrological notion. No rain falls in the months of January to
March, and the Solega simply refer to this part of the year as be:sage ka:la ‘ dry
season ’. The Solega maḷe names therefore refer quite literally to distinct parts of the
Fig. 6.2 The Solega annual rain cycle (indigenous Solega lexemes are marked with a asterisk ),
along with the signifi cant fl owers, food items, weather conditions and agricultural practices associ-
ated with each rain
6.2 Types of Signs