5 facts about the month of March that you may not have heard of 

For us living in India, March is the month which beckons sunshine and the warmer days of summer. Recognised as the third month of the year according to the Gregorian calendar, it brings with it the first day of spring with the vernal equinox. This signifies the start of new beginnings. Here are 10 facts about this 31-day long month that you may not. have heard of. 

The name ‘March’ is derived from its Roman name, ‘Martius’ 
In Ancient Rome, people referred to March with the name ‘Martius.’ The month was named Martius after the Roman God of War, Mars. In fact, it is still referred to as ‘Mars’ in the French language. The Romans believed that it was a lucky period in the year to begin a war.    

It used to be the first month of the Roman calendar 
That’s right, it was March not January that was considered to be the first month of the year according to the Roman calendar. Actually, January and February were non-existent then as the winter was considered to be a month-less period. Thus, a year used to be 10-months long- starting in March and ending in December. It was not until Julius Caesar’s calendar reform that March came to be known as the third month of the year. 

There is a popular proverb in reference to the month of March 
You may have come across a well-known proverb, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” This saying has two interpretations. Firstly, it means that if the month starts off with stormy weather, it will not end like that. In fact, it will be the opposite- mild, pleasant weather. According to the other interpretation, the Lion constellation, referred to as ‘Leo’ rises in the east during the commencement of this month. Thus, the first part of the proverb is a nod towards Leo rising in March. On the other hand, the constellation of Aries, which is a ram, sets in the west at the end of the month. Hence, the second part of the proverb says that the month will “go out like a lamb.” 

This month has two birthstones 
Birthstones are essentially gemstones which represent an individual’s period of birth (usually the birth month or his/her zodiac sign.) Those born in March are spoiled with not one, but two birthstones- aquamarine and bloodstone (also known as heliotrope.) The former is associated with tranquillity, serenity, clarity and harmony while the latter is associated with courage, motivation and creative energy. 

The month of March is perceived differently in the Southern Hemisphere 
In the Southern Hemisphere, the month of March is actually equivalent to September! Thus, for countries located in down south such as Australia and Argentina, March brings with it the season of autumn instead of spring.