falakba

Falakba is a term used in the fictional Khalari culture to describe a celestial ledger and calendrical system. Traditionally interpreted as “sky record,” falakba encompasses both a physical device and the set of rules by which the year is measured and celestial events are interpreted.

The core of falakba is a collection of inscribed tablets and a circular disc known as the falakba plate. The tablets encode lunar months, solar markers, and notable astronomical events. The disc is divided into twelve sectors for lunar months, with intercalary days added to reconcile lunar and solar years. Glyphs pair star names with seasonal signals to guide agricultural and ceremonial timings.

History: Earliest artifacts date from the 9th to 11th centuries in coastal city-states of Lur and Veli. The falakba tradition was maintained by priest-scholars and skilled scribes who performed periodic reconciliations and rites at seasonal festivals. It spread through trade routes and influenced regional timekeeping practices.

Contemporary note: In modern fictional scholarship, falakba is studied as a lunisolar calendrical system and as a cultural artifact reflecting the Khalari approach to astronomy and ritual. Museums hold fragments and reproductions; reconstructions explore how the calendar reconciles cycles and shapes social life.

See also: Lunisolar calendar, celestial omen, ritual astronomy.