2012: Some different views -1

According to the Maya calendar, the world will see a great change at the end of 2012. What do other ancient calendars have to say? There are many different accounts in various texts. Here we look at the Yugas in Hinduism.
There are 426888 years left before the golden age starts!
Hindu texts such as the Puranas look at vast time periods of Kalpas, Manvantaras and Yugas. The Yuga is the smallest period of time, but is not small at all. Four Yugas, the Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, comprise one Mahayuga or great yuga.. The Mahayuga is part of a larger cycle of time, the Manvantara. Each Manvantara contains seventy-one Mahayugas. The Manvantara, in turn, is part of the Kalpa.

At present, we are said to be living in the Kali Yuga. It lasts for 432,000 years. In 2010, only 5112 years have passed, hence there is a long way to go!
Each successive yuga is shorter and also shows a decline in morals and in the way of life. The four yugas consist of 4800, 3600, 2400 and 1200 years of the gods, and each year of the gods extends for 360 human years. Together they comprise 12,000 years of the gods, which are equal to 4,320,000 human years.
I
The first of the four Yugas, the Krita Yuga, was the golden age of truth and righteousness. It is also known as the Satya Yuga, or ‘age of truth’. The Yuga lasts for 4800 divine years, which is equal to 1,728,000 human years, and is symbolised by the colour white.
II
The second of the four Yugas, the Treta Yuga follows the Krita Yuga, and in it the righteousness that existed in the first Yuga, is reduced by one-fourth. Its primary virtue is knowledge. The Yuga lasts for 3600 divine years, which are equal to 1,296,000 human years, and is symbolised by the colour red.
III
The third of the four Yugas, the Dvapara Yuga follows the Treta Yuga, and in it the righteousness that existed in the first Yuga, is reduced by half. Its primary virtue is sacrifice. This Yuga lasts for 2400 divine years, which are equal to 864,000 human years, and is symbolised by the colour yellow.
It is succeeded by the Kali Yuga.
IV
Kali Yuga
The Kali Yuga follows the Dvapara Yuga, and is the Yuga that exists today. It marks a general decline, and there is only one-quarter of the righteousness that existed in the first Yuga.. The Kali Yuga is said to have begun in 3102 BCE and will last for 1200 years of the gods, equal to 432,000 human years. It is symbolised by the colour black. After this a new cycle of the Mahayuga will begin , starting again with the Krita or Satya Yuga.