Book of Indian Eras, with Tables for Calculating Indian Dates c29.2

c29.2

THE *Târikh Ilâhi*, or “Ilâhi Era,” was established by Akbar so late as the 30th year of his reign in A.H. 992, or A.D. 1584. The courtly Abul Fazl says, that it was established “in order to remove the perplexity that a variety of dates unavoidably occasions. He disliked the word *Hijra* (flight), but was at first apprehensive of offending ignorant men, who superstitiously imagined that this era and the Muhammadan faith were inseparable.” “Amir Fateh-Ullah Shirâzi corrected the calendar from the tables of Ulugh Beg, making this era to begin with His Majesty’s reign, and contemplating the character of the monarch, named it *Târikh Ilâhi*, or the Mighty Era.” “The years and months are both natural solar, without any intercalations. The names of the months and days correspond with the ancient Persian. The months are from 29 to 30 days each. There is not any week in the Persian month, (the) 30 days being distinguished by different names, and in those months which have 32 days, the last two are named *Roz-o-Shab* (day and night), and in order to distinguish one from the other are called first and second.”