Indian Chronology (Solar, Lunar and Planetary): A Practical Guide to the Interpretation and Verification of Tithis, Nakshatras, Horoscopes and other Indian Time-records, B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000 c20: Chapter XV. The Eras Now in Use or Met with in Inscriptions
Indian Chronology (Solar, Lunar and Planetary): A Practical Guide to the Interpretation and Verification of Tithis, Nakshatras, Horoscopes and other Indian Time-records, B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000 c20
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Chapter XV. The Eras Now in Use or Met with in Inscriptions
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112. In the following Summary of Indian Eras, adapted from Cunningham and other authorities, we give in each case the formula whereby a year of each era, "expired" or "current" as the case may be, may be obtained from the A.D. year, also noting where the era is or was in use, and whether it is amānta or pūrṇimānta, Chaitrādi or Kārttikādi and so forth.
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(1) *Kaliyuga* (expired year = 3102 minus B.C. year; A.D. year + 3101). Used all over India as a solar (Meshādi) and luni-solar (Chaitrādi) year. The years in this era, with A.D., Śaka, and Vikrama equivalents, are regularly given in our Table X from B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000; and in Table XII from A.D. 1840 to A.D. 1920. For the years B.C. 3102 to B.C. 1, K.Y. 0 to K.Y. 3101, see Addendum, p. (114.)
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(2) *Saptarshi* (current year = A.D. year + 76). Mostly current and mostly pūrṇimānta and Chaitrādi. At present in use in Kashmir and formerly in Multan and elsewhere. Quoted generally in cycles of 100 years. Thus A.D. 1910 = Saptarshi 1986, current, quoted only as "86 Saptarshi, current."
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(3) *Vikrama Era* (expired year = A.D. year + 57). Extensively used at present in Guzerat and all over Northern India, except Bengal: Kārttikādi and Amānta in Guzerat, hence called Southern Vikrama; Chaitrādi and Pūrṇimānta in N. India, hence called Northern Vikrama. Other names, "Malava Era"; and also simply "Samvat". The Vikrama years, expired, from B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000 are regularly shown in our Table X, and from A.D. 1840 to A.D. 1920 in our Table XII.
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(4) *Śaka Era* (expired year = A.D. year minus 78). Extensively used in India both in the past, and at present. Meshādi (for solar year) and Chaitrādi (for luni-solar year): generally amānta, but pūrṇimānta in Northern India. Śaka equivalents of Kaliyuga and Vikrama years, expired, from B.C. 1 to A.D. 2000, are regularly given in our Table X, and from A.D. 1840 to A.D. 1920 in our Table XII.
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(5) *Kollam Era* (current year = A.D. year minus 825). Used in Malabar, Cochin, and Travancore since A.D. 825. Begins in N. Malabar with solar Kanya and in S. Malabar with Chingam (Simha); (For memory aids, see sec. 138 infra); always solar and current. For years from A.D. 1840 to A.D. 1920, Kollam equivalents are regularly given in our Table XII. For previous years, the following century equivalents will be of use:—
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| A.D. | | | A.D. | | |
| 900 = | Kollam | 75 | 1500 = | Kollam | 675 |
| 1000 = | " | 175 | 1600 = | " | 775 |
| 1100 = | " | 274 | 1700 = | " | 875 |
| 1200 = | " | 375 | 1800 = | " | 975 |
| 1300 = | " | 475 | 1900 = | " | 1075 |
| 1400 = | " | 575 | 2000 = | " | 1175 |
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(6) *Bengali San* (or Sen) (current year = A.D. year minus 593). Meshādi, current solar year. Now in use in Bengal. For A.D. 1840 to A.D. 1920, B. San equivalents are regularly given in our Table XII. For previous years the following century equivalents will be of use:—
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| A.D. | | | A.D. | | | A.D. | | |
| 600 = | B.San | 7 | 1100 = | B.San | 507 | 1600 = | B.San | 1007 |
| 700 = | " | 107 | 1200 = | " | 607 | 1700 = | " | 1107 |
| 800 = | " | 207 | 1300 = | " | 707 | 1800 = | " | 1207 |
| 900 = | " | 307 | 1400 = | " | 807 | 1900 = | " | 1307 |
| 1000 = | " | 407 | 1500 = | " | 907 | 2000 = | " | 1407 |
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(7) *Chedi or Kalachuri Era* (current year = A.D. year minus 247), *current, Aśvinādi, pūrṇimānta*.
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| A.D. | 300 = | Chedi | 53 | current. | A.D. | 800 = | Chedi | 553 | current. |
| " | 400 = | " | 153 | " | " | 900 = | " | 653 | " |
| " | 500 = | " | 253 | " | " | 1000 = | " | 753 | " |
| " | 600 = | " | 353 | " | " | 1100 = | " | 853 | " |
| " | 700 = | " | 453 | " | " | 1200 = | " | 953 | " |
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Not now in use, but was in use under the Kalachuri kings in Western and Central India.
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(8) *Gupta* (current year = A.D. year minus 319).
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| A.D. | 400 = | Gupta | 81 | current. | | A.D. | 600 = | Gupta | 281 | current. |
| " | 500 = | " | 181 | " | | " | 700 = | " | 381 | " |
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Not now in use. Was in use in Central India and Nepal in the centuries above indicated as *current, Chaitrādi, pūrṇimānta*.
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(9) *Valabhī Era* (current year = A.D. year minus 318). *Current, Kārttikādi, amānta, or pūrṇimānta*.
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| A.D. | 400 = | Valabhī | 82 | current. | A.D. | 900 = | Valabhī | 582 | current. |
| " | 500 = | " | 182 | " | " | 1000 = | " | 682 | " |
| " | 600 = | " | 282 | " | " | 1100 = | " | 782 | " |
| " | 700 = | " | 382 | " | " | 1200 = | " | 882 | " |
| " | 800 = | " | 482 | " | " | 1300 = | " | 982 | " |
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Not now in use. Was in use in Kathiawād and neighbourhood in centuries above indicated.
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(10) *Vilāyati year* (current year = A.D. year minus 592). *Kanyādi, solar, current*.
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Now in use in Orissa. Months begin invariably on the day of Saṅkrānti instead of the next or the third day after [see Sec. 144 (1) infra].
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This era bears to Bengali San pretty much the same relation that the Valabhī bore to the Gupta era.
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(11) *Amli year* (current year = A.D. year minus 592). *Luni-solar, current*. Lunar year changes on Bhādrapada śukla 12th, i.e., some days before, or some days after, Kanyā Saṅkrānti. Otherwise the same as Vilāyati. Current in Orissa. Probably bears the same relation to Vilāyati that the luni-solar year in the Telugu country bears to the solar year of the Tamil country (i.e., only New Year Day is different in each case).
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(12) *Fasali year* (luni-solar) in Bengal, and N.W. India (current year = A.D. year minus 592); *pūrṇimānta and lunar Aśvinādi* (i.e., it begins on pūrṇimānta Aśvina, bahula pratipada); luni-solar year for Bengal, just as the Bengal San is the solar year for the same tract of country. Like all luni-solar years, the Fasali takes the number of the next Solar San. Thus, A.D. 1900 was, as we have seen, Bengal San 1307 current, but the luni-solar Fasali beginning on Aśvina krishna pratipada of A.D. 1900 takes the number of the next Bengal San, i.e., 1308 current. Hence the formula for Bengal Fasali is "current A.D. year minus 592".
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(13) *Dakhan Fasli* (current year = A.D. year minus 593) was up to A.D. 1556 (when its number was 963, *vide* Table XV, p. 195) a Hijra year, but from that year forward it has been kept as a solar year (identical in number with Bengal San), beginning, in parts of Bombay, when the Sun enters the Nakshatra Mrigaśira,* i.e. (now) about 7th or 8th June, The months, their periods of beginning, and number of days, are the same as in the Muhammadan calendar.
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(14) The Madras Fasli year is an *agricultural, solar, tropical* year, beginning on 1 July and having no divisions of its own into months and days. Its formula is "current Fasli = A.D. year minus 590". The agricultural or revenue year from 1 July 1910 to 30 June 1911 might be expressed quite as well by the expression "Revenue Year 1910-11" as by the expression "Fasli 1320". The former expression would convey better sense to most people, and the expression "Fasli year", the use of which a blind tradition has consecrated in Madras, serves no other purpose than to confuse any one who is not a village karnam. It is a chronological anomaly and will no doubt gradually drop out of use.
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(15) The Mahratta *Sûr-San, Shahûr-San* or *Arabi-San* (current year = A.D. year minus 599) was extensively used under the Mahratta supremacy, and is still occasionally met with. Begins, like the Dakhan Fasli, when the Sun enters the Nakshatra Mrigaśira.*
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(16) *Harshakâla Era* (current year = A.D. year minus 606). Was current in Muttra (Mathura) in Kanauj, Nepal. Harsha 94 current = A.D. 700, and so on.
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(17) *Nevar Era* (used in Nepal from A.D. 878 to A.D. 1768), expired, *Kârttikâdi, Amânta*. Formula "Nevar expired = A.D. year minus 879". } Nevar 21, expired = A.D. 900. Nevar 821, expired = A.D. 1700.
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(18) *Chalukya Era* (expired year = A.D. year minus 1076). This was in use only from A.D. 1079 to A.D. 1162. It followed the Śaka months and pakshas. Chalukya 24 expired = A.D. 1100.
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(19) *Lakshmana Sena Era* : (expired year = A.D. year minus 1108, according to present day almanacs). Now in use in Tirhut and Mithila, but along with the Śaka or Vikrama Era.
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Dr. Kielhorn concludes that the formula for this era was (from A.D. 1194 to A.D. 1551). "Expired Lakshmana Sena year = A.D. year minus 1119". According to this formula A.D. 1200 would be equivalent to Lak. Sena 81 expired. The years of this era were expired, *Kârttikâdi, amânta*.
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(20) *Mahratta Raja Saka Era* (current year = A.D. year minus 1673) was established on the accession of Śivâji: the number of the year used to change every *Jyeshtha sukla trayodasî*, which was the tithi or date of Śivâji's accession. Otherwise same as southern luni-solar amânta Śaka years.
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(21) *Tarikh-i-Ilahi* (=mighty or divine era), dating from the accession of Akbar (14th February 1556), fell into disuse *temp.* Shah Jehan. Days and months were solar, without intercalations.
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∗ By Eye-Table, the Sun enters Nakshatra Mrigasira when his longitude is 53° 20'. The number of days corresponding to this (by Table XVII-A) = 56. When the solar year commences (as it did in A.D. 1911) on 13th April, the sun's entry into Mrigasira Nakshatra would be on 56+13=69 days from 1st April, *i.e.*, (Table VIII) on 8 June.