[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c7.2509 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2509 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c7.2509 - **Language:** English ### [c7.2509](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2509) Another opinion is that the new era was established to commemorate the independence given to the two Kolattiri Kings (North and South) by the Perumāl. The North Kolattiri family should have begun the new era on the first day of Kanni (the second month) and the South Kolattiri family on the first day of Ciññaṃ (the first month). (Because in Malabar area, the era commences on the first day of Kanni.). Another opinion that is prevalent is that Kollavarṣa was started to commemorate the erection of the two towns of Quilon (North and South). But even two centuries before A.D. 825 the town of South Quilon had become famous. So it is an objection to this argument. Some are of opinion that a new era was started in commemoration of Śaṅkaravijaya (the victory of Śaṅkara) due to the fact that the Brahmins of the north and the south alike accepted the teachings of Śaṅkarācārya. But it is difficult to believe that the northerners and the southerners accepted the teachings of Śaṅkarācārya on a particular date and issued a declaration to that effect and started a new era. Some connect the starting of the New Era with the ‘Tiruvoṇam’ a grand festival of the Malayālees. But it cannot be believed that a national festival was started by a single man. According to Logan it would appear that the grand festival of Tiruvoṇam was started to commemorate the journey of Perumāl to Mecca. But the conversion episode is more likely to be considered as a blasphemy and the Kings and people of Malayāla land are not likely to commemorate it. Prof. Sundaran Pillai has cut all the arguments given above and brought forward a new theory. His inference is that the new Era is the transformation of an old era known as Saptarṣivatsara (year of the seven sages) or Śāstrasaṃvatsara (scientific year) which prevailed throughout India and is still in force in Kaśmīra. In A.D. 897 Saptarṣi-Vatsara was 4972 and it was known as merely 72, and that if all the hundreds are taken away, the remaining figure will be the same as that of the Kollavarṣa. That is, at the expiry of each century the Saptarṣivatsara begins as one, two and so on. But the Saptarṣivatsara begins in the month of Meṭam (9th month) where-as Kollavarṣa begins in Ciññaṃ. He explains this difference also. His opinion is that the Nambūtiri Brahmins took some time to reach the country of Malayāla from North Indian countries and they had been using their Saptarṣivatsara up to the time of their arrival in Malayāla and after their arrival they adopted some slight modifications in the era according to the requirements of the new settlement, and renewed the Saptarṣivatsara. Gopala Iyer, the great exponent of the Vedānta philosophy, says as follows about Kollavarṣa in his ‘Chronology of Ancient India’: “Kaliyuga and Kollavarṣa commenced in B.C. 1176.” But Kollavarṣa is divided into groups of recurring thousands. This has a close connection with Saptarṣi Vatsara, which also might have commenced in B.C. 1176. The year mentioned above completed 2000 by A.D. 824. The third recurring thousand begins in A.D. 825, under the name Kollavarṣa. - [Previous: c7.2508](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2508) - [Next: c7.2510](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2510) - [Up: c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2509](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c7.2509) · Pramāṇa