Eras in India
Kollam Era or Era of Parshuram
Kollam Era (also known as Malayalam
Era, Kollavarsham or Malayalam Calendar or Malabar
Era or Nasrani Era) is a solar and sidereal calendar used
in Kerala, India. The origin of the calendar has been dated as 825 CE
(Pothu Varsham) at Kollam (Quilon). It replaced the traditional Hindu
calendar used widely elsewhere in India and is now prominently used in
Kerala. All temple events, festivals and agricultural events in the state are
still decided according to the dates in the Malayalam calendar.
See Parshuram Era for cycles of 1000 Years
There are two versions of calendars. The Malabar calendar is generally in the Northern part of Kerala - Kozhikode (or Calicut); and the Travancore or Kollam(or Quilon) calendar (Kollavarsham) is used in the Southern part of Kerala.
Incidentally, there are two versions of the calendar, the Malabar (centred on Kollam near Calicut) and Travancore (centred on Quilon) versions. In earlier times, they were also known as the Trivandrum and Calicut (Quilon) calendars.
The starting months of the two calendars are separated by 1 month. In the Malabar version (Northern part), the year starts in Kanya Sankranti ( Kanni 1) in September/October, and in the Travancore version, in Leo Sankranti (Chingam 1) in August/September. Both are solar calendars.
Why two different start points? Was the aim to connect the beginning with the equinoctial /solstitial points? The Parsi calendar starts in August. Was there a Parsi migration/ traveller's influence?
There are numerous legends and stories
to claim the beginning of the Malayalam year. None of these stories or legends
is corroborated by any evidence.
However, what exactly prompted the inhabitants of Malabar to the southern tip of the peninsula to start the calendar is still a mystery.
The present calendar is solar and begins from the Sun's entry into the सिंह राशि/ (Chingam in Malayalam), corresponding to August-September. The years are current.
The year is solar, and months are on the solar cycle. The years mentioned are current. See Kerala Rule on how the months are counted.
Subtract 825 from CE to get Kollavarsham
20 July 2025 will correspond to 4, Karkadam, Dashmi 1200, Kollavarsham/ Kollam Era
Newar Era
The era was primarily used in Nepal. It was introduced by Raja Raghava Deva, who is said to have founded a ruling dynasty in 879 CE, when the Lichhavi rule came to an end. To commemorate this important event, Raghava Deva started the 'Nepal Era' which began on 20 October, 879 CE. After Amshuvarma, who ruled from 605 CE onward, the Thakuris had lost power, and they could regain it only in 869 CE.
It is also known as Nepal Samvat and was in force in Nepal till the end of the Malla dynasty in 1769 CE.
The years are कृतिकादी and months are अमंता. That means the year starts in October/ November. The years mentioned are generally expired, though a very few records and inscriptions do mention current years. The era is annotated as the Nepali era on inscriptions and mentioned as ‘Newar in the Sanskrit inscriptions, including coins.
As per the Newar era, 20 July 2025 will be 1st Shrawan 1146, Nepal Samvat
King Prithvi Narayan Shah unified Nepal as one country. He discarded the Newar era and introduced the Saka era by 1769 CE. The Saka era is mentioned on all coins after this epoch.
Nepal Samvat was reinstated later, also called Bikram Samvat (same as Vikram Samvat used in India), with its starting point at 57 BCE. The Lunar calendar is used for cultural and religious purposes
In the official Nepali calendar, 20 July 2025, corresponds to the 1st of Shrawan, 2082 BS.
Chalukya Era
The Chalukyas ruled over the Deccan Plateau for nearly 600 years. There were three closely related dynasties. Badami (earliest), Kalyani (Western), Vengi (Eastern) Chalukyas.
The era was started by King Vikramaditya Tribhuvanamalla. He abolished the Saka era and named it “Chalukya Vikram Era”
The Chalukya inscriptions earlier than the reign of Vikramaditya (1076-1126 CE) are dated in the Saka era system. This era commenced in the Samvatsar Nala (corresponding to 1076 CE in southern India; Northern India was following a different Samvatsar).
See Jovian Cycles and different samvatsaras for North and South India for the same year.
According to CP Brown, the Chalukya era started on Samvatsar ‘Nala’, but 60 years before, ie, 1016 CE. The marble stones, which had recorded the names of Chalukya kings and their genealogy, mention the name of the year (Samvatsar) and have mentioned Chalukya numerals, instead of the Saka year. This indicates that the era could have commenced 60 years earlier.
The era was discontinued by the 12th century CE
This era followed the same system of Shalivan Saka’s reckoning of years, months and paksha.
Simha Samvat Era
The "Simha samvat" refers to the Simha Era, a calendar era used in Kathiavad, Gujarat.
Four dates on inscriptions of this area were scrutinised. It was inferred that the years were Luni Solar and current, the months were primarily Amanta, but Purnimanta months have also been used. The year accounting system is, surprisingly, आषाढ़ी. Certainly, it was neither, चैत्रादी or कृतिकादी.
Was it a breakaway from the Valabhi/Ballabhi Era?
Simha Samvat epoch is 1113-1114 CE. Simha Samvat year 96 will correspond to 1209-1210 CE.
This
era is no longer in use
..................Era's continue
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References:-
- Bhartiya Jyotish Shastra- SB Dixit
- The Indian Calendar- Robert Sewell and SB Dixit
- Cowasjee Patells Chronology
- The book of Eras- Gen A Cunningham
- Indian Antiquary, Vol XII, pp 155, Dr Bühler
- Prof F Kielhorn - Indian Antiquary Vol XIX
- Malayalam Year by Don Bosco
- Historic Alleys blog by Maddy
- Cyclic Tables of Hindu and Muslim Chronology, by Charles Philip Brown
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