Hindu Calendars- Eras 5

 Hindu Calendars -Era

Lakshman Sen Era

This era was in use in the Mithila and Tirhut areas (Nepal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Bengal). The Sena (Sen) dynasty ruled areas around Bengal and Mithila from the 11th to the 12th centuries.

Originated in the Karnat (Karnataka) region; migrated eastward and established their kingdom in Bengal.

The Key rulers of the Sen Dynasty were

• Hemanta Sena (founder)
• Vijaya Sena
• Ballala Sena
• Lakshman Sena

The earliest notice of this era was revealed by the inscriptions from Bodh Gaya, wherein a different date was discovered. The inscription, as translated by Babu Rajendra Lal, reads  “After expiration of the reign of auspicious Lakshman Sen deva”. Most of the inscriptions and colophons found mention the date with respect to the reign of Lakshman Sen, of Sen Dynasty.

The historians and scholars have divergent views on the beginning of this era’s epoch. The dates vary from 1105 CE to 1109 CE.  There are records which mention the commencement of the era around 1178/1179 CE. This is because all the inscriptions' colophons mention dates, which do not conform to a general rule of conversion to Saka, Vikram Saka or CE. The dates appear to be incorrectly mentioned or calculated.

Dr F Kielhorn places the beginning of this era around 1118/1119 CE. Abul Fazal’s statement in ‘Akbarnama’ confirms this date. The manuscript of Smrititattvamrita proves the correctness of these dates.

The epoch of the era predates the reign of Lakshman Sen. It appears the era was named in his honour

The Mithila and Tirhut Panchang follow this era, unaware of its origin or details. The calendar/Panchang is based on the Saka or Vikram Saka. The years are krittikadi, the months are Amanta. It appears that both solar and Luni solar systems have been used.

More modern research has evaluated new dates for the beginning of this era. 

Ilahi Era

The Ilahi Era, also known as the Tarikh-e-Ilahi or Divine Era, was a calendar system introduced by Akbar of the Mughal Empire in 1584 CE, during his 30^th year of reign, but it was retroactively applied from 1556 CE, the year of his accession to the throne.

As per Abul Fazal, the era was established to overcome the complexities of the Hijri calendar. The original calendar was corrected so that the new era commenced from Akbar’s reign.

The days and months are solar, with no intercalations. The months corresponded roughly to the Zodiac signs and Hindu solar months. The names of months and days are adopted from the ancient Persian calendar, ‘Yazdajird’. The starting month is ‘Farwardin’ up to ‘Izfundarmaj ‘, the last month of the year. (These are in use today in the Persian calendar.)

In this new era, the months have 29 to 30 days. The days of the month are distinguished by different names. Those months which are of 32 days, the 2 days are known as ‘Roz–O–Shab (Day and Night) called day 1^st and 2^nd day. There are no weeks.

It was employed extensively, though not exclusively, on the coins of Akbar and Jahangir. In some cases, the ilahi date appeared as a ‘Juluse’ or duration of the reign.

Jahangir, during his reign, commenced the reversal of this era back to the Hijri era. This era was completely discontinued during the reign of ‘Shah Jahan ‘

The day 1 of this era was Friday the 2nd of Rabi-us-Sani, A.H. 963, or 14th February, 1556 CE Saka 1478 current.

The year 1 begins with Saka 1478, equivalent to 1556 CE.

The era is not in use now.

Fasli Era

This unique era began in the 16th century and continues to be recognised today. Unlike traditional regnal eras, it is primarily a commercial period. Initially introduced for commercial purposes, it later expanded to administrative functions as well.

The Fasli era, or the harvest year, owes its origin to Akbar in 1584 CE. The era is derived from the Hijri year bearing the same number, but beginning in July. The goal was to replace the lunar Islamic calendar (Hijri) with a solar-based calendar.

 In the Hijri calendar, the months and seasons do not match, unlike in Hindu calendars. The Hijri month keeps shifting back every year; hence, collecting tax by the month will not necessarily align with the harvest season of the year. Therefore, to align revenue collection with the harvest (fasl) seasons in India, this era was introduced, which matched the agrarian economy.

But Akbar didn't start from Year 1; it was backdated to 963 AH / 1555–56 CE to align with his accession to the throne.

So Fasli 1= 1555 CE=963 AH

The names of months, their periods of beginning, and the serial number of days are the same as in the Hijra year, but the year changes its numerical designation on a stated solar day. 

The system was introduced into the Deccan region by Shah Jahān in the 1630s.

The calendar was introduced in the Maratha region by 1636, and later the revenue calendar spread South⁹            

Since different calendars were used in different parts of India, the calendar's reckoning was unreliable to be applied uniformly over his kingdom. The calendar got modified as it could not be used the way it was conceived initially, and over the years, the calendar was more or less based on the Luni solar and Solar Hindu calendars.

This calendar is the most flexible. 

In Bengal, the Fasli year 1300 commenced in September 1892 CE and in Southern India, the Fasli Year 1300 commenced in June/July 1890 CE.

Bengal and NW India follow the Luni solar version of Fasli, and the Deccan region follows the Solar version of Fasli

The Luni Solar Fasli Year

This modified version gets its name from the Hijri source. It is purely a Luni solar Hindu year, with the purnimanta and Ashvinadi system. A peculiarity about this reckoning, however, is that the months are not divided into bright and dark fortnights, but that the whole month runs without distinction of pakshas (fortnights) and without addition or expunction of Tithis. The months begin with the full Moon. The year begins with a full Moon, preceding or succeeding the Kanya Sankranti, instead of on the Sankranti day.

In Bengal, the Gregorian year is obtained by adding 590-591 to the Fasli year.

30 July 2025 will be Fasli year 1435 (for 2025-2026 CE), Fasli 1434 was for 2024-2025 CE.

Solar Fasli year

The Fasli year is in advance by 2 years in southern India.

In the Madras Presidency and southern region, the Fasli year originally commenced on the 1^st day of the solar month of Adi (Karka). The British government in 1855 CE fixed it to July 13^th, as this corresponded to the beginning of the solar month. However, they changed it to 01 July, purely for the sake of convenience. Since then, the Fasli year is counted from 01 Jul to 30 Jun.

In some parts of the Western region around Mumbai, the year begins when the sun enters Mrigashiras nakshatra, around 5^th or 6^th June.

In Southern India, the Gregorian year is obtained by adding 592-593.

30 July 2025 will be Fasli year 1433 (for 2025-2026 CE), Fasli 1432 was for 2024-2025 CE.

 Offshoots of the Fasli calendar

The Fasli san is the origin of the Bengali, Vilayati, Amli and Bengali Fasli san. Whereas the Southern Fasli is a variety of the Hijri era.

Interesting Trivia

1. Coronation of Shivaji took place at the start of the Fasli calendar on 1084 (Ch 10 Rabiulawal, 3rd month, khamas Saibain Alaf), corresponding to 24 May 1674.

2. The Fasli calendar was the official calendar of the Deccan Hyderabad state till 1948 CE. The Fasli year began in October, marking the 1^st of Azur as the first month and Aabaan as the last month of the year. The months were sun-based, and the year had 365 days.

3. Currently Andhra Pradesh State Wakf Board, Nizam Trust follows the Fasli Calendar simultaneously with the Gregorian calendar and the Islamic calendar to maintain records. The Andhra Pradesh Government, Karnataka Government and the Tamil Nadu Government still follow the Fasli Year in all of their revenue and judiciary purposes.

4. Section 4 (23) of the UP Revenue Code 2006 defines the Fasli year from 01 Jul to 30 Jun.

5. Sample transcription of Fasli dated grant in Modi script( transliterated into Devanagari)

                     

Extract of transliteration                                               

«… वचन अस्तु देयकम्, यथा राजश्री सुभेदार

मुंशी बाबूखांथ वंशज … ग्राम रत्नगड 

फसली सन् १०८२ खरीफ रबी जमा भर पाया

नि:शुल्क ग्रामवत अभिज्ञप्ति …»

 Corresponding to 1673-1674 CE

 6. Order to Pandit Gagandhari of Dhar, confirming receipt of taxes for 3 villages for Autumn and spring harvest of Fasli year 1150, 1741 CE, (in Modi script)

Transliteration of the tax receipt

1 Rajashri Pandit Gangadharji, son of Sadashivji Mokasadar
2 of pargana Dhar is ordered as follows: the assessed taxes have been received, following the [official] assessment
3 of Rajashri Rao Sahibji, Yashwant Rao Puwar, and according to the
4 qabuliyat of Muqaddam Mirza Babu Khan, son of Fazil Khan of
5 Village Ratnagaon, etc., for the harvests of Kharif and Rabiʿ for the year 1150 Fasli
6 Every coin is received. A pharkhati has been written.
7 From contentment, how much tribute
8s hall be earned in the coming year.
9 Village Ratnagaro Village Khanpur Village [Akabpur]
10 On the 9th of Shaban

7. Tax Receipt with Fasli reference from Kerala. Fasli 1343, dated 15/03/1934 CE

..............more eras 

___________________________

 References:-

1.  Bhartiya Jyotish Shastra- SB Dixit
2. The Indian Calendar- Robert Sewell and SB Dixit
3. Cowasjee Patells Chronology
4. The book of Eras- Gen A Cunningham
5. Prof F Kielhorn - Indian Antiquary  Vol XIX
6.  Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XXII, XXVII – details inscriptions from Tirhut
7. A.C. Banerjee, The Eastern Kingdoms of India, places the era around 1106. 
8. R.C. Majumdar, History of Bengal, Vol I, supports a 12th-century origin, around 1106 CE.
9. Grant Duff’s History of Marathas, 1826