If you are Indian, you must have heard this name at some time or other “Vikram Samvat“
What is Vikram Samvat & Who started Vikram Samvat?
What is the history of Vikram Samvat?
Many of the questions are there who have an interest to know about Vikram Samvat. Let’s know about it…
The era is the year to be followed in Sanatan Dharma, Hindus in India, which started in 57 BC. Its calendar began 57 years before the Gregory calendar, the year 2017 was Vikram Samvat 2073.
Many types of calendars of today and tomorrow are influenced by the calendar of Vikram Samvat. Astrologers also get great help from the calendar of Vikram Samvat. There is a heroic saga of Maharaja Vikramaditya at the beginning of Vikram Samvat.
History of Vikram Samvat
Maharaja Vikramaditya had driven away the kings of the Shakas from India, due to which Hinduism in Ujjain increased.
Maharaja Vikramaditya received the title of “Shakari” to commemorate this victory over the Shakas, and at the same time, the year of Vikram Samvat began in memory of this incident.
The story of this incident was heard by a monk named Mahesra Suri. According to the monk, the powerful king of Ujjain “Gardabhilla”, abusing his power, kidnapped a Sanyasini, named Saraswati who was the sister of a monk. The monk went to a Shaka king with a request for his sister’s life, the Shaka king listened to that monk and took action against the garb.
Ultimately, the Saka king defeated Gardabhilla and took him captive. But later he managed to escape. Running away, he took refuge in a forest.
He fell victim to a tiger in the forest itself. After this incident, the son of Gaddabhilla, Vikramaditya decided to take revenge on his father’s life. On this side, Shakas realized his growing power, started boasting, and their atrocities started increasing.
His activities started giving grief to the common people. Seeing all these things, Emperor Vikramaditya decided to fight with the powers. Showing his might, he defeated Shako and gave relief to the common people. The Emperor not only defeated him but also separated his power from India completely.
When did the Vikram era begin?
The beginning of this period began in 57 BC, it began with the name of Vikramaditya. Although the source of its history is not found in history before the 9th century. In the earliest sources, this period is described by other names such as Karta (AD 343 to 371), Krita (AD 404), and Malwa (AD 424), or this period was also called simply ‘Samvat’.
The earliest start of it is seen around 842 AD. The first use of this title is found with King Chandamahassen of the Chauhan dynasty, he was the king of Dholpur.
Vikram Samvat 898 Vaishakh Shukla 2 has been written in the source from his state. This is a date in which the word ‘Vikram Samvat‘ has been used instead of Samvat. Subhashit Ratna Sandoh (AD 993–994) is the first literary work in which the use of the word ‘Vikramaditya’ is first seen.
Because of these variations, different concepts of different writers and historians are available. Many historians believe that this Samvat has no relation with Emperor Vikramaditya.
Some historians and scholars believe that King Chandragupta II assumed the title of Vikramaditya.
Declared his reign as the Vikram era…
According to the British-German orientalist Rudolf Hoernle, King Yashodharman of Malwa changed the name of this period. According to him, Yashodharman conquered Kashmir and named it ‘Harsha Vikramaditya’. Its description is found in the book ‘Rajatarangini’ of Kalhan. In this way, we get many different views about this period from many different scholars.
The cultural importance of Vikram Samvat
The new year of Vikram Samvat is celebrated with great pomp among the Hindu people. At the beginning of this new year, people among Hindus wish each other well. It often occurs in the middle of April and is parallel to the New Year in places like Assam, Bengal, Myanmar, West Bengal, Kerala, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, etc.
Along with Nepal, this calendar is also used in eastern and northern India. In Buddha communities, Buddha Purnima is celebrated in the month of Vaishakh, often in the month of May in English. Buddha Purnima is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Buddha, his wisdom.
The new year ‘first Vaishakh’ and the Vikram Samvat, celebrated in West Bengal, do not start on the same day, but both occur in the same month. Festivals in many places in South Asia are similar to those celebrated in the Vikram Samvat calendar. The rulers of Nepal made this Calendar a formal calendar there…
Vikram Samvat Calendar
Dates have great importance in the Hindu calendar. The special thing about these dates is that they do not change within 12-12 hours of 24 hours, but it basically depends on the sunrise and sunset. Below are the names of the months of the calendar of Vikram Samvat according to the time of the English calendar…
Baishakh/mid-April to mid-May
Jesth/mid-May to mid-June
Ashadh/mid-June to Mid July
Shravan/mid-July to mid-August
Bhadra/mid-August to Mid-September
Ashwin/mid-September to mid-October
Karthik/mid-October to Mid-November
Aghan/mid-November to mid-December
Paush/mid-December to mid-January
Magha/mid-January to mid-February
Phalgun/mid-February to Mid March
Chaitra/mid-March to Mid-April
In this way, the dates of the calendar of Vikram Samvat do not match the dates of the English calendar. Although the English calendar is used globally, it is influenced by the calendar of Vikram Samvat.
Indian Culture Religion and Festivals
The months of the Hindu calendar are made on two sides, Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha, and both sides are of fifteen-fifteen days. Amavasya falls on the last day of Krishna Paksha, and Poornima/Purnima is on the last day of Shukla Paksha.