Vikram Samvat

Vikram Samvat (ISO: Vikrama Saṁvata; abbreviated VS), also known as the Vikrami or Bikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent and still also used in several Indian states and Nepal. It is a lunisolar calendar, using twelve lunar months each solar sidereal year. The year count of the Vikram Samvat calendar is usually 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, except during January to March/April, when it is ahead by 56 years.

Vikram Samvat is an official calendar of Nepal where the first month is Baisakh and the last month is Chaitra. Unlike India where it is used only for religious dates (with first month starting with Chaitra), the solar version of Vikram Samvat is a civil calendar for general usage.

History

A number of ancient and medieval inscriptions used the Vikram Samvat. Although it was reportedly named after the legendary king Vikramaditya (Chandragupta 2), the term "Vikrama Samvat" does not appear in the historical record before the 9th century; the same calendar system is found with other names, such as Krita and Malava. In colonial scholarship, the era was believed to be based on the commemoration of King Vikramaditya expelling the Sakas from Ujjain. However, later epigraphical evidence and scholarship suggest that this theory has no historical basis. During the 9th century, epigraphical artwork began using Vikram Samvat (suggesting that the Hindu calendar era in use became popular as Vikram Samvat); Buddhist and Jain epigraphy continued to use an era based on the Buddha or the Mahavira.

Kalakacharya Kathanaka and the Origin

According to popular tradition, King Vikramaditya of Ujjain established the Vikrama Samvat era after defeating the Śakas.