The only country where work is done by the Hindu calendar does not follow the Gregorian method
The whole world is welcoming the year 2023 with enthusiasm. Generally, more than 200 countries of the world follow the Gregorian calendar. Government works around the world and runs in the Gregorian way. There is only one country that follows the Hindu calendar only. His work goes on accordingly.
Highlights
- Nepal New Year every year starts in April according to the Gregorian calendar.
- Associated with king Vikramaditya and begins Vikram Samvat from 57 BCE
- Vikram Samvat is considered in India but government work is done in a Gregorian way.
Saying goodbye to the year 2022, the whole world has welcomed 2023 as a new year. More than 200 countries of the world follow the Gregorian calendar only. This means all the work there officially starts in January and continues till December. Everything in every process runs from this calendar. Even India, which created the Vikram Samvat calendar, gives priority to the Gregorian calendar in every work, but there is also a country in the world, where the work is not done according to the Gregorian but according to the Hindu calendar.
Although from the year 1954, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s government adopted the Hindu calendar i.e. Vikram Samvat with the Gregorian format, all the work of the country is done with the Gregorian calendar format only. Nepal has always followed the Hindu calendar only. It is also called the Vikrami calendar. It runs 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. It is also called Vikram Samvat calendar.
Vikram Samvat, Bikram Samvat, or Vikrami calendar is being used to calculate dates and times in the Indian subcontinent since about 57 BC. This Hindu calendar is the official calendar of Nepal. By the way, it is also used in many states of India, especially in rural areas.
This is the calendar of Nepal and its position at the time of the year 2023. According to the official calendar in Nepal, the new year will start in April. (Nepal calendar)
Officially used in Nepal since 1901
The Vikram Samvat calendar was officially used in Nepal in 1901 AD. Bikram Samvat was made the official Hindu calendar by the Rana dynasty of Nepal. The new year in Nepal begins on the first day of the month of Baisakh (13-15 April in the Gregorian calendar). Chaitra ends on the last day of the month. The first day of the new year is a public holiday in Nepal.
It also uses the solar sidereal year along with the positions of the moon. The Vikram Samvat calendar was named after King Vikramaditya, where the Sanskrit word ‘samvat‘ is used to denote “year”. Vikramaditya was born in 102 BC and died in 15 AD.
In 57 BC, the glorious King Vikramaditya of India freed the countrymen from the tyrannical rule of the Shakas. In memory of the same victory, Vikram Samvat was also started from the Pratipada date of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month.
When the new year starts in Nepal, cultural programs are organized in the Hindu way. (wiki commons)
In this also one year of 12 months and 07 days week
The beginning of this Samvat is considered to be from Kartik Shukla Pratipada in Gujarat and Chaitra Shukla Pratipada in North India. The practice of keeping a year of twelve months and a week of seven days started with Vikram Samvat. The account of the month is kept on the speed of the Sun and the Moon.
These 12 zodiac signs are 12 solar months. Months have been named based on the Nakshatra in which the Moon is on the full moon day. The lunar year is 11 days 3 Ghati 48 Pal shorter than the solar year, that’s why 1 month is added to it every 3 years.
Why is it better
Many such things in Vikram Samvat make it better than the English calendar. All Teej-festivals of Hindus, Muhurta, auspicious-inauspicious yoga, and solar-lunar eclipse, are decided based on the calculation of Hindi Panchang. From the birth of a person till his death, every important work is started by looking at the auspicious time from Hindi Panchang.
Then Vikramaditya waived off the debt of the entire people for the beginning of Samvat.
Vikramaditya, the father of Vikram Samvat, was the younger brother of King Bhartrihari. When Bhartrihari was cheated on by his wife, he left the kingdom and retired. Handed over the kingdom to Vikramaditya. It is believed that King Vikramaditya waived off the entire debt of his subjects so that the economic problems of the people would end. At that time, the king who waived off the entire debt of his subjects, the Samvat used to become popular in his name only. For this reason, Vikram Samvat became popular in his name.
Which almanac used to run before Vikram Samvat
About 5000 years ago i.e. even before Dwapar Yug, Samvat used to run in the name of Saptarishis. Shri Krishna was born in Dwapar Yuga. After this, Samvat became popular in the name of Shri Krishna. Kaliyug started after Dwapar Yug. Vikram Samvat started about 3000 years after Shri Krishna Samvat, which is prevalent to date.
This year the Hindu calendar will be of 13 months instead of 12.
According to the Hindu calendar, the new year can be of 13 months instead of 12 months. Actually, this will be due to excess month. The holy month of Shiva will not be of 30 days, but of 59 days. This means the month of Sawan will last for two months. There will be 8 Mondays in the month of Sawan.
