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Samvatsara and different Samvats


Samvatsara

Samvatsara is a Sanskrit term for a "year". It refers to the "Jovian year", that is a year based on the relative position of the planet Jupiter.  It is the time Jupiter takes to transit from one constellation to the next relative to its mean motion. It takes about twelve years to complete the Zodiac.


There are 60 samvatsara in Indian calendars. Each has been given a name that suggests the general feeling of the year it denotes.  The sixty Samvatsaras are divided into 3 groups of 20 Samvatsaras each. The first 20 from Prabhava to Vyaya are assigned to Brahma. The next 20 from Sarvajit to Parabhava to Vishnu and the last 20 to Shiva. Once all 60 samvatsaras are over, the cycle of naming the years starts again.


The names of the years are: Prabhava, Vibhava, Sukla, Pramoda, Prajapati, Angira, Shrimukha, Bhava, Yuva, Dhata, Isvara, Bahudhanya, Pramathi, Vikrama, Vrisha , Chitrabhanu, Subhanu, Tarana, Parthiva, Vyaya, Sarvajit, Sarvadhari, Virodhi, Vikriti, Khara, Nandana, Vijaya, Jaya, Manmatha, Durmukha, Hemalambi, Vilambi, Vikari, Sharvari , Plava, Subhakrit , Sobhana, Krodhi, Visvavasu, Parabhava,  Plavanga, Kilaka, Saumya, Sadharana, Virodhakrit, Paridhavi, Pramathi, Ananda, Rakshasa, Nala, Pingala, Kalayukta, Siddhartha, Raudra, Durmati, Dundubhi, Rudhirodgari, Raktakshi, Krodhana,  Akshaya.


Shaka Samvat

The Saka era is believed to have been founded by King Shalivahana, to commemorate his military victories in the 78th year CE (Common Era). The Saka calender is luni-solar. The calendar consists of 365 days and 12 months like the normal Gregorian calendar. Chaitra is the first month of the year beginning on March 22 which is the day after the Spring Equinox. During leap years, the starting day of Chaitra corresponds with March 21.


Vikram Samvat

According to popular belief, the legendary King Vikramaditya of Ujjain established the Vikrama Samvat era following his victory over the Sakas in 56 BC. It uses lunar months and solar sidereal years. The lunar new year starts on the new moon in the month of Chaitra. It is popular in India, Nepal and other eastern countries. Hindu religious festivals are based on lunar calender.