2017-03-03 Fri

Imagine your day without a date or a month and a year! We all cannot imagine that because our life is deeply connected with it and it gives us assurance about our existence. The world today works on a calendar system and it is a backbone of this modern and progressive society. But the ancient world developed this system which gave society a certain timetable and stability. One of the well-known calendar systems is Saka era.

Saka era also known as Shalivahana Saka or Mahasakkarat is corresponding to a calendar of Julian Year 78. The origin of this era is a part of well-organized debates and theories between different historians and archaeologists. The debate regarding its origin started with the theory that it was started by Shaka rulers or started by an Indian King who marks the defeat of the Shakas. But the most accurate beginning of Saka era is equated with the ascension of western Kshatrapas Dynasty.

The Saka date for the first time was discovered on the Western Kshatrapas coins. This silver Drachma of King Rudrasena I is the best coin with shown Saka date. The obverse flan of the coin depicts the bust of the King facing right with blundered Greek legend around it and Saka date behind the bust SE 126 i.e. 204 CE. The reverse flan of the coin depicts Chaitya (three arched hill) with crescent above, the river below, crescent moon depicted on the left and the sun on the right side and the Brahmi legend “Rajno Mahakshatrapasa Rudrasihasaputrasa Rajno Mahakshatrapasa Rudrasenasa” around it.

But other than these theories there are also many common views that this era was started by the Kushan King Kanishka I due to correspondence between his ascension to the throne and start of Shaka era. But few other historians claim that Gautimiputra Satakarni started this calendar system after defeating Kshatrapa. All these theories didn’t reach any specific conclusion.

In 1957 this calendar system was adopted as the Indian National Calendar alongside Vikram Samvat and Gregorian calendar. Saka Calender is also used by other neighbouring countries of India like Bali, Nepal, and Indonesia.

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