Every year when the 1st day of Baisakh approaches or the 1st of January comes around, I remember the time when I used to stand on the roadside and interview the passers-by. At that time I was working in the weekly Samiksha edited by Madanamani Dixit, as a special correspondent.

In particular, his son Vinod Dixit and I started a new column called 'Sadak Bolchha'. The purpose of that column was to stand on the street and ask short questions to the public on current affairs and get their short answers. 

This column was started with the idea that public opinion can be obtained on any matter of public interest. A vertical half-page space of the third page of the magazine was set aside for that. The answers given by eleven-twelve people would find space in it. The name, age, occupation and address of the respondent would have been disclosed in it. The column quickly became popular among readers. I remember very well, in January 1975, I asked a question, "How about we adopt the Gregorian calendar which is in practice internationally?" Not everyone's answer was the same, but many of them answered that 'It's fine, we have to move according to the time'. The intention behind the question was what would happen if the government runs the Eshwi Samvat. The reference was that the year 1975 was declared by the United Nations as the 'International Women's Year' and as a member country, Nepal was also going to celebrate that year by holding many events. The meaning of that question was that if it is considered internationally, why not consider it nationally?

The question I raised fifty years ago in the streets and in the media is still with you today. 

Bikram Samvat has been called Nepal's own Samvat and we have been considering it as our own. This samvat has been used in government work. According to scholar Harshanath Bhattarai, (29 Chait 2059, Gorkhapatra) Shri 3 Chandrashamsher has been running it since 1970 in government affairs. If so, it has now been one hundred and eleven years since Bikram Samvat was recognized as the official calendar in Nepal. Before that, Shaka Samvat and Nepal Samvat are believed to be in vogue in Nepal. Scholars also say that Kaligata Samvat, Buddha Samvat, Lichchavi Samvat, Mandev Samvat etc. have been going on since ancient times. 

There is no consensus among scholars about when and why the tradition of Bikram Samvat started in Nepal. No one seems to say exactly. What motivated Chandrashamsher to designate Vikram Samvat as the official calendar at a time when Shaka Samvat was slightly more popular than Vikram? That is not clear either. I had read somewhere that he took this decision to adopt austerity as he had to pay thirteen months salary to the employees every three years following Shaka Samvat. 

But, since then, Vikram Samvat has started to be claimed as Khanti Hindu Samvat, especially in today's Hindutva India. The Saka Samvat, 134 years younger than the Vikram Samvat, was also started in India by Emperor Kanishka of the Kushan Dynasty, who ruled in the second century AD. However, since he is considered an outsider, the Indians of today do not consider a Samvatsara started by an outsider as much as they do the Vikram Samvat. According to them, Vikram Samvat is definitely Hindu. Because Vikramaditya, the initiator of Vikram Samvatsar, was himself a Hindu emperor of Ujjain. It is the claim of those who hold this view that because this is a Hindu Samvat, Nepal is a united Hindu nation.

How Samvatsar started by the emperor of a place called Ujjain located in present day Madhya Pradesh of India came to be implemented in the far away state of Nepal is a matter to be questioned. However, since Vikramaditya came to Nepal, he belonged to Nepal, his throne decorated with thirty-two dolls was here, there is also a legend that the head of the metal statue in Sankhu's Bajrayogini temple belongs to Vikramaditya. This statement should be considered anecdotal because if it is believed that Vikramaditya came to Nepal and ruled a new samvat, then at the time that samvat started, the Nepal Mandal must have been ruled by a king of the Kirant dynasty. 

Thus, almost all historians agree that Vikramaditya is not a historical character but a fictional character. Historians point out that not only was there no king named Vikramaditya in Ujjain, but there was no king of that name in ancient India when the Vikram samvat began 500 years ago BC. Historians say that Vikramaditya is not the name of a king, but an honorific title given to a great king, but they also say that there were at least fourteen kings who bore that title. Chandragupta was called the second Vikramaditya and is said to be the one who ran the Vikram Samvat. And it is also said that Varahamihira was the astronomer who suggested starting this new Samvat. However, the reign of Chandragupta II is in the 3rd-4th century AD, while the reign of Varahamihira is in the 6th century. And the fact that the historians have pointed out that there is no mention of Vikram Samvat in any writings including Prastar before the ninth century AD is also worth noting here.

So who was the initiator of Vikram Samvat? In her book 'Early India - From the Origins to A.D. 1300', noted Indian historian Romila Thapar has written that the originator of Vikram Samvat may have been Ajes I. And the Nepali researcher Shivraj Shrestha Malla wrote in the "Nagarik" daily of 22 July 2078, "B.C. In 57 AD, the Malwa King Shakari Satakarni 'II' had written that the Samvat, which was not so popular, was also run by Chandragupta II in India and Nepal. Who was the Ajes mentioned by Romila Thapar? This in itself is confusing. Similarly, considering Chandragupta four to five hundred years back as its initiator is also not logical. 

However, despite these many ambiguities and historical discrepancies, the fact is that Bikram Samvat is the official calendar in Nepal, that's why we have been celebrating Baisakh 1 as New Year. Apart from Nepal, Punjab, North India and East Bengal, Assam, Tripura etc. generally celebrate New Year with one day difference according to this calendar. In Punjab, it is celebrated as Baisakhi festival and in Muslim-majority Bangladesh as 'New Year' or 'Poila Boishakh' with a national holiday. However, what is interesting is that classically, the beginning of Vikram Samvat is considered to be on the day of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada and this year that date fell on 30th March. Accordingly, from that day we have entered the year 2082. 

Now, in this context, the discussion of the Gregorian calendar, which is colloquially called 'English year' today and called the Christian year or Christian year, becomes relevant. Since it is associated with the birth and pre-birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, this year is also called the Christian Era and in English, the Christian Era. It was originally called the Julian calendar because it is believed to have been introduced by Julius Caesar, but it was modified by Pope Gregory XIII and introduced in 1582 to be known as the 'Gregorian calendar'. This calendar is now prevalent in all the countries of the world except one/two exceptions. However, the old Julian calendar is still followed by Orthodox Christians. Needless to say, the Gregorian calendar came into practice due to the British in India and not only during the British period, but also now, this year is being used in all government affairs.  Since

has been adopted by the whole world, naturally the events of the world so far have been recorded in this year, whether they happened after the birth of Christ or before the birth. Until some time ago it was called 'Christian Era' (CE in English) and according to that, when the time after the birth of Christ was to be indicated, it was called 'Anno Domini' (AD) and when the chronology before the birth of Christ was called 'Before Christ' (BC). Considering its ubiquity and comprehensibility, even though 'CE' has been written here, it has been used to mean 'Common Era' (Common Era) and accordingly, 'AD' has been replaced by 'Common Era' and 'BC' as 'Before Common Era' (BCE). This can clearly be understood as an attempt to keep the practice of Samvatsara independent of any religious creed. This further broadens its applicability. Now Common Era has to be understood as 'Common Era'. 

Looking at the practical use of both these samvats in Nepal, it seems that the six months are mercury. Since Vikram Samvat has gained officiality, this Samvat is used in all government functions and in every office, station, court. Although the government does not seem to have taken any decision to observe this samvat, it has only been a tradition since the time of Chandrashamsher. The existing constitution is also silent on this issue. The phrase "This Constitution was passed by the Constituent Assembly on a certain date" is not included in the Constitution. The date of 2072.06.03 is given at the end of the preamble as the date published in the gazette only. The mentioned date is not even mentioned as Vikramiya Samvat. On the other hand, in the current constitution of India, the date of its passage and issuance is first mentioned as '26 November 1949', and in the foreword it is revealed as 'Margashirsh Shukla Saptami Samvat Doi Hajjar Chha Vikrami' (from the official translation in Nepali). Apparently, in this sense, both the Christian and Vikram Samvats are recognized by the Indian Constitution. However, another interesting aspect is that the Government of India declared Shaka Samvat official in 1957 as recommended by the Panchang Reform Committee which was formed after the promulgation of the Constitution. Even so, the fact that both Vikrami and Shaka Samvats are equal to zero in daily and official use is again different. It can be said that today's Indian society and life is completely looted by the Gregorian calendar. 

In the context of foreign communication in Nepal, the government offices also follow the Gregorian calendar, even if it is not written anywhere in the government rules, letters or documents written in English are accepted in the government offices, their Nepali translation is not required. From business organizations that import and export goods to banks, hotels, airlines and any private or government agencies involved in international exchange, there is no happiness in following the Gregorian calendar. As mobile phones and internet services become more widespread, the use of the international calendar becomes mandatory. So it can be said, its use is increasing day by day in Nepal as well as elsewhere due to changing times and circumstances. 

Many scholars, researchers, teachers, scholars and writers do not take a clear stand on the use of Samvat. The use of the Christian calendar by them is found to be good. However, among historians, two lines are clearly separated. History Shiromani Baburam Acharya's emphasis seems to be on the use of the Christian Samvat, while Maheshraj Pant, Dineshraj Pant Prabhrutti scholars who are associated with the History Revision Board seem to be adamant in favor of the Bikram Samvat. The promoters of the History Revision Committee seem to be trying to change the events of history in whatever year they were recorded. In a way, this effort should be considered good. 

The major events of the past eighty-ninety years are remembered by people of my generation as the ninety-year earthquake, seven-year revolution, fifteen-year general election, seventeen-year scandal, thirty-six-year referendum, forty-six-year mass movement, etc. However, when it comes to the references of events outside the borders of Nepal, it is difficult to reconcile them with Vikramabad. Because all those events are recorded according to the Gregorian calendar. Let us say the birth of India and Pakistan or the rise of Bangladesh, the revolution of China or the October revolution of Russia or the French revolution or the first or second world war, the rise of Napoleon or the arrival of Alexander in India, all these events are mentioned in the Christian era. Apart from that, as soon as the reference to BC comes, one has to resort to BC again. Aadhaar is not available for Vikram Samvatpurva. And due to the difference of 500 years, there is a difference of one century between Vikramabad and Christ. Like, it's been twenty-five years since Christ entered the twenty-first century. Vikramabad had already entered the twenty-first century eighty-one years ago. The problem was less until the Christian year ran in a wave of nineteen hundred years, now after the Christian year has reached the length of two thousand years, it becomes mandatory to calculate what is the Vikramabd or the Christian year every time. Without keeping this difference, embracing the internationally considered anniversary for the identity of the study/practice of world history and archeology seems practical in today's context.

Geographer and planner Dr. This columnist got the chance to do some work in the vicinity of Hark Gurung. Whether it was because of his higher education in Patna and Edinburgh, UK, or because he was writing a letter or a small memo, he always had a habit of writing the date of Christ. When he was working as the head of an international organization in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, I have received several faxes written by him with his own hand, sometimes in English and sometimes entirely in Nepali. At that time I was helping him to print two of his books in Nepal. That's why his faxes kept coming. Every fax letter had the date of Christ written on it without fail. Don't keep saying, don't blame Christ  Dr. was a strong advocate of engaging in

behavior. Hark Gurung. He also had another request related to writing. Although the article was in Nepali, he used to write all the numbers in it in English. (In fact, what we call English numerals are actually called Arabic numerals, which were later adopted by the English language. However, for ease of understanding, let's call them English numerals here). While publishing the books written by him in Nepali language under 'Himal Kitab', I accepted his request regarding the use of numerals and kept the English numerals unchanged. Although the practice did not seem strange to me who grew up reading Hindi books and newspapers. I was seeing that although the script of Hindi is Devanagari, the numerals are used in English. 

This practice also tested me. I thought that a publishing house started this practice, which later became widespread. It was only recently that I realized that my assumption was wrong, after I overturned the Constitution of India. The doubt in my mind was solved by the phrase 'International form of Indian Numerals' in the Constitution of India. This means, the constitution itself has given instructions to use English numerals in Hindi written in Devanagari script, and why should they not use English numerals? 

In fact, the use of English numerals, such as the Christian or Gregorian calendars, has become almost universal. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Russian, Thai, etc. are interesting in themselves to see English numbers written in languages ​​other than English and with completely different scripts. It must not be that they do not have numbers in their own language. They must have deliberately adopted the English numerals from a particular time, just as they adopted the Gregorian calendar in favor of their traditional date-based calendar. Everyone has their own New Year and celebrates it according to their traditional calendar. However, they stay awake on the night of 31st December and welcome the New Year on 1st January with the same pomp and joy.