Ahmedabad: On Nov 1, when there will be a gap day in Vikram Samvat followed by the Gujarati panchang, there will be no such gap in India's national calendar of Saka Samvat. It is 1945 in total years, whereas 2080 years of Vikram Samvat are over, and the year 2081 will start from Nov 2. For the Hijri, the calculation method of the Islamic calendar, it is the year 1446, whereas in the Parsi calendar, it is the year 1394. There are different new years for different communities and business cycles, too.
Prof Ramji Savaliya, former director of BJ Institute of Learning and Research, said that the concept of Samvatsar, shortened to Samvat, was to commemorate a major victory or major event in a rule. Thus, ancient India had several Samvat in prevalence.
"For example, we get epigraphs talking about ‘…in the 11th year of Emperor Ashoka's rule' instead of a specific date. Indian calendars are unique as they follow both lunar and solar cycles. Two Samvat specific to Gujarat or that originated from the region include Valabhi Samvat and Sinh Samvat – the first one by Maitraka rulers and the second by Siddhraj Jaysinh, the Solanki ruler," he said.