 The
Bengali Era or Bangabda is used in Bangladesh, West Bengal and Tripura. It is also used in
Assam where it is called the Bhaskar (Sun) Era, The era is an adaptation of the solar
calendar that was introduced by Emperor Akbar in 1584 AD. Netters will recall that the
Hijri era is based on the lunar calendar where the month of harvest keeps shifting from
year to year. This had made it awkward to assign a fixed date for collecting taxes
which became due after harvest. Akbar's calendar was the Emperor's solution to the
problem.
Persians, unlike the Arabs, follow a solar calendar where the year begins on the day of
vernal equinox (21st March). Akbar's calendar was based on the Persian model. Though
introduced in 1584 AD, Akbar had the calendar backdated to start on 21st of March of
1556 AD which was the year he had ascended the throne. This was the year 963 in the
Hijri era.
Bengal adopted Akbar's calendar with certain modifications. In 1556 AD, the Bengali
calendar was assigned the year 963 to coincide with the year in Hijri era which
today reads 1418. It is 1406 in the Bengali year.If we recall that a solar year is
about 11 days longer than the lunar year, it is not difficult to figure out why the
Hijri era has marched ahead by: [11 X (1998 - 1556)] days = 13 years in the
442 years since 1556 AD.
There is one other significant difference with Akbar's calendar which, like the Persian
calendar and the Christian calendar, had months of fixed number of days. The Bengali
month, on the other hand, is based on the ancient Sanskrit treatise, "Surya
Siddhanta" where the months are assigned by the zodiac sign. The sun's stay under a
zodiac sign varies from year to year. That is why any Bengali month can vary in length
anywhere from 29 to 32 days. The sun enters the Mesh Rashi (Aries) on 15th of April, give
or take a day.This marks the beginning of the Bengali year and is celebrated as the first
of Baishakh.
The Bengali calendar is a prime example of the eclectic spirit that had prevailed during
the rule of Emperor Akbar. It was a synthesis of features from ancient Indian calendars
based on "Surya Siddhanta" with those of the Hijri calendar and the Persina
calendar. No wonder that the Bengali calendar is catering successfully to the needs of a
quarter billion Muslims and Hindus of Bangladesh and Eastern India.
I end this posting with a SHUBHO NABABARSHA (Happy New Year) greetings to all
the netters. May it herald the beginning of an era of harmony in the strife torn
subcontinent.
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