The Indian national calendar is based on

The correct answer is Saka era.

Key Points

•  The Indian national calendar is based on the Saka era.
• The Saka calendar is a historical Hindu calendar that started its epoch in 78 CE.
• It is widely used in India, alongside the Gregorian calendar, for official purposes.
• The Saka era is based on the astronomical calculations of the Surya Siddhanta.
• The Indian national calendar, adopted in 1957, is a reformed version of the Saka calendar.
• The first day of the Saka year is Chaitra 1, which usually falls on March 22 of the Gregorian calendar (or March 21 in leap years).
• The Saka calendar has 12 months, similar to the Gregorian calendar.
• The names of the months in the Saka calendar are Chaitra, Vaishakha, Jyaishtha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadra, Ashvina, Kartika, Agrahayana (or Margashirsha), Pausha, Magha, and Phalguna.
• The first six months consist of 30 days each, while the last six months have 31 days each.
• This arrangement was made to align more closely with the tropical year.
• The leap year in the Saka calendar coincides with the leap year in the Gregorian calendar.
• In a Saka leap year, the month of Chaitra has 31 days instead of 30.
• The Indian national calendar is used in government communications, news broadcasts by All India Radio, and calendars issued by the Government of India.
• While the Gregorian calendar is more commonly used for day-to-day affairs, the Saka calendar holds cultural and historical significance in India.
• The Vikram Samvat, or Vikram era, is another historical Hindu calendar with its epoch starting in 57 BCE. It is primarily followed in some parts of North and West India and has different regional variations.
• The Christian era is based on the assumed birth year of Jesus Christ and is the basis of the Gregorian calendar, which is widely used internationally.
• The Hijri era is a lunar calendar used in Islam, with its epoch marking the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is not the basis of the Indian national calendar.
• The adoption of the Saka era as the basis for the national calendar was an effort to unify the diverse regional calendars prevalent in India and to establish a secular and scientifically based system for official purposes.
• The reformed Saka calendar aimed to correct some of the inconsistencies found in traditional Saka calendars.
• The use of the Saka calendar alongside the Gregorian calendar reflects India's rich cultural heritage and its engagement with modern, internationally recognized systems.
• Understanding the structure and historical context of the Saka calendar provides insights into the scientific and cultural traditions of India.