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THE DIFFERENT ERAS USED IN GUJARAT DURING TWE ANCIE NT PERIOD 237

The Vikrania Era which is current in Gujarat sińce long, came into common use there during Ihis period. The records¹⁹ of the Caulukya kings are all dated in the Vikrama Era. The Caulukyas probably hailed from Rajasthan, which was under the sway of the Pratih&ras who dated their records in the Vikrama Era.

The dates given in the records of this period not infrequently include the weekdays, which serves as an important factor in determining the system of years and months. An examination of the known dates given in the lilerary and epigraphic records, indicates a gradual transition in Gujarat from the northem system of CaitrSdi years and Pumiiftanta months to the Southern system of Kamikadi years and Amanta months.²⁰ The dates in Kulch and West Saurashtra indicate the prevalence of Asadhadi years, which fali between Caitradi and Karttikadi years.²¹

The year of the Vikrama Era is 57-56 years earlier than the corresponding

year of the Christian Era. Hcnce we have to subtract 57 years from the

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datę of the year of the Vikrama Era between Karttika Sukla 1 and 31 st Decembcr and 56 years for the whole of the remaining part of the Vikrama Era, to arrive at the corresponding year of the Christian Era.

A fcw inscriptions²² of the Caulukya period are dated in the Saka Era. They all bclong to South Gujarat, and bear the influence of the Deccan where the Saka Era was in common use.

The Valabh! Era continued to a smali cxtent upto its year 945 corresponding to 1264 A D.²³

Four known inscriptions²⁴ of this period are dated in years 32-151 of the Sirhha Era. The dates of this era are fortunately given along with the corresponding years of the Vikrama or/and ValabhT Era. From these equations it follows that the Sirfiha Era started 1170 years after the Caitradi Vikrama Era, i. e., in 1113 A. D. The years of the Siifrha Era were Caitradi. All the known dates of the Siitiha Era belong to Sorath. Probably this era was started by the Caulukya sovereign Jayasiihha Siddharaja to commemorate his conąuest of Sorath.²⁵ It is, however, dilTicult to explain why the use of the Siihha Era remained confined to Sorath.²⁶

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The Arabie and Persian inscriptions of²⁷ the Caulukya Period are dated in year 430 to 700 of the HijrT Era. The Verawal slone-inscription²⁸ of the time of king Arjunadeva is a unique Sanskrit record dated in years of four eras, viz., A. H. 662, Val. S. 954, Siitiha S. 151 and V. S. 1320.

The HijrT Era was inlroduced in Arabia to commemorate the hijarat (migration) of the Prophet from Mecca to Mcdina in 622 A. D. The era