The Odia calendar ( Pāñji) is a solar calendar used by the Odia people from the Odisha region of the Indian subcontinent. The calendar follows the sidereal solar cycle while using the lunar Purnimanta phase for the religious dates. The New Year in the Odia calendar is known as Maha Bishuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti. It occurs on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa (Georgian: Aries), hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha (odia: ବୈଶାଖ). The Odia calendar follows the Utkaliya era, which began on Bhādra śukla dvādaśī from 592 CE.

New Year and Era

As per the sidereal solar cycle followed by the Odia Panjika, the first day of the year or New Year falls on Mesa Sankranti (Sun-crossing into Sidereal Aries) in Mid-April. The Odia New Year festival is known as Pana Sankranti () or Maha Bishuba Sankranti ().Crump, William D. (2014), Encyclopedia of New Year's Holidays Worldwide, MacFarland, page 114

The Utkaliya era ( Utkaḷiya) for the Odia calendar began on 592 CE on Bhādra sukḷa dvādasi (the 12th day of the full moon fortnight of the Bhādra month). Bhādra sukla dvādasi is considered to be the birthday of the legendary king Indradyumna who set up the icon of Lord Jagannath (Neela Madhava) at Puri. The epoch seems to correspond to the reign of the legendary early Somavamshis (Kesaris) as per the chronicle Madala Panji, thus implying the era was instituted by King Yayati I of the Somavamshi dynasty.

Thus the Era calendar new year falls on the 12th day of the full moon fortnight or the waxing moon lunar phase of the Bhādra month in September. This day is termed as the Odia financial New Year and is known as the festival of Sunia ( suniā̃) which denotes the start of the beginning of the new financial calendar year for the collection of revenue, publishing of almanacs and the palm-leaf horoscopes carrying the reigning year of the Gajapati King. Post-1947, it has been reduced as a ceremonial day and is mostly used in the Panji calendars to denote the change of Odia calendar year for records and horoscopes.

+ New Year Date New Year Odia month Gregorian Cycle Odia New Year(Maha Bishuba Sankranti/Pana Sankranti) ୧ ବୈଶାଖ (ମେଷ)1 Baiśākha (Meṣa) 14 April13 April (Gregorian leap year) Solar Odia financial New Year(Sunia) ଭାଦ୍ର ଶୁକ୍ଳ ଦ୍ୱାଦଶୀBhādra Śukḷa Dwādaśī12th day of Waxing Moon (Full moon) phase varies, September Lunar

Odia year Shaka year Vikrami year Gregorian year ୧୪୩୪ ଉତ୍କଳାବ୍ଦ/ଉତ୍କଳୀୟ ସନ1434 Utkaḷābda/Utkaḷiya San 1948 Śakābda 2083 Vikram Samvat 2026 CE

Utkaḷābda year for 2026 on 23 September.

Anka year

The Anka year ( Aṅka) system is a unique regnal year system instituted by the Eastern Ganga kings for dating their reigns. It had a number of features that mark the regnal year different from that actual duration of the year elapsed during the reign. The system still survives today and is used in the Odia panjis to mark the titular regnal year of the King of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb of the Puri Estate, whose title carries the legacy of historical ruling monarchs of Odisha.

Features: The Anka system always starts on the Odia financial new year called Sunia which falls on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of the month Bhadra (August–September) known as Bhadra Sukḷa Dwādasi. If the king accedes the throne for a few days before this date, then the first year of his reign would then just be a few days long. Coins were minted on the date of the new year, and hence the first coins were given the Anka year 2, the number 1 was not used. All years ending in 6 were skipped. As in the Anka year 5 was followed by Anka year 7, Anka year 15 was followed by Anka year 17 and so on. All years ending in 0 were also skipped, except for the Anka year 10. Hence no Anka years exist for 1, 6, 16, 20, 26, 30, 36, 40, 46, 50, 56, and so on.

+ Timeline of actual Regnal year and Anka year (shown till regnal year 30) Regnal year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Anka year 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 35 37

+ Regnal & Anka year of Gajapati(titular reign since 7 July 1970) Gregorian year Regnal year Odia year Anka year 2026 CE 56 ୧୪୩୪ ଉତ୍କଳାବ୍ଦ1434 Utkaḷābda ୭୧ ଅଙ୍କ71 Aṅka

Panji

Madala Panji (Odia: ମାଦଳ ପାଞ୍ଜି) is a chronicle of the Jagannath Temple, Puri in Odisha. It describes the historical events of Odisha related to Jagannath and the Jagannath Temple. The Madala Panji dates from the 12th century and was traditionally written on a year-to-year basis on Vijayadashami Day by the Karanas community. The tradition of keeping this chronicle began with Eastern Ganga king Anantavarman Chodaganga (1077–1150).

The modern Odia calendar begins with the scientific reforms initiated by the astronomer Pathani Samanta. His findings which included astronomical observations with the help of traditional instruments were recorded in his treatise Siddhanta Darpana written on palm-leaf manuscript in 1869 and eventually published in 1899. These observations were instrumental in the preparation of almanacs in Odisha especially by the astrologers of the Jagannath temple at Puri. The prominent Panjis of this tradition include: Khadiratna Panjika Samanta Panjika Biraja Panjika

Other notable Odia Panji calendars include Kohinoor Panji, Biraja Panji(Nanda), Radharaman Panji(based on Puri tradition Panjis), Bhagyadeepa Panji, Bhagyajyoti Panji, Bhagyachakra Panji.

Months Odia (Lunar)ମାସ māsa Days Odia (Solar)ରାଶି rāsi Zodiac Sign Gregorian ବୈଶାଖBaiśākha 31 ମେଷMesa Aries April–May ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠJyeṣṭha 31 ବୃଷBrusa Taurus May–June ଆଷାଢ଼Āṣāḍha 32 ମିଥୁନMithuna Gemini June–July ଶ୍ରାବଣŚrābaṇa 31 କର୍କଟKarkaṭa Cancer July–August ଭାଦ୍ରବ/ଭାଦ୍ରBhādraba/Bhādra 31 ସିଂହSingha Leo August–September ଆଶ୍ୱିନĀświna 31 କନ୍ୟାKanyā Virgo September–October କାର୍ତ୍ତିକKārttika 30 ତୁଳାTuḷā Libra October–November ମାର୍ଗଶିରMārgaśira 29 ବିଛାBichā Scorpio November–December ପୌଷPauṣa 29 ଧନୁDhanu Sagittarius December–January ମାଘMāgha 30 ମକରMakara Capricorn January–February ଫାଲ୍‌ଗୁନ/ଫଗୁଣPhālguna/Phaguṇa 30 କୁମ୍ଭKumbha Aquarius February–March ଚୈତ୍ରChaitra 30 ମୀନMina Pisces March–April

Days The Odia calendar incorporates the seven-day week.

Day (Odia) Celestial object Equivalent Day (Gregorian) ରବିବାରRabibāra Surya Sun Sunday ସୋମବାରSomabāra Chandra Moon Monday ମଙ୍ଗଳବାରMaṅgaḷbāra Mangala Mars Tuesday ବୁଧବାରBudhabāra Budha Mercury Wednesday ଗୁରୁବାରGurubāra Brihaspati Jupiter Thursday ଶୁକ୍ରବାରŚukrabāra Shukra Venus Friday ଶନିବାରŚanibāra Shani Saturn Saturday

Seasons Odia Rutuଋତୁ Season Odia months Months (Gregorian) ଗ୍ରୀଷ୍ମGrīṣma Summer Baiśākha–Jyeṣṭha April–June ବର୍ଷାBarṣā Monsoon Āṣāṛha–Śrābaṇa June–August ଶରତŚarata Autumn Bhādraba–Āświna August–October ହେମନ୍ତHemanta Pre-Winter Kārttika–Mārgaśira October–December ଶୀତŚīta Winter Pauṣa–Māgha December–February ବସନ୍ତBasanta Spring Phālguna–Chaitra February–April

Time Time Gregorian Units Equivalent ଦିନdina Day ୧୨ ଘଣ୍ଟା12 ghaṇṭā 12 hours ରାତିrāti Night ୧୨ ଘଣ୍ଟା12 ghaṇṭā 12 hours ଦିବସdibasa Solar day ୨୪ ଘଣ୍ଟା24 ghaṇṭā 24 hours ୧ ସପ୍ତାହ1 saptaha 1 week ୭ ଦିନ7 dina 7 days ୧ ପକ୍ଷ1 pakṣa 1 fortnight ୧୫ ଦିନ15 dina 15 days ୧ ବର୍ଷ1 barṣa 1 year ୩୬୫ ଦିନ365 dina 365 days ୧ ବର୍ଷ1 barṣa 1 year ୧୨ ମାସ12 māsa 12 months

+ Lunar week Paksha ପକ୍ଷ (pakhya) Period Lunar phase Days ଶୁକ୍ଳପକ୍ଷśukḷapakṣa From ଅମାବାସ୍ୟା (Amābāsyā) to ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା (Pūrṇṇima)New moon to Full moon Waxing moon 15 days କୃଷ୍ଣପକ୍ଷkrushṇapakṣa From ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା (Pūrṇṇima) to ଅମାବାସ୍ୟା (Amābāsyā) Full moon to New moon Waning moon 15 days

Lunar Dayତିଥି (tithi) Bright fortnightଶୁକ୍ଳପକ୍ଷ (śukḷapakṣa) Lunar phase Dark fortnightକୃଷ୍ଣପକ୍ଷ (krushṇapakṣa) Lunar phase 1 ପ୍ରତିପଦpratipada Waxing Crescent ପ୍ରତିପଦpratipada Waning Gibbous 2 ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟାdwitīyā ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟାdwitīyā 3 ତୃତୀୟାtrutīyā ତୃତୀୟାtrutīyā 4 ଚତୁର୍ଥୀcaturthī ଚତୁର୍ଥୀcaturthī 5 ପଞ୍ଚମୀpañcamī ପଞ୍ଚମୀpañcamī 6 ଷଷ୍ଠୀṣaṣṭhī ଷଷ୍ଠୀṣaṣṭhī 7 ସପ୍ତମୀsaptamī First Quarter ସପ୍ତମୀsaptamī Last Quarter 8 ଅଷ୍ଟମୀaṣṭamī ଅଷ୍ଟମୀaṣṭamī 9 ନବମୀnabamī Waxing Gibbous ନବମୀnabamī Waning Crescent 10 ଦଶମୀdaśamī ଦଶମୀdaśamī 11 ଏକାଦଶୀekādaśī ଏକାଦଶୀekādaśī 12 ଦ୍ୱାଦଶୀdwādaśī ଦ୍ୱାଦଶୀdwādaśī 13 ତ୍ରୟୋଦଶୀtrayodaśī ତ୍ରୟୋଦଶୀtrayodaśī 14 ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶୀcaturddaśī ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶୀcaturddaśī 15 ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମାpūrṇṇima Full Moon ଅମାବାସ୍ୟାamābāsyā New Moon

Festivals Odia and other Indian festivals observed as per Odia calendar: Months Festivals Baisākha Maha Bishuba Sankranti (Pana Sankranti) Jyesṭha Buddha Purnima, Akshaya Tritiya, Sabitri Brata, Sitalsasthi Āsāḍha Raja Parba, Ratha Jatra Srābaṇa Gamha Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) Bhādraba Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Nuakhai, Sunia Āswina Vishwakarma Puja, Mahalaya, Durga Puja, Dusehra, Kumara Purnima Kārttika Kali Puja, Dipabali, Jagaddhatri Puja, Boita Bandana, Bali Jatra Mārgasira Prathamastami, Manabasa Gurubara Pausa Dhanu jatra, Samba Dashami, Pousha Purnima Māgha Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami Phālguna Maha Shivaratri Chaitra Holi (Dol Purnima), Odisha Day (Utkala Dibasa)

References

Bibliography

External links Calendars and their History (by L.E. Doggett) Indian Calendars (by Leow Choon Lian, pdf, 1.22mb)