Kathmandu, Oct 26 (IANS) Nepal’s former Maoist guerrillas, who came to power pledging revolution and progress, have now endorsed a decision to switch over from the existing calendar to an ethnic one that will take the former Hindu kingdom back more than eight centuries.While the world ushers in the year 2009 in two months’ time, from Wednesday the Maoist-led government of Nepal will change over to the Nepal Sambat calendar according to which it would be year 1129 in the new Himalayan republic.


http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/nepal-sets-its-calendar-back-by-eight-centuries_100111782.html

it sounds good

Emotionally, it is good. But practically it will be headache. Kathmandu might adopt it, but rest of the country won't adopt it. Why should they? It does not make sense to the people of Nepal outside Kathmandu. It will fade away. It is whimsical. It does not make any worthy move even for Newar other than an emotional achievement. It is a whimsical move like Gyanendraism. I would have appreciated it if they had moved the Bikram Sambat's Baisakh 1 to April 1, and followed the year as in Bikram Sambat. In doing so, the length of months should have perfectly matched the Georgian Calendar months, and avoiding the mismatches due to differential lengths of months, particularly, Jestha, Asahd, or Shrawan where two of them are usually 32 days long in Solar Calendar.

Giving too much weight to a particular group neglecting the majority of the country where the majority does not understand this calendar, will eventually be useless and bring more confusion. More mess, more chaos, and increased randomness in a country where resources are precious and a few. What happens to those books, libraries, and information already published in existing calendar? Did they do some homework? I don't think so. Well, congratulations to Newars of Kathmandu if they feel it a great win, but if they consider this as a pity thing as wise Americans think that the color of Obama is not important in this election, what is important is his economic, health and education plan, then the leaders from Newar community should come forward and reject this new adoption by declaring that this is not an important issue at this time, and get respect from the rest of the country. But, if Newars stick to such thing, Newars lose the credibility to be main stream Nepali, but they are just a Janajati, and they can not represent Nepal, but represent just a small community of several million people in Kathmandu. I don't think that the Newars outside Kathmandu will even care this move. If you are Newar leader, and have a gut, say no to this move, and be a national leader. It is a time of test. Believe or not.

CEO Ji,    As you may know that "little knowledge is dangerous". You lack knowledge of Nepal Sambat. If you are interested in this matter you should first research then put your comments. Your comment is very much misleading. Nepal Sambat represent whole nepal. Newars is the group who keep this alive....

The History of Nepal Sambat

By Dirgha Raj Prasai

Over the last several years, I published several articles on Bikram Sambat, Nepal Sambat and other Sambats. Several Newar communities have attempted to blame me. I am not biased against the Newar community and have always respected them. I accept that Newars conserve the Hindu and Buddhist religions, cultures and traditions and have done so for centuries. But, I never believed the story of conversion of Sand into Gold. I have received several instances that prove that Sankhdhar did not start Nepal Sambat. King Ragha Dev was given the title as mentioned in Gopal Bansabal - it was 'Pashupati Bhattarak Sambatsar' - 63. The concluding sentences from Bishnu Dharma, a handwritten book at the time of King Raghav Dev is in Nepal Sambat 167.

The story of conversion of sand into gold is imaginary. Nepal Sambat was born in Nepal and during the Malla Period, it was prevalent in Tibet, Bengal and several neighbouring countries. It was also in use during Prithavi Narayan Shah and the Rana period. But due to inconvenience in changes in tithi (date), Chandra Shamsher started to write only on the present Bikram Sambat. Bikram Sambat proved chroncically because it contained 365 days in a year in contrast to 354 days in the Nepal Sambat. Many historians have studied its proponents and its founder.

Similarly, the Shaka Sambat was started by King Kaniska from 78 AD and it was gradually lost during the Moghal and the British Empire in India, but Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru restarted it in 1957. But as it had only 354 days in a year, it was not practical and AD was reused. Historian K. B Udaya wrote that there is no proof of the rich Sankhadhar at Kathmandu in the Gorakhapatra on Nov 13, 2007. He writes - The culture regards the King as an incarnation of Lord-Narayan or Vishnu. Sankahdhar. Sankhadhar is rendered one wielding the conch. After the mid-term elections in 2056, through an ad-hoc decision of the Council of Ministers chaired by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, presented by minister Omkar Prasad Shrestha made an erroneous decision of declaring Sankhadhar Sakhwa a national hero (Bivuti). Such a decision made in haste is unsuitable.

French scholar Syavan Levy has writtem that the people revolted against the Tibetan king ruling Nepal between the 7th and 9th century AD and liberated the country. Nepal Sambat started between 879 and 889 AD. One of the Historians Pro. Bendal has written about the rule of king Raghav Dev of the Lichhavis and started Nepal Sambat in 880 AD. Historian Balchandra Sharma agrees to this point in his history book Nepalko Aitihasik Ruprekha.

According to another scholar of history Dhanbajra Bajracharya, King Raghav Dev started this Sambat in honour of Pashupatinath. Italian scholar laciano Patrek published a Vansavali which honours King Raghavdev as Pasupati Bhattarak Sambatsar. Historian Baikuntha Prasad Lakaul has written in Nepali Samacharpatra on Kartik 30, 2058 that no others are as authentic as Gopal Bansawali. Historian Dhundi Raj Bandari wrote in Nepalko Aitihasik Biwechana about handwritten Bishnu Darma which mentions King Raghav Dev propagating Nepal Sambat 167.

On hearing from an astrologer, King Ananda Malla of Bhaktapur ( There is no record of King Ananda Malla in history at that time) asked to bring sands from Bisnumati River. But, Shankhdhar Sakhwa asked the King's carrier to deposit the sand to him and carried another sands to the King. Historian Bhuvan Lal Pradhan supported the conversion but arising the arguments leter he wrote about gold particles found in the river. So, there is no strong argument about Shankhdhar. Historian Dhanbajra Bajracharya, Shankarman Rajbansi,Baikuntha Prasad Lakaul and Krishna Bahadur Udaya are the Newars who have proved that Nepal Sambat was started by King Raghav Dev. The Nepal Samachar, in its editorial (dated 2058-7-30), wrote that the story of conversion of Sand into Gold has not been established.

Some followers of Shankhdhar have written that south gate at Pahupatinath has a stone-statue with Sankha(Conch) in hand, is the statue of Shankhdhar Sakhwa. But this is not true. This is the statue of King Bhagiratha, devotee of Bhagitathi Ganga for water in the earth. Such statues are found in front of 108 Shiv Temples across the River Bagmati, in front of Ganga Mata, Sundhara at Dharahara and Patan Sundhara. We can see such a statue stands in front of Swarna Buddha Mandir in Patan also.

So, I request, do not try a exercise in futility. True history always follows the real events, evidence, writings, chronology, the hearsay also must be trustworthy. So, let us not establish any assumptions contrary to the historical fact only to gain political or individual racial benefit.

- http://newsblaze.com/story/20081019130926zzzz.nb/topstory.html

नपाउनेले केरा पायो बोक्रै सँग खायो भने झै " नयाँ मुल्हा ले धेरै प्याज खान्छ रे"
राष्ट्रको धुकुटी आफ्ना फौज लाई खुवाउदै सकिदै छ , बान्दर भएर बसेको बेला उडाएका बाटो ,पुल सम्हार गर्न सकेको छैन , केही त गरेरै देखाउनु पर्‍यो .
नेपाल सम्बतको ठाउमा इस्वी साम्बत नै राखेको भए बरु सम्सार सङै मिल्दथियो .

यो केही हैन , राजा बिक्रमआदित्यले सम्बत्को सुरुआत गरेको र राजाको नाम जोडीएको काम कुरा हरु सबै निर्मुल गर्नु परने माओवादी को पहिलो मुद्द हो .

केही छै न , यिनी हरु गए पछी , अर्को आउछ अनी बिक्रम सम्बत् नै चलन चल्ती मा आउछ र रही रह्न्छ .

RMNY
       No offense at all, but why do you insist on using Nepal Smabat instead of  Bikram Sambat, though it was started and popularized from Nepal, it only represents a small group of rich people in nepal.

As CEO stated, Newars outside the valley dont' even care, what newars in KTM do and want, heck they don't even speak the newari language except narayangadh and hetauda, I think it is time to focus in Nepal as a whole instead of appeasing a few in the Valley, who think they are better than everybody and who think they represnt Nepal as a whole. Have you realized how many kinds of people live in nepal??

Nepal Sambat should be valued, cause it was started in Nepa, as in Nepal Valley which became the Name of the whole Nepal. I still remember my grandparents and great grandparents saying, going to Nepal instead of saying going to Kathmandu.

The rich Newari culutre and Heritage has a lot of significance in our Nepali History, but it has to stop somewhere, we don't wan to be coaxed into it.

I guess Rich people always decide what is best for everyone right??? maybe it's time the manipulation stopped and time to start thinking for the overall good of the Whole Nepal and not only The Valley Nepal...

my 2 cents..