Nepal Sambat

What is Nepal Sambat?

Nepal Sambat (नेपाल सम्बत) is a lunar calendar initiated by Sankhadhar Sakhwa to commemorate the repayment of all debts of the Nepalese people. It stands as a unique achievement in the history of world calendars — it is the only calendar in the world named after a country, rather than after a ruler or a religious figure.

This calendar came into being and into official use during the reign of King Raghabdev, immediately after the completion of Mandev Sambat 302 in 879 AD. It was in continuous official use in Nepal for 890 years, from 879 to 1769 AD, before Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah discontinued its use after conquering Kathmandu.

The Government of Nepal recognised Nepal Sambat as the national calendar in 2007 AD, restoring its official status after more than two centuries. Most major Nepalese national newspapers now publish this calendar together with the Gregorian calendar and Bikram Sambat.

Calendar Structure

Nepal Samvat is a variant of the Saka Sambat — a Hindu calendar — with the main difference being that Nepal Sambat lags Saka Sambat by approximately 802 years. It consists of 354-378 days per year, based on 12-13 months of the fact that a lunar month has 29 or 30 days depending on the movement of the moon.

To compensate for the difference with the solar year, an intercalary month (Adhik Mas) is added every third year. Once in 3 years there are 13 months in this calendar — the extra month is called Analaa.

Months of the Year

The twelve months of Nepal Sambat correspond roughly to the following Gregorian months:

History at a Glance

Nepal Sambat was the national calendar of Nepal during the Malla and early Shah era. It was later replaced by Bikram Sambat as the national calendar. However, the calendar remained in continuous cultural use because most Nepalese festivals are celebrated according to Nepal Sambat.

The Nepal Sambat movement achieved a landmark victory when the government declared its founding father, Sankhadhar Sakhwa, a national hero on 18 November 1999. In 2003, the Department of Postal Services issued a commemorative postage stamp bearing his portrait.

In 2007, Nepal officially reinstated Nepal Sambat as the national calendar alongside Bikram Sambat — a recognition of over a millennium of cultural heritage.