The New Year Baisakh First” which is held in the chaitra bright moon fortnight (April), is called as the change of Bikram Sambat also. This is the very lovely day for all the Nepalese and the Government secretariats also get the New Year holiday on this day. There is an interesting legend regarding to this occasion.

The Iron Age is on this earth on its 5000yrs old at present. After 3000 yrs inception of the Iron Age a king named Vikramsamditya was reiging on this earth. The Historians have speculated that this king’s domain must be some where in India. According to the Hostrical legend he was the king from the sun dynasty power’s stick named Bajrathinga. The stick could do anything, which the king would command. It was his a very loyal servant. King Vickramaditya was the last king who performed “Ashowmegha” (supreme kings’ title winning procedure in the olden days by fighting with a man who could catch an unleashed horse) on this earth. Once he organized an “Ashowmegha” by inviting all the kings and Gods from heaven and earth. All the kings and gods amassed there but the Lunar God (chandradev) did not come there. So king Vickramaditya became very unhappy. Because of his unhappiness he thought of going to call on Lunar God. So he ordered his stick Bajrathinga to deliver him in the Lunar God’s state. He was taken there by the stick’s help. Lunar god became very happy to find him there and did him a very heartly welcome. Vickramaditya asked him the cause of his absence in his “ Ashomegha”. Lunar god said that he had been cursed of death penalty by the Iron Age if he attends any ceremonies holding in the earth. Lunar god became very happy and wished Vickramaditya to give him a nectar of having 100,000yrs’ life and it was given to him. He came back along with that nectar. But the king of paradise Indra became very much frightened when he noticed that Vickramaditya has received such a nectar from the lunar god. Because after having such a long life Vickramaditya could defeate him and figure of a Mendicant and went to beg that nectar from the king. Vickramaditya was on his way back to the palace. On the way he met a Mendicant coming towards him to beg the alms. He did not have anything except that nectar with him so he gave it to the Mendicant to as his original state of Paradise unless giving the nectar to some one else. Suddenly lord Gorkhnath appeared there in front of him and he gave the item to Gorkhnath.

After Vickramditya’s 13^th generation past a king named Bhartrihari became the king of that state in his 14^th dynasty. He became very much stoical because of not getting any sons froom his wives to continue his regime. Finally with a hard earned effort his youngest wife gave birth to a son. But the son died immediately after his birth. So Bhartrihari king become very much heart stricken and anguish. Finally lord Gorakhnath came there to console him. Gorkhnath loved him and thought of giving the nectar. In the beginning Bhartrihari became very happy to find the Nectar. But later he thought of getting a very troublesome life if lived long. So he decided to offer this nectar to his most beloved youngest wife. The youngest wife also thought of giving it with love to their charioteer. The charioteer also thought of giving it to a prostitute woman. The woman also thought after imbibing the nectar Bhartrihari will get 100,000 years long life to reign in his state. Finally the nectar arrived on the king Bhartrihari’s own hand self. King Bhartrihari became very unhappy when he again got that nectar from different peoples hand to hand. In the beginning he thought of giving it to his most beloved wife but she also gave it to some one and some on also gave it to some one. In the way it rearrived on his own hand. There was no one to accept it so he became very much grieved and thought of drinking that nectar by himself. He thought of becoming a sage instead of a king’s life. Lastly he drank the nectar and got a Holy and become able to get anything that which he had wished for.

This synopsis is taken from the book “ Bairagya Satak” written by Bhartrihari.

Since the death of the king Vickramaditya the Vickram sambat was brought is to effect by then citizens of that nation. Vickramaditya had his nine veteran highly learned men in his state. They are:

1. Dhanawantarty; who wrote Ayurvedic books
2. chhaparnaka
3. Amar Sing; who wrote Amar kosh
4. Sunku
5. Reshal Bhatta
6. Dharphakaru
7. Kalidas: who wrote Raghubamsa; Kumar sambhav; Ritu Samhar etc.
8. Jaramihiriha
9. Warna Ruchi.

Besides this Sambat( year) there are other two sub Sambats(years) in Nepal. They are Sak Sambat and Sankhadhar Sambat. Saks Sambat is in around 1900 years now and it starts from the month of chaitra (end of March). Sankhadhar Sambat is in around its-1100 years running at present and it starts in the month of Kartik(Nov) sak sambat was brought in to effect by a king named Salbahan who was from lord Buddha’s Dynasty. The Astrologers of Nepal and India use this same sambat because in the olden days this sambat was used in the then established Vedashalas (Sanskrit School) of Allahabadh in India.

The “ sankahadhar sambat” was started in the name of a renowned merchant called sankhadhar. A long time back he was the richest merchant in kathmandu. He paid back all the loans of the people, which they had borrowed, from their landlord. In this way very were all set free from their apathetic burden of loan. Since that time he incepted the “sankhadhar sambat” in his name. Which is also called the Nepal and this sambat is highly observed by the Newari people in Nepal as a their New Year; and it falls on the first day of the kartick bright fortnight (Nov). These are the excerpts received from the mythical anecdotes.

People celebrate this New Year by eating delicious delicacies; and observing organized cultural shows and exchange greetings among each other.

Five days long “New year Fair” takes place at Tokha in Kathmandu which is located in the northern side of the kathmandu. There’s a public faith that if some one eats sweet meals and visit to worship in the temples on this day he will receive the good luck throughout the year. Also people visit and worship at the temples to ask for good luck from the god and goddesses throughout the annum.

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