Nepal Sambat

According to local legends, a citizen of Kathmandu named Sankhadhar Sakhwa paid off the debts of all the people in Nepal. To commemorate the event, a new era was established known as Nepal Sambat. Newar community from all over the country marks the New Year with different festivies and cultural programs.

The Nepal Sambat follows the lunar calendar. It consists of 354 days per year and an added one month every third year. This calendar came into being and into official use during the reign of king Raghabdev, immediately after the completion on of Mandev Sambat 304 (881 AD).

Nepal Sambat is an unique calendar in the whole world as all other calendars are named after some rulers or religious leaders where as Nepal Sambat is the only calendar which is named after a country. Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah brought Shaka Sambat into official use after conquering Kathmandu in 1769 AD.