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"THF MAITRAKA PERIOD
51
since no Hindu year begins in Mārgasira or Paușa, it is quite probable that like the Valabhī year used in Gujarat during this period and the Vikrama year later adopted in Gujarat, the Kalacuri year also commenced on the 1st lunar day of the bright fortnight of Kārttika. This means that the years of this era were most probably Kārttikādi.
(iii) Among the three dates there is only one which fell in the dark fortnight. But it clearly indicates that the month was Amanta. Presumably all the Kalacuri dates in South Gujarat followed the system of Amānta months.
As the epoch for these dates is 248-49 A.C., the first day of the first current year of this era which fell on the 1st lunar day of the bright fortnight of Amānta Kārttika corresponds to the 25th Sept., 249 A.C.42. Therefore, to convert an expired Kalacuri year into the corresponding year of the Christian era, we have to add 249 when the date falls between Kārttika su. di.
1 and 31st December and 250, when the date falls between 1st January and Amānta Phālguna, ba. di. 15.
The Kalacuri era remained current in South Gujarat for about three centuries, the latest known date of that era being year 490 occurring in the Navsari plates of Avanijanāśraya Pulakesin. When the power of the early Cālukyas passed to the Rāșțrakūtas, the Kalacuri era was here given up for ever and replaced by the Saka era. The Kalacuri era got extinct also from Khandesh and Maharashtra by this time. Later on it got current 42. CII, Vol. IV, p. xjji.
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