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SOLANKI PERIOD
As the name of Kumarapala is associated with this era, it cannot be identified with the Simha era, which seems to have been started by Jayasimha, since the Simha era commenced in V.S. 1170, whereas Kumārapāla acceded to the throne in V.S. 1199. Nor is it possible that the era was originally the Siddha-Hema era and that the name of Kumārapāla was supplemented to it at a later stage, since the date given in year 4 of this era is expressly ascribed to 'Siddha-Hema-Kumāra Samvat'. It is obvious that the name of Kumārapāla could not have been associated with the era before V.S. 1199 and that the era could, therefore, not have commenced before V.S 1196, because no epoch-making event is known to have taken place during the last four years of the reign of Jayasimhadeva51.
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Similarly the era must have commenced not later than V.S. 1229, the year of the demise of Acārya Hemacandra who makes a reference to this era in his commentary. Thus the commencements of the SiddhaHema-Kumāra Samvat falls between V.S. 1199 and 1229 i.e. almost during the reign of King Kumārapāla who died shortly after Hemacandra in V.S. 1229.
In view of the central position of Hema in the name of the era, it may appear that the era probably commemorated Acarya Hemacandra who served as a connecting link between Siddharāja and Kumārapāla. But no outstanding event connected with the life of Hemacandra is dated between V.S. 1199 and 1229.
51. Even the attainment of the status of Suri or Acarya by Hemacandra dates as early as V. S. 1166.
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