Chronological Systems of Gujarat

Author(s): Bharati K Shelat
Publisher: Pranav Shelat

Page 58

1
THE MAITRAKA PERIOD
from 500 to 945. The earliest known use of “Valabhī Era' appears in year 500, i.e. shortly after the fall of the Maitraka kingdom, which is dated Vikrama Samvat 845, i.e. Valabhī Sam. 470. However, it is difficult to decide whether the era was actually known as the Valabhī era during the Maitraka period, but it is quite probable that the name of the era was so well-known that it could be left understood.
The epoch of the Valabhi era falls 241 years later than that of the Saka era (i.e. in 319 A.C.) according to Alberuni's statement, which is also corroborated by the date given in four eras in the Verawal inscription of Arjunadeva. The known records of the Maitraka kings, which are dated from year 183 to 447, may accordingly, be assigned to about 502 to 766 A.C.
As regards the scheme of the Valabhī Era, the dates in the Maitraka inscriptions do not include the week-day which would have been a very important factor for determining the exact scheme of the Valabhī era. A few dates afford the clue through two other factors, viz, eclipse and intercalation. The dates which provide these factors are as under :
(1) The Bantia copper edict of Dharasena Ilo records a solar elipse (Sūryoparāga) in the Vaišākha of (Valabhī) Sam. 254. So there must have been a solar eclipse in the Vaišākha of 573 A.C. or thereabout. According to Pillai's Tables 10 there is no solar eclipse in the (Amānta) Vaišākha of 572, 573 or 574 A.C. The year 573 A.C., 9. MG, Appandix I, No. 29. The year was read 257 by the editor
and was corrected into 254 by K. N. Dixit. 10. Pillai, Indian Chronology, p. 52