TheOdia calendar (Odia:ପାଞ୍ଜି Pāñji) is asolar calendar used by theOdia people from theOdisha region of theIndian subcontinent. The calendar follows thesidereal solar cycle while using the lunar Purnimanta phase for the religious dates.^[1] TheNew Year in the Odia calendar is known asMaha Bishuba Sankranti orPana Sankranti. It occurs on the first day of the traditional solar month ofMeṣa (Georgian: Aries), hence equivalent lunar monthBaisakha (odia: ବୈଶାଖ). The Odia calendar follows the Utkaliya era, which began on Bhādra śukla dvādaśī from 592 CE.^[2]

As per the sidereal solar cycle followed by the Odia Panjika, the first day of the year or New Year falls on Mesa Sankranti (Sun-crossing into Sidereal Aries) in Mid-April. TheOdia New Year festival is known asPana Sankranti (Odia:ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି) orMaha Bishuba Sankranti (Odia:ମହା ବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି).^[3]

TheUtkaliya era (Odia:ଉତ୍କଳୀୟ Utkaḷiya) for the Odia calendar began on 592 CE on Bhādra sukḷa dvādasi (the 12th day of the full moon fortnight of the Bhādra month). Bhādra sukla dvādasi is considered to be the birthday of the legendary kingIndradyumna who set up the icon of LordJagannath (Neela Madhava) atPuri.^[4][5] The epoch seems to correspond to the reign of the legendary early Somavamshis (Kesaris) as per the chronicleMadala Panji, thus implying the era was instituted by King Yayati I of theSomavamshi dynasty.^[6]

Thus the Era calendar new year falls on the 12th day of the full moon fortnight or the waxing moon lunar phase of the Bhādra month in September. This day is termed as theOdia financial New Year and is known as the festival ofSunia (Odia:ସୁନିଆଁ suniā̃) which denotes the start of the beginning of the new financial calendar year for the collection of revenue, publishing of almanacs and the palm-leaf horoscopes carrying the reigning year of the Gajapati King. Post-1947, it has been reduced as a ceremonial day and is mostly used in the Panji calendars to denote the change of Odia calendar year for records and horoscopes.^[7][8][9]

TheAnka year (Odia:ଅଙ୍କAṅka) system is a uniqueregnal year system instituted by theEastern Ganga kings for dating their reigns. It had a number of features that mark the regnal year different from that actual duration of the year elapsed during the reign. The system still survives today and is used in the Odia panjis to mark the titular regnal year of the King of Puri, Gajapati MaharajaDibyasingha Deb of thePuri Estate, whose title carries the legacy of historical ruling monarchs of Odisha.^[10][11]

Features:

• The Anka system always starts on the Odia financial new year called Sunia which falls on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of the month Bhadra (August–September) known as Bhādra Sukḷa Dwādasi. If the king accedes the throne for a few days before this date, then the first year of his reign would then just be a few days long.
• Coins were minted on the date of the new year, and hence the first coins were given the Anka year 2, the number 1 was not used.
• All years ending in 6 were skipped. As in the Anka year 5 was followed by Anka year 7, Anka year 15 was followed by Anka year 17 and so on.
• All years ending in 0 were also skipped, except for the Anka year 10.

Hence no Anka years exist for 1, 6, 16, 20, 26, 30, 36, 40, 46, 50, 56, and so on.

Madala Panji (Odia: ମାଦଳ ପାଞ୍ଜି) is a chronicle of theJagannath Temple, Puri in Odisha. It describes the historical events of Odisha related toJagannath and the Jagannath Temple. The Madala Panji dates from the 12th century and was traditionally written on a year-to-year basis onVijayadashami Day by theKaranas community. The tradition of keeping this chronicle began withEastern Ganga kingAnantavarman Chodaganga (1077–1150).

The modern Odia calendar begins with the scientific reforms initiated by the astronomerPathani Samanta. His findings which included astronomical observations with the help of traditional instruments were recorded in his treatiseSiddhanta Darpana written on palm-leaf manuscript in 1869 and eventually published in 1899. These observations were instrumental in the preparation of almanacs in Odisha especially by the astrologers of the Jagannath temple at Puri.^[12] The prominent Panjis of this tradition include:

• Khadiratna Panjika
• Samanta Panjika
• Biraja Panjika

Other notable Odia Panji calendars include Kohinoor Panji, Biraja Panji(Nanda), Radharaman Panji(based on Puri tradition Panjis), Bhagyadeepa Panji, Bhagyajyoti Panji, Bhagyachakra Panji.^[13]

Odia (Lunar) ମାସ māsa	Days	Odia (Solar) ରାଶି rāsi	Zodiac	Sign	Gregorian
ବୈଶାଖ Baiśākha	31	ମେଷ Mesa	Aries		April–May
ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ Jyeṣṭha	31	ବୃଷ Brusa	Taurus		May–June
ଆଷାଢ଼ Āṣāḍha	32	ମିଥୁନ Mithuna	Gemini		June–July
ଶ୍ରାବଣ Śrābaṇa	31	କର୍କଟ Karkaṭa	Cancer		July–August
ଭାଦ୍ରବ/ଭାଦ୍ର Bhādraba/Bhādra	31	ସିଂହ Singha	Leo		August–September
ଆଶ୍ୱିନ Āświna	31	କନ୍ୟା Kanyā	Virgo		September–October
କାର୍ତ୍ତିକ Kārttika	30	ତୁଳା Tuḷā	Libra		October–November
ମାର୍ଗଶିର Mārgaśira	29	ବିଛା Bichā	Scorpio		November–December
ପୌଷ Pauṣa	29	ଧନୁ Dhanu	Sagittarius		December–January
ମାଘ Māgha	30	ମକର Makara	Capricorn		January–February
ଫାଲ୍‌ଗୁନ/ଫଗୁଣ Phālguna/Phaguṇa	30	କୁମ୍ଭ Kumbha	Aquarius		February–March
ଚୈତ୍ର Chaitra	30	ମୀନ Mina	Pisces		March–April

The Odia calendar incorporates the seven-dayweek.

Odia and other Indian festivals observed as per Odia calendar:

• Calendars and their History (by L.E. Doggett)
• Indian Calendars (by Leow Choon Lian, pdf, 1.22mb)

• Calendar eras
• Hindu calendar
• Solar calendars
• Lunisolar calendars
• Time in India
• Culture of Odisha

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Odia-language text