How the Bikram Sambat calendar works

Bikram Sambat (BS) is the official civil calendar of Nepal — the dates you see on newspapers, official documents (दस्तावेज) and government notices. It is a solar calendar whose new year starts in mid-April, meaning the year number sits roughly 56.7 years ahead of the mapping Gregorian year: in 2026 AD, Nepal is already in year 2083 BS. The year is counted from the coronation of the legendary emperor Vikramaditya, the ruler after whom the calendar is named.

Unlike the lunar Hindu calendars used elsewhere in Asia, Bikram Sambat tracks the Sun's position rather than the Moon's. That is why Nepali month markers (मिति) align closely with the seasons and the Gregorian calendar — Baisakh always falls around April–May, and winter months like Magh always bring the cold season. Nepal's civil calendar is fixed and predictable, which makes it practical for planning everything from school terms to payment dates.

The year runs through the twelve months of Baisakh (बैशाख), Jestha (जेठ), Ashadh (अषाढ), Shrawan (श्रावण), Bhadra (भाद्र), Ashwin (आश्विन), Kartik (कार्तिक), Mangsir (मंसिर), Poush (पौष), Magh (माघ), Falgun (फागुन) and Chaitra (चैत्र). The first six months cover rainy season to autumn; the last six cover winter into spring. The new year (नयाँ वर्ष) falls on Baisakh १, typically 13 or 14 April on the Gregorian calendar.

Month lengths are not fixed — they range from about 29 to 32 days and vary from year to year, so the twelve months always add up to a full solar year of 365 or 366 days. Because each BS month is pinned to the same part of the year, a BS month and its Gregorian month line up closely: Baisakh always overlaps April–May, and so on. That anchoring is why converting a BS date to AD lands within a day or two of the correct date.

On this site, every date on the calendar shows both the BS date and its English (AD) equivalent. The most practical rule to remember: Baisakh 1, 2083 BS converts to April 14, 2026 AD. Subtract roughly 56.5 years from any BS year — and you will land within a day or two of the correct Gregorian date.