Malayalam calendar

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Mampalli copper plate (10th century CE), the earliest record to mention the Kollam Era

The Malayalam Calendar, or the Kollam Era (Malayalam: കൊല്ലവർഷം, romanized: Kollavaṟṣaṁ), is a sidereal solar calendar used in Kerala. The origin of the calendar has been dated to 825 CE, commemorating the establishment of Kollam.[1][2][3]

There are many theories regarding the origin of the era, but according to recent scholarship, it commemorated the foundation of Kollam by Maruwan Sapir Iso, who was the leader of Persian Christian Settlers and trading guilds like Anjuvannam following the liberation of the Kingdom of Venad from the Chola rule by or with the assistance of the Chera emperor at Kodungallur.[4][5] The Quilon Syrian copper plates were grants and privileges given to the trading guilds involved in the establishment of Kollam by Sthanu Ravi Varma.[6]

Kollam was the capital of Venadu and an important port town of the Chera Kingdom in that period. Kollam Aandu was adapted in the entire Chera Kingdom (the contemporary states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala), the majority of which is now in Kerala. In Malayalam-speaking Kerala, it is now called the Malayalam Era or 'Kollavarsham’ (Kollam Thontri Aandu). The earliest available record mentioning the Kollam Era is a royal decree by Sri Vallavan Goda, the King of Venadu, dated to c. 973 CE (Kollam Era 149). In the inscription, the phrase "Kollam Thontri Aandu" is employed.[7] Another era, referred to as "Kollam Aḻintha Aandu", counting from 1097 CE, was reckoned by the Cholas for some time. It is tentatively calculated that the Chola overlords captured the port of Kollam in 1097 CE.[7]

  1. ^ "Kollam Era" (PDF). Indian Journal History of Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  2. ^ Broughton Richmond (1956), Time measurement and calendar construction, p. 218
  3. ^ R. Leela Devi (1986). History of Kerala. Vidyarthi Mithram Press & Book Depot. p. 408.
  4. ^ Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 89.
  5. ^ Land, 'Brief History of the Syrians of Malabar'. Anedocta Syriaca, I, pp. 27.
  6. ^ Sthanu Ravi Varma Cereti, C. G. (2009). "The Pahlavi Signatures on the Quilon Copper Plates". In Sundermann, W.; Hintze, A.; de Blois, F. (eds.). Exegisti Monumenta: Festschrift in Honour of Nicholas Sims-Williams. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. ISBN 978-3-447-05937-4.
  7. ^ a b Narayanan, M. G. S. (2013). Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks. pp. 74–76, 143.