According to Hindu mythology, the universe is cyclically created and destroyed. The life span of Brahma, the creator, is 120 divine years (Mahakalpamu). Everyday Brahma creates 14 Manus one after the other, who in turn create and regulate the world. Thus, there are fourteen generations of Manu in one day (Kalpamu) of Brahma. Each Manu’s life (Manvantaramu) consists of 71 quartets of eras. Each quartet is composed of four eras: Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. The span of Krita era is 1,728,000 human years, Treta era is 1,296,000 human years, Dvapara era is 864,000 human years and Kali era is 432,000 human years. When Manu perishes at the end of his life, Brahma creates the next Manu and the cycle continues until all fourteen Manus and the Universe perish by the end of the day. When the night falls, Brahma goes to sleep for a period of time equal to fourteen lives of Manus. The next morning, he begins the creation with first Manu again. The cycle goes on for 120 divine years at the end of which Brahma himself perishes and is regenerated.

The present period is Kali era of the seventh Manu’s life. This Kali era began 5,101 years ago (3101 BC) at the end of Dvapara era that was marked by the death of lord Krishna, the mortal incarnation of the eternal Lord Vishnu and the birth of Kali, the lord of this era. The beginning of the new era or Yugamu is known as Yugadi or Ugadi, and is celebrated every year on the first day (Paadyami) of the month of the first month (Chaitramu) of 12 month cycle.

The Ugadi of 1999 begins the year 1921 of the Salivahana era (5101 Kali Era, 1999 AD). The end of the Kali Era is 426,899 years from this year in the beginning of the new Krita era of the 8th Manu's life. But, that

The four Yugas (Ages) of Hinduism

1. Satya yuga (Kruta yuga):- 17,28,000 Human years (already past)
2. Treta yuga:- 12,96,000 Human years (already past)
3. Dwapar yuga:- 8,64,000 Human years (already past)
4. Kali yuga:- 4,32,000 Human years (5,106 years have passed; 4,26,894 years remain). Kaliyuga started in 3,102 B.C.; CE 2005 corrosponds to Kaliyuga year 5,107

Six Shaka-karte kings of Kaliyuga

The age named Kaliyuga or the "Black Age" is now running. The age is to last 4,32,000 human years in all; of this number, 5,106 years have already passed (as of 2005 CE), and 4,26,894 years are yet to pass before the age ends.

It is prophesied in legend that six kings in Kaliyuga will create new eras (Shaka's) which willbe named after them. Hence, these kings may be called the "Shake-karta" or "era-creator" kings. These six kings are:

1. Yudhishthira (Dharmaraja):- Ruled in Indraprastha and started his own calendar dating in the year 3,102 B.C (Before Jesus Christ or Christian or current Roman calendar dating). He was the elder brother of Pandavas of the great Indian war of Mahabharata. His dating continued for 3,044 years until king Vikrama, the second Shakkarta king broke it and started his own dating or the new Shaka .
2. King Vikrama:- Ruled in Ujjaini city (Present day Ujjain city in Madhya Pradesh state of India) in the year 57 B.C. He started his own calendar dating by breaking the old Yudhishthira Shaka. But his dating was continued only for 135 years as the third Shakakarta king King Shalivahan at Paithan city in Maharashtra state near by Aurangabad city came in power and broke the running Vikrama Shaka . Allthough in north India still the Vikrama Shaka is running, it is
   
   
   
   said that some kind of understanding or truce was fixed up between these two grate kings to continue both the calendar in their respective areas or nations .
3. King Shalivahana:- Ruled in the old city Paithan of Maharashtra state in the year 78 A.D. , that is after 78 years later Jesus Christ or the Christian dating started. The Maratha caste has a clan after this grate king. This king is mentioned in old Christian books as it is written that King Shalivahan had meet the founder of Christian religion, The Jesus Christ himself on a tripe to grate Himalaya mountains. His Shaka will continue for 18,000 years that is for Eighteen thousand years. That comes to in the year 18,078 this Shalivahan Shaka will be broken , discontinued by the next coming Shakakarta king and his name is King Vijayabhinandan, who will happened on the banks of the river of Vaitarna in Thane district of near Bombay city or Mumbai city of Maharashtra state . Need not to say that this grate king Shalivahan was from Maratha cast. Any rational person can come to this conclusion. Historical evidence had it that the Satvahan alias Shalivahan ruled at Paithan city of Maharashtra in the time 30 B.C. TO 230 A.D.
4. King Vijayabhinandan (coming):- This great king will happen on the banks of river Vaitarna probabely in Thane district of Maharashtra state. This place is near the Bombay alias Mumbai city. And the river Vaitarna folws in Thane district of Maharashtra state. He will break the King Shalivahan Shaka and start his own Shaka or the calendar dating. This is a kind or prophecy of Hindu religion. This king Vijayabhinandan will happen in year 18,078 A.D or after Jesus Christ. His Shaka will run, continue for 10,000 years. That does mean that in the year 28,078 A.D after Jesus Christ his Shaka or dating will be broken, discontinued by the next Shakakarta king Nagarjuna who will happen in the Bangal state of India. As this king Vijayabhinandan is to happen in the region of Maharshtra it is certain that he will be from Maratha cast.
5. King Nagarjuna (coming):- He will be the fifth grate Shkakarta king of Kaliyuga. He will happen, appear in Bangal state of India in the year 28078 A.D. He will terminate the shaka or calendar of Vijayabhinandan and start his own calendar or shaka and that will continue for 4,00,000 years afterward. This Nagarjuna has the most long running calendar in Kaliyuga Shaka dating.
6. King Kalki (coming):- He is the last and final shakakarta king of the Kaliyuga. As Hindu religion has predicted that there are ten Avatar of lord Vishnu, this king Kalki is the tenth and final avatar of that series. He is the final avatara who will end the present Kaliyuga and again start the cycle if yuga that is the Satya yuga will be started after this grand termination. Hindu religion has prediction that he will come on a white horse. This Kalki avatar will happen, appear in the region of Kolhapur of Maharashtra state in India. He will end the then running shaka of Nagarjuna and start his own shaka or dating or calendar in the year 4,28,078 A.D. His calendar or shaka will run for 821 years. Then perhaps the final day of judgement will come mentioned in christain religion. As This king is to happen in the state of Maharashtra it is obviously certain that he will be from Maratha cast.

Some calendars in use in India

Several traditional calenders are in use in India today. Six of them are listed below, with information on how they corrospond to the Gregorian christian calender:

1. Shalivahan shaka calendar (used in South India and Maharashtra):- Year 1927
2. Vikram Samvat calendar (used in northern and eastern India):- year 2061-62
3. Shiv shaka or King Shivaji’s calendar dating:- 331-32
4. Mahaveer calendar Samvat (Jain religion calendar):- year 2531-32
5. Kaliyuga calendar dating:- year 5107
6. Hijaree (The Islam religion calendar dating):- year 1426-27
7. Parshi or Parsi calendar dating (Zorashtrian religion calendar):- Year 1374-75

See also

• Vedic timekeeping