KATHMANDU: Nepal Sambat 1146 begins today. This era is celebrated as the New Year by the Newar community.

The beginning of the Nepal Sambat has been historically confirmed to have originated from a man named Shankhadhar Sakhwa. However, there is no single consensus on the exact reason behind its inception.

Most believe that national luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa freed the poor people of their debts and initiated the Nepal Sambat in 880 (according to the Gregorian calendar).

According to Tri Ratna Manandhar, former Vice-Chancellor of Lumbini Buddhist University, the Nepal Sambat retained its status as the national calendar up to the reign of King Prithvi Narayan Shah.