Gaurabda

Gaurabda (Sanskrit: गौराब्द) is a lunisolar calendar era dating from the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 CE), a prominent figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. It is used by followers of this tradition to record years, with the year 1 Gaurabda corresponding to the year of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's birth. The era's name is derived from "Gaura," a name for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and "abda," which means "year." Thus, Gaurabda literally translates to "the year of Gaura."

The Gaurabda calendar follows a lunisolar system, meaning its months are based on the lunar cycle and years are synchronized with the solar cycle through the addition of extra months, known as Adhika Masa, to keep the calendar aligned with the seasons. The specific calculation of these intercalary months can vary according to different Gaudiya Vaishnava institutions and pandits.

The determination of the New Year in the Gaurabda calendar usually coincides with Gaura Purnima, the festival celebrating the appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which typically falls in February or March according to the Gregorian calendar. Dates of festivals and other important events within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition are often determined using the Gaurabda calendar.