Thread by @jainatva_

Every Jain need to know this,

Why do Jains celebrate next day of Deepavali as a starting of New Year ?

Read the thread.

This tradition goes back to the times of Shree Aadinath. As per existing evidences, this tradition first started in Jains. We Jains, named the Samvatsara since the Nirvana of Shree Aadinath.

As on this day of Shree Aadinath attaining Nirvana, his Samavasarana (the three-layered Dev-made building where all Tirthankars give sermons) was dissolved. The next day is called Samvatsara or starting of an Era of the spiritual kingdom of him after he attained Nirvana.

We Jains, continued the same tradition of naming Samvatsara after Nirvana of each Tirthankar. Mahavir Swami attained Nirvana on the Aso Vad 15th or Amavasya, which is also known as Deepavali.

The immediate next day would be Samvatsara of Mahavir Swami. This method is the oldest process of counting of years or era in existence.

Samvatsara eventually became Samvat in local language slangs.
Currently, we have two Samvat counts.
One is Vir Samvat, Samvatsara started after Mahavira attained Nirvana and other is Vikram Samvat, started after the death of King Vikramaditya.

The Vir Samvat running is 2548 and Vikram Samvat running is 2078. Both these Samvat start from the next day of Deepavali.

NOTE: Vikram Samvat started somewhere 9th Century BC. The Gregorian calendar started with the Death of Jesus. AD is After Death of Jesus and BC is Before Christ. So, 2019 AD mean it has been 2019 years since Jesus died.

#Jainism the oldest religion of earth.