Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasing Dev, declare d the new year ( Odia ) as 52 anka 1419.
The second day of the bright fortnight of the month of “Bhadra” is celebrated as “Sunia” which symbolizes the beginning of a New Year as per the “Odiya” tradition. Some opine that since this is the birthday of the mythical king “Indradyumna” all the kings celebrate this day as the day of reckoning the New Year and for beginning the collection of revenue. It is reiterated here that all the almanacs published from Odisha and the palm-leaf horoscopes of the newborns carry the name and the reigning year of Gajapati Maharaja. Gold coins issued by the Gajapati rulers on the Sunia day, the coins depicting the regional years of the king. The Sunia ceremony ended with royal procession of hoarding of such gold coins in the royal treasury.
Photo: Ranjan Kumar Ganguly, Puri
