Vikram Samvat (ISO: Vikrama Saṁvata; abbreviated VS; Hindi: विक्रम संवत), also known as the Vikrami or Bikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used across the Indian subcontinent. It continues to be used in several Indian states as well as in Nepal.
The system is a lunisolar calendar, comprising twelve lunar months along with an intercalary month inserted to align with each sidereal year. Its epoch corresponds to the full moon or new moon of March or April (varying by regional tradition) in 57 BCE. As a result, the Vikram Samvat year count is generally 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, narrowing to 56 years ahead during the period from January to March or April.
Vikram Samvat is an official calendar of Nepal, where the year begins with the month of Vaishakha and concludes with Chaitra. In Nepal, the solar version of Vikram Samvat functions as a civil calendar for general everyday use. In India, by contrast, the calendar is primarily used for religious purposes, with the year beginning in Chaitra.