Bhādra sukla dvādasi is considered to be the birthday of the legendary king Indradyumna who set up the icon of Lord Jagannath (Neela Madhava) at Puri.
The system still survives today and is used in the Odia panjis to mark the titular regnal year of the King of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb of the Puri Estate, whose title carries the legacy of historical ruling monarchs of Odisha.
The Madala Panji dates from the 12th century and was traditionally written on a year-to-year basis on Vijayadashami Day by the Karanas community.
The modern Odia calendar begins with the scientific reforms initiated by the astronomer Pathani Samanta.
His findings which included astronomical observations with the help of traditional instruments were recorded in his treatise Siddhanta Darpana written on palm-leaf manuscript in 1869 and eventually published in 1899.