Mahabharata is a great epic poetic story from India (India is hence forth referred to as Bharata) in Sanskrit, considered by many to be a folklore type historical document. This epic details politics of an old era covering many generations, with a climax in a major battle that occurred in Northern part of the Bharata. Whether it is considered as historical fact or fiction, Mahabharata story and its moral ethos have had profound influence on millions of Bharateeya’s for many generations. The battle is said to have occurred before the transition of eons (rough translation of yuga) from Dwapara yuga eon to kali yuga eon.

Aryabhata, a famous early astronomer from Bharata with contributions to science made estimates of Kaliyuga start nearly 1500 years ago. His estimate of p, and the time of moon revolution around the earth are so accurate, that his works are being extensively researched. There is also evidence to suggest he used zero in his work. Aryabhata (476-550 AD) stated that Kaliyuga started 3600 years ago, when he was 23 years old (in year 499 AD), making the start as 3102 BC [Aryabhateeya ref-1].).

Surya Siddhanta [Ref 2], a document evolved from roughly same period, states that sun was 54 degrees away from vernal equinox when Kaliyuga started on a new moon day, corresponding to February 17/18, 3102 BCJ, at Ujjain (75deg47minE 23deg 15 min N).

Varaha Mihira (circa 560 AD), another famous astronomer, stated that 2526 years before start of saka count (either Shalivahana saka starting in 79 AD or Vikrama saka starting in 57 BC) [Brihat Samhita Ref-3] as per text below.

When saptarishis (ursa major) were near Magha Yudhistira was king 2526 years before saka time.

Presently, traditional sanatana dharma followers consider that Kaliyuga started at 3102 BC (based on Aryabhata’s/ Surya Siddhanta data base), and that Mahabharata battle occurred a few decades before that. Millennium year 2000 AD is Kali 5102.Like Homer’s Iliad, another epic poetry from Greece, different scholars have expressed opinions varying between the story of Mahabharata being either total fiction or true record of historical facts. It took efforts by Schliemann, and others to show physical archeological evidence of existence of Troy in present day Turkey, and Homer’s poems having historical relevance.

Bharata has been continuously and relatively densely lived in for thousands of years and in Northern Bharata the archeological evidence is difficult to come by because of many 100’s of generations of people living in same area. Hence, it is usual to look for Puranic and vedic (written and oral recitation) evidence to substantiate the time periods. As is true of all such documents like bible stories, Scandinavian, Chinese, Japanese, Egyptian and other documented local folklore, the historical truths are likely to be anywhere between absolute truth to vivid imagination. An objective analysis can help in determining the likelihood of folklore being a historical fact or not.