Indian New Year's days
 |
This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2011) |
Owing to the vast cultural and ethnic diversity of India, New Year's Day is celebrated at different times of the year at different places. Generally the Lunar ujcalendar (Hindu calendar is also based on the movement of the Moon) and has been the base of calculations from ancient times. Most of these celebrations are based on the months in the Lunar Hindu Calendar. This article is about the various New Year's days celebrated in India.
Contents |
[edit] Bihu
Rongali Bihu (Also known as Bohag Bihu) is celebrated in mid-March. 15 March, that is Maanuh Bihu, marks the first day of Hindu Solar calendar. It is a time of celebrations as Spring arrives and there is happiness all around. It also marks the advent of seeding time.
[edit] Ugadi
Ugadi is celebrated as New Year's Day in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The name Ugadi is derived from the name "Yuga Adi", which means 'the beginning of a new age'.[1] It is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month Chaitra, which marks the onset of spring. It is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator according to Hindu mythology, began creation on this day.[2] Preparations begin well ahead of the festival. Houses are given a thorough cleaning, people don new clothes and special dishes are prepared.
[edit] Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa is celebrated as New Year's Day in Maharashtra. It is celebrated on the same day as Ugadi i.e., the first day of the month Chaitra. Courtyards of rural houses are cleaned and plastered with fresh cowdung. Designs called Rangolis are drawn on doorsteps. People wear new clothes and special dishes are prepared. Lord Brahma is worshipped on this day and the gudi, Brahma's flag (also called Brahmadhvaj), is hoisted in every house as a symbolic representation of Rama's victory over Ravana.
[edit] Puthandu
Puthandu, (Tamil: புத்தாண்டு) also known as Varsha pirappu, is celebrated as New Year's Day in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai, which falls on 14 April. Women draw patterns called kolams. A lamp called a kuttuvilaku is placed on the center of the kolam, to eradicate darkness. A ritual called kanni takes place. Kanni means 'auspicious sight'. People watch jewellery, fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, rice etc., as it is a belief among Tamil people that it brings prosperity. People wear new clothes and special dishes are prepared for the occasion. A car festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur, near Kumbakonam.
[edit] Vishu
Vishu (Malayalam: വിഷു) is celebrated as New Year's Day in Kerala. It is celebrated on the first day of the Malayalam month of Medam. Offerings to the divine called Vishukanni are neatly arranged on the eve of the festival and consist of rice, linen, cucumber, betel leaves, holy texts, coins and yellow flowers called konna (Cassia fistula). A bell metal lamp called nilavilakku is placed alongside. It is considered auspicious to see the Vishukanni first thing in the morning. On this day, people read the Ramayana and go to temples, Hindu places of worship. Children burst crackers, people wear new clothes and prepare special dishes and the elders of the house give out money to the children, servants and tenants. The money given is called Vishukaineetam.
[edit] Cheiraoba
Cheiraoba is celebrated as New Year's Day in Manipur. Sajibu Cheiraoba is an annual religious celebration in which certain rites and rituals are observed with a traditional devotion. The celebration marks the parting of the old year while welcoming the new year. The name 'Cheiraoba' is a combination of two words which have two different meanings – 'Chahi' (year) and 'laoba' (declaration). So, overall 'Cheirao-ba' means the announcement of the coming year.
Cheiraoba falls on the same day as Ugadi or Gudi Padwa.
[edit]
Navreh is the lunar new year which is celebrated in Kashmir. This coincides with the first day of the Chaitra (spring) Navratras. This day finds mention in Rajtarangini and Nilamat Purana of Kashmir and is regarded as sacred in Kashmir as the Shivratri. The celebrated Arab scholar Alberuni has written that Kashmiris celebrate the second of Navaratras to commemorate victory of their greatest and famous king – Lalitaditya – with great festivity and pomp. Navreh falls on the same day as Ugadi or Cheiraoba or Gudi Padwa.
[edit] Maha vishuva Sankranti
Mahavishuva Sankranti, is celebrated as the Oriya New Year. On this day, religious people offer delicious Pana – a sweet drink made of different types of fruits, water, milk, bela, curd and sugar or jaggery - to the Tulsi Plant, Lord Shiva and Shalagram and their deities in various Temples of the state. People also drink Pana with great enjoyment. During the festival you will find water pots placed on the roadsides to help the thirsty souls. Water is as also offered to animals and birds with equal enthusiasm. This Sankraniti is also known as Pana Sankranit to Jala Sankranti.
This day is also a celebration of Hanuman Jayanti. Mahabishuda Sankranti is also significant for Jhamu Yatra and this month long festival comes to an end. Patuas (those who observe it) keep fast and wander to various places to preach the religious significance the festival of the Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Goddess Mangala. On the concluding day, these Patuas discipline their senses for more penance and walk on fire and thorns to concentrate on spirituality for the dignity and propriety of life.
Mahabishuba Sankranti generally falls on 13 or 14 April. It is possible that it is celebrated on same day as Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.
[edit] Bestu Varas
Bestu Varas is the New Year's day for Gujratis and this falls on the day next to Diwali. Traditional Gujratis follow Vikram Samwat or Bikram Samwat. According to Hindu calendar systems the Vikrama calendar begins with the month of Baishakh/Chaitra (April), or Kartak (October/November) in Gujarat.
Bestu Baras generally falls in month of October or November. On this day, people greet each other on this day with "Saal Mubaarakthis" which is an Urdu saying but is said commonly by Gujarati people. The day starts with the heavy fire works, to welcome New Year, in the early morning as Hindu believes morning starts at 4 am. The local young boys sells raw salt (collected from Salt evaporation pond) calling it "sabras" means all taste, to make the locals' new year prosperous. Houses are decorated with the aaso palav & marigolds (galgota) toran (Door hangings) and rangoli beside front door. Home made snacks are offered to the guests and neighbors who come to wish the new year.
[edit] Cheti Chand
Cheti Chand is celebrated as New Year's Day by Sindhis, According to the Hindu calendar, Cheti Chand is celebrated on the second day of the Chaitra month known as Chet in Sindhi. Hence it is known as CHET-I-CHAND.
It is the second day of month chaitra i.e. a day after Ugadi and Gudi Padi.
[edit] Chaitti and Basoa/Bishu
The festivals of Chaitti and Basoa are celebrated as New Year festivals in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Chaitti is celebrated on the first day of month of Chaitra which according to the Bikram Samwat is the first day of year. The first day of this month (Chaitra Sankranti) is considered very important and is celebrated all over the state. Chaitti is cebrated on the same day as Ugadi and Gudi Padwa.
The festival of Basoa, also known as Bishu, is celebrated on the first day of the month of Baisakh. The aboriginal and the farming folk celebrate the Basoa festival. Three days before the festival, people make little cakes with Kodra (a coarse grain) flour and wrap them up in leaves. After three days the cakes ferment, then on the morning of the festival day people invite the married daughters and other relatives and break and eat these cakes with honey and sweet water flavoured with jaggery. A ritual song is sung on this occasion.
[edit] Pohela Boishakh
Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, and in Bengali communities in Assam and Tripura. Pohela Boishakh connects all ethnic Bengalis irrespective of religious and regional differences. It falls on 14 or 15 April of the Gregorian calendar depending on the use of the new amended or the old Bengali calendar respectively. In Bangladesh, it is celebrated on 14 April according to the official amended calendar designed by the Bangla Academy. In Bangladesh, Pohela Boishakh is a national holiday and in West Bengal and Assam it is a public (state) holiday and is publicly celebrated on 15 April every year.
[edit] Vaisakhi
Baisakhi Festival, also called Vaisakhi, holds great importance for the Sikh community and farmers of Punjab. Baisakhi falls on 13 or 14 April, the first day of the year according to the Nanakshahi Calender. Sikhs also celebrate this day in honor of their tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Baisakhi commemorates the day when the Sikh Guru eliminated caste differences and founded Khalsa Panth in 1699.
[edit] Chaitra Pratipada
Celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar pradesh with the beginning of the Hindu New Year. New Year start with 1st day of Chaitra i.e. the beginning of the Hindu New Year.
In 2011, the Hindu new year began on 4 April.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Bihu Festival
- Ugadi at udipipages.com
- Ugadi at tajonline.com
- Puthandu at baisakhifestival.com
- Cheiraoba
- Navreh – The new year day in Kashmir
- The Beginning of the Oriya New Year
- Chaitti and Basoa
|
||||||||||||||||
