Indian New Year's days
Encyclopedia
Owing to the vast cultural and ethnic diversity of India
, New Year's Day is celebrated in different times of the year at different places. Generally Lunar calendar (Hindu
calendar is also based on the movement of the Moon
) has been the base of calculations from the 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.
(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.
Chaitra, which marks the onset of spring. It is believed that Lord Brahma
, the creator according to Hindu mythology
, began creation on this day. Preparations begin well ahead of the festival. Houses are given a thorough cleaning, people don new clothes and special dishes are prepared.
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 Rangoli
s are drawn on doorsteps. People wear new clothes and special dishes are prepared. Lord Brahma is worshiped 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
.
. 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.
. 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 the temples, the 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.
. 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.
. 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, pomp and gaiety. The first was a festival as the New Year in its own right.
Navreh falls on the same day as Ugadi or Cheiraoba or Gudi Padwa.
– 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 other fact of the day is 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 property 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.
. 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 by uttering, 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 natives 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.
It is the second day of month chaitra i.e. a day after Ugadi and Gudi Padi.
.
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 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.
New Year start with 1st day of Chaitra i.e. the beginning of the Hindu New Year.
In 2011, the Hindu New Year begins on 4 April 2011.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, New Year's Day is celebrated in different times of the year at different places. Generally Lunar calendar (Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
calendar is also based on the movement of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
) has been the base of calculations from the 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.
Bihu
Rongali BihuBihu
Bihu denotes a set of three different cultural festivals of Assam and celebrated by the Assamese diaspora around the world. Though they owe their origins to ancient rites and practices they have taken definite urban features and have become popular festivals in urban and commercialized milieus in...
(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.
Ugadi
Ugadi is celebrated as New Year Day in [Andhra Pradesh] and [Karnataka]. The name Ugadi is derived from the name "Yuga Adi", which means 'the beginning of a new age'. It is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu monthHindu calendar
The hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. Nepali calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, Kannada...
Chaitra, which marks the onset of spring. It is believed that Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
, the creator according to Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
, began creation on this day. Preparations begin well ahead of the festival. Houses are given a thorough cleaning, people don new clothes and special dishes are prepared.
Gudi Padwa
Gudi PadwaGudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa or Gudhi Padwa , is the Marathi name for the Hindu holiday of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. It is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New year according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar...
is celebrated as New Year's Day in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. 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 Rangoli
Rangoli
Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...
s are drawn on doorsteps. People wear new clothes and special dishes are prepared. Lord Brahma is worshiped on this day and the gudi, Brahma's flag (also called Brahmadhvaj) is hoisted in every house as a symbolic representation of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
's victory over Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
.
Puthandu
Puthandu, also known as Varsha pirappu, is celebrated as New Year Day in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month
Tamil calendar
The Tamil calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Tamil Nadu. It is also used in Pondicherry , and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. It is also used by Telugu speaking people in Tamil Nadu...
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
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
that it brings prosperity. People wear new clothes and special dishes are prepared for the occasion. A car festival
Temple car
Temple cars are chariots used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The car is usually used on festival days, when many people pull the cart....
is held at Tiruvadamarudur, near Kumbakonam.
Vishu
Vishu is celebrated as New Year's Day in KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. It is celebrated on the first day of the Malayalam month
Malayalam calendar
Malayalam calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala, India. The origin of the calendar has been dated as 825 CE....
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
Bell metal
Bell metal is a hard alloy used for making bells. It is a form of bronze, usually approximately 4:1 ratio of copper to tin...
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
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and go to the temples, the Hindu places of worship
Place of worship
A place of worship or house of worship is an establishment or her location where a group of people comes to perform acts of religious study, honor, or devotion. The form and function of religious architecture has evolved over thousands of years for both changing beliefs and architectural style...
. 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.
Cheiraoba
Cheiraoba is celebrated as New Year's Day in ManipurManipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
. 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.
Navreh
Navreh is the lunar new year which is celebrated in KashmirKashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. 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, pomp and gaiety. The first was a festival as the New Year in its own right.
Navreh falls on the same day as Ugadi or Cheiraoba or Gudi Padwa.
Maha vishuva Sankranti
Mahavishuva Sankranti, is celebrated as the Oriya New Year. On this day, religious people offer delicious PanaBel Pana
Bael pana is a drink made from Bael fruit pulp,in the month of Chaitra and Vaishakha,in Orissa.-Ingredients:Ripe fruits of Bael,milk, Black pepper, Chhena1/4 cup banana peeled and cut into tiny pieces...
– a sweet drink made of different types of fruits, water, milk, bela, curd and sugar or jaggery, to the Tulsi Plant
Tulsi
Ocimum tenuiflorum Ocimum tenuiflorum Ocimum tenuiflorum (also tulsi, tulasī, or Holy Basil is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae which is native throughout the Old World tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant and an escaped weed. It is an erect, much branched subshrub 30–60 cm...
, Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
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 other fact of the day is celebration of Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman, the Vanara god, widely venerated throughout India especially in North India. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the Shukla Paksha, during the month of Chaitra...
. 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
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
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 property of life.
Mahabishuba Sankranti generally falls on 13 or 14 April. It is possible that it is celebrated on same day as Puthandu
Puthandu
Puthandu , or better known as Tamil New Year, is the celebration of the first day of the Tamil new year in mid-April by Tamils in Tamil Nadu, in Pondicherry in India, in Sri Lanka and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore, Reunion Island and Mauritius. People in the world greet each other...
in Tamil Nadu.
Bestu Varas
Bestu Varas is the New Year day for Gujratis and this falls on the day next to Diwali. Traditional Gujratis follow Vikram Samwat or Bikram SamwatBikram Samwat
Vikram Samvat is the calendar established by Indian emperor Vikramaditya...
. According to Hindu calendar
Hindu calendar
The hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. Nepali calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, Kannada...
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 by uttering, Saal Mubaarakthis which is an Urdu saying but is said commonly by Gujarati people
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
. 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
Salt evaporation pond
Salt evaporation ponds, also called salterns or salt pans, are shallow artificial ponds designed to produce salts from sea water or other brines. The seawater or brine is fed into large ponds and water is drawn out through natural evaporation which allows the salt to be subsequently harvested...
) calling it "sabras" means all taste, to make the natives new year prosperous. Houses are decorated with the aaso palav & marigolds (galgota) toran (Door hangings) and rangoli
Rangoli
Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...
beside front door. Home made snacks are offered to the guests and neighbors who come to wish the new year.
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.
Chaitti and Basoa/Bishu
The festivals of Chaitti and Basoa are celebrated as New Year festivals in the state of Himachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
.
Chaitti is celebrated on the first day of month of Chaitra which according to the Bikram Samwat
Bikram Samwat
Vikram Samvat is the calendar established by Indian emperor Vikramaditya...
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 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
Granularity
Granularity is the extent to which a system is broken down into small parts, either the system itself or its description or observation. It is the "extent to which a larger entity is subdivided...
) 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.
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.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.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 begins on 4 April 2011.