New Year Celebrations in India
Celebration of New Year in India is a fun event
often full of food, frolic and rituals. Dance and music are integral parts of
New Year celebrations in the country. Different races at the different corners
of the country have their distinctive traditions to commemorate the day.New Year celebration in different parts of India is known by
different names.
New
Year in India
is one such occasion when Indians, like the rest of
theworld, ring out
the old year and ring in the new with joy and jubilation. Unlike Western
countries, New Year in
India is celebrated at different times and in different ways according to the
regional cultures.
Bengali New Year: The Bengalis are the residents of Eastern India which is recognized for its fertile land and culture. Hence, the New Year celebration in Bengal coincides with the beginning of the harvesting season in the area. The celebration is called ‘Poila Boisakh' and is observed on the first day of Boisakh or the first month of the Bengali calendar.
In the eastern part of India, for instance in West Bengal, New Year is celebrated during spring and is known as “Paila Baisakh”. The festival is celebrated with songs, dances, and mouth-watering delicacies. Games with regional flavor like kite flying, bullfighting or reciting of poems also add zest to the celebrations. People clean and decorate their houses with colorful and fresh flowers in vivid hues like pink, red, purple and white. Women wear clothes that are yellow in color, a color symbolic of the season of spring.
Gujarati New Year: The Gujaratis celebrate
their New Year as Bestu Varas. It is a very auspicious day for the Gujaratis because
of its mythological significance. The Gujarati New Year is celebrated on the
next day of Diwali. On this day, the people of Gujarat also perform the
Govardhan puja. Buying new goods and dresses and preparing sweets are parts of
the celebration. Gifts and sweets are then distributed among friends, neighbors
and relatives.
Malayalam New Year: Malayalam New Year or Vishu is the most popular celebration in Kerala. The tradition of Vishukkani is performed on this day. It means seeing the first things on the morning of Vishu. The Malayalis religiously collect items like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, betel leaves, areca nut, metal mirror, and yellow flowers - konna. All these items are then carefully arranged in the puja room. On this day, Malayalis will take a bath in the early morning and then will see the auspicious items of Vishukkani. It is believed to bring in good luck and prosperity for the rest of the year.
the beginning of
the harvesting season in the area and therefore it is the most important festival for the farming community of the region. The loud calls of "Jatta
aayi Baisakhi" mark the beginning of the celebration. The day begins with
the recitation of Granthsahib in Gurudwaras - the place of worship for the
Sikhs. The day is also celebrated as the commemoration of the establishment of
Khalsa Panth by the Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
In southern parts of India like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, New
Year is celebrated during spring and is known as Ugadi . On New Year's day, it
is the practice among to eat “Ugadi Pacchadi”. It is made from neem flowers,
mango juice, jaggery and other ingredients with different tastes. By eating
this on New Year's Day, the person is symbolically accepting that life is a
mixture of good and bad, joy and sorrow and all of them have to be accepted and
dealt with.
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