New Year Celebration in India

How do Indians celebrate New Year?

     New Year is generally looked upon as the best time to begin something. India, with its strong social bonds, finds this occasion as a day to celebrate with friends and family. Traditionally, Indian New Year is celebrated at different times based on the start of the regional calendar years. But modern India celebrates the birth of the each new Gregorian year with much enthusiasm. While the older people try to maintain the religious spirit associated with their regional New Years, the younger generation is more towards the western trends. Especially in big cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Calcutta, the youth celebrate the New Year eve with dance parties and night clubs. But traditionally, New Year is celebrated with religious ceremonies and positive resolutions. In many places, burning the statue of a man, symbolizing the old self is part of the ceremony, reminding the people to leave behind the old self and to be born again as a new person.

Diwali- the Hindu New Year

     One of the most celebrated Indian New Year is 'Diwali' or 'Deepavali', which means 'the festival of lights'. Deepavali marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year which is usually the biggest holiday of India. It is celebrated in the month of Kartika, as per the Indian Calendar, which usually falls in the October. Diwali is an official holiday in India, Guyana, Malaysia, Nepal, and Singapore. Even though, it is a Hindu festival and has deep Hindu myths associated with its origin, people from other religions also celebrate Diwali. As the name implies, Diwali is celebrated with lamps, lights and fireworks. The basic philosophy behind Diwali celebration is to get rid of the evil, which is symbolized as darkness, and to follow the paths of virtue, which is symbolized as light.

     Typical Diwali celebration involves five days of celebrations, with each day having its own significance. The first day is known as 'Dhan Teras'. Dhan Teras stands for two things; one for cleansing and purification and the other for wealth. The day starts with early morning baths, and fasting which goes on until evening. Dhan Teras is also a day for buying new items for the house,and to start new accounts and businesses. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and by lighting lamps all across the streets and homes and leaving the doors and windows open, people welcome the goddess to bless them with prosperity in the year to come.

     The second day of Diwali is Narak Chaturdasi, which is celebrated in remembrance of the Lord Krishna slaying the demon King called Narakasur. This days prayers and celebrations are aimed at eliminating the idleness and evil and to empower oneself with industriousness.

On the third day or the main Diwali is a day when 'Lakhsmi puja' is conducted. People decorate their houses with many earthern lanterns and electric lights. The day ends with crackers and fireworks, all symbolizing the victory of the good over evil. People wear new clothes, exchange sweets and delicacies with friends and family.

The fourth day of Diwali is the first day of the Indian New Year, and this day is marked for the Govardhan-Puja. The final day of Diwali is called Bhai Duj, which is a day dedicated for women to do special prayers for their brothers.

Vishu- the Malayalam New Year

     In Kerala, a south Indian state, the Malayalam New Year is celebrated on the first day of Medam, which marks the astrological New Year in the Malayalam Calendar. The official New Year in Malayalam Calendar is Chingam, which falls in August- September. The most important part of Vishu is the 'Vishukkani' which means the sight of Vishu. Vishukkani is arranged in every home as an offering to the Hindu God, Krishna. In front of the image of Krishna, articles like raw rice, golden cucumber, coconut, betel leaves, arecnut, yellow flowers from konna, aranmula kannadi, kasavu mundu, and some coins are arranged in brass vessel called uruli. Vishukkani is usually prepared on the previous night, and on the day of Vishu, people wake up with eyes closed and proceed to the place where Vishukkani is set up. People believe that by seeing the most auspicious sight at first on the new year day they are inviting good luck and prosperity in the year ahead. After the Vishukkani at home, people visit the temple to pray for blessings and to see the Vishukkani in the temple. On Vishu day, the elder person in the family gives gifts or money to the family members. This is known as Vishukkaineetam. It is especially noteworthy that during this season, the land is very colorful with the bright yellow flowers from the tree Konna.