Hindu New Year

rkgurbani · Mar 23, 2012

Editor's Note: Dear rkgurbani, thank you for sharing this information with us about different ways Hindus celebrate the New Year in various parts of India. For viewership by a larger audience I have it as a post here. It has been chosen as the best of forums. Congratulations!

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Dear Friends,

The Hindu calendar has begun a New year from today and most Hindu communities celebrate this special start in a great way. It is not necessary that all the regions have their new year on the same day. The month of Chaitra marks the beginning of the year for most communities...

UGADI in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka - The Telugu and the Kannada New Year falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra (March-April). People in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states in the South of India believe that Lord Brahma began the creation of the universe on this auspicious day of Ugadi.

GUDDI PADWA in Maharashtra and Goa -In Maharashtra, the new year is celebrated as Gudhi Padwa - a festival that heralds the advent of spring (March-April). Early on the morning of the first day of the Chaitra month, people finish their ablutions, wear new clothes and decorate their houses with colorful "rangoli" patterns. A silk banner is raised and worshipped, and greetings and sweets are exchanged. People hang "gudhis" on their windows on this day to celebrate Mother Nature's bounty. A "gudi" is a decorated pole with a brass or a silver vessel placed on it.

CHETTI CHAND for Sindhis - Cheti Chand falls on on the first day of the month of Chaitra, also called 'Cheti' in Sindhi. This day is observed as the birthday of Jhulelal, the patron saint of the Sindhis. On this day, Sindhis worship Varuna, the water god and observe a number of rituals followed by feasts and devotional music.

BAISAKHI in Punjab - "Baisakhi", traditionally a harvest festival, is celebrated on the 13th of April every year, marking the Punjabi New Year. People celebrate the joyous occasion by performing Bhangra and Giddha.

POILA BAISHAKH in Bengal - The first day of the Bengali new year falls on the 13th or 14th of April every year. All new enterprises begin on this auspicious day, as businessmen open their fresh ledgers with "Haal Khata"- a ceremomy in which Lord Ganesha is summoned and customers are invited to settle all their old dues and offered free refreshments.

VARSHA PIRAPPU in Tamil Nadu - It is the first day of Chithirai, the first month in the traditional Tamil calendar. every household is thoroughly cleaned and tastefully decorated - the doorways are garlanded with mango leaves strung together and Vilakku Kolam decorative patterns adorn the floors.

BIHU in Assam - The northeastern state of Assam ushers in the new year with the spring festival of Bohaag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, which marks the onset of a new agricultural cycle.

VISHU in Kerala - "Vishu" is the first day in the first month of Medam in Kerala, the beautiful coastal state in southern India. The people of this state - the Malayalees - begin the day early in the morning by visiting the temple and seeing any auspicious sight.

No matter whichever day, this occasion falls, the spirit is the same in all communities. A wish for joy and peace and prosperity in every household is what everybody prays for. I take this opportunity to wish all our Hindu Ilites best wishes for the New Year.

Huma · Mar 23, 2012

Hi
Nice and useful information.
bye

Hachiko · Mar 23, 2012

Thanks for the useful information.

sravanitenali · Mar 23, 2012

Nice Write up dear....thanks for sharing....

Saisakthi · Mar 23, 2012

Dear Sister,

Thanks for the elaborative post, please also add about Vishoo - the new year that coincides with the Tamil New year for Keralities..

Wish all IL sisters A HAPPY NEW YEAR

suryakala · Mar 25, 2012

Good information!Thanks for sharing.

lgirish · Mar 25, 2012

I didn`t know about Sindhi new year. Thanx for the info. Keep sharing your knowledge.

Coffeelover · Mar 25, 2012

RKGurubani, nice information. Can you also add Cambodian New Year is on the same day of Tamil New Year? Even their names are like nila, Nithya etc.

Happy new Year. I don't know if it is suppose dot be called HIndu New Year. Because Gujartis and others have it next day to Diwali. I am not criticizing you, just want to let you know since you have taken trouble educating all of us.

rkgurbani · Mar 25, 2012

Its been a pleasure reading the replies and glad that this post has been liked besides wishing everyone a happy new year.
Also, India is a diverse nation with umpteen communites. I just shared what I knew of and it is really intresting to know about other communities as well.

Dear CoffeeLover, I did not know about the Gujrati New Year. In our community, the next day of Diwali marks the beginning of a new business calendar.

Look forward to knowing more about such auspicious days in other communities.

Thanks Friends

malaswami · Mar 27, 2012

சித்திரை அன்று புத்தாண்டு பஞ்சாங்கம் ஒன்று வாங்கி வந்து அதற்கு சந்தனம், குங்குமம், பொருட்டு ஆகியன இட்டு, பூஜையில் வைத்து பூஜிக்க வேண்டும். குடும்ப சோதிடரையோ, புரோகிதரையோ கொண்டு புத்தாண்டுப் பூஜைகளை செய்ய வேண்டும். பூஜை முடிந்த பின்பு அவர் புத்தாண்டுப் பஞ்சாங்கத்தைப் படிப்பார். அதன் மூலம் அந்த ஆண்டில், நவக்கிரக சஞ்சாரத்தினால் உலகத்துக்கும், மக்களுக்கும் நிகழவிருக்கும் பலன்களை அறிந்து கொள்ளலாம். இது தொன்றுதொட்டு தமிழகத்தில் நிகழ்ந்து வரும் வழக்கமாகும்.

சித்திரை முதல் நாள் தமிழ் வருடப் பிறப்பாக கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது. சூரியன் மேஷ ராசிக்குள் நுழையும் ஆரம்பம் சித்திரையில் நிகழ்கிறது. ஆகவே இந்த ஆரம்பத்தையே புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்க நாளாகக் கொண்டு புது வருடத்தை அறிவியல் ரீதியாக தமிழர்கள் கொண்டாடி வருகின்றனர். அசுவதி தொடங்கி ரேவதி முடிய உள்ள 27 நட்சத்திரங்கள் இந்த 12 ராசிகளில் உள்ளன. அசுவதி மேஷத்தில் தொடங்குவதாலும் தமிழ் புத்தாண்டின் ஆரம்பம் சித்திரையில் ஆரம்பிப்பது உறுதிப்படுகிறது.

சித்திரை மாதத்தில் சூரியன் மேஷ ராசியில் மிகவும் உச்சமாக பிரகாசிப்பார். ஆகையால் அன்றைய தினம் பானகம், நீர், மோர், பருப்புவடை ஆகியவற்றை நைவேத்தியம் செய்ய வேண்டும். ஏழைகளுக்கும், உறவினர்களுக்கும் புதிய விசிறிகளை தானம் செய்ய வேண்டும் (Good to donate, which will be useful when there is no power supply !!!!)