Like English New Year, New Year should also be celebrated enthusiastically across the country.

According to the Indian Sanatan Hindu culture, the months of Phagun and Chaitra are considered to be the months of celebration in the spring season. In the middle of the month of Chaitra, nature is engrossed in the process of its decoration and creation and along with new leaves coming on the trees, white, red, pink, yellow, orange, blue flowers also start blooming. It seems as if the entire universe has become new, at the same time a new year arrives in our physical world in India as well.

In Western countries, according to the English date, the New Year is celebrated enthusiastically on a very large scale on January 1 of every year. By the way, New Year is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the world. But the date of New Year varies in many countries and different countries have their own traditions of celebrating New Year. New Year is celebrated as a festival in every country.

According to Sanatan Hinduism in India, the new year is called Navasamvatsar and it is called by different names in different parts of the country. The first day of the new year is considered very auspicious for Hindus in India and it has been celebrated as a big festival in ancient India. In North India, the Hindu New Year is celebrated on the Pratipada of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month. This year, 22 March 2023 is the year Pratipada date. New Year in Maharashtra is known as Gudi Padwa. The Sindhi community celebrates the new year in the name of Cheti Chand. New Year is celebrated in Punjab by the name of Baisakhi. Whereas according to the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, 14 March Hola Mohalla is considered as the new year. The Hindu community in Goa celebrates the New Year in the name of Konkani. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, the new year is celebrated as Yugadi or Ugadi. Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir celebrate the New Year as Navreh or Nauroj or Navayuroj meaning new auspicious morning. New Year is celebrated in Bengal by the name of Naba Barsa, in Assam by the name of Bihu, in Kerala by the name of Vishu, in Tamil Nadu by the name of Putuhandu. In Marwari, the new year is celebrated on the day of Diwali. New Year is celebrated on the second day of Diwali in Gujarat. Pohela Baisakhi, the Bengali New Year, is celebrated on 14 or 15 April. Since many communities reside in India, the names of the New Year are also found to be different and the tradition of celebrating the New Year is also different.

The New Year has historical significance in the Sanatan Hindu tradition in India. In fact, there are many important auspicious reasons for celebrating the New Year in Indian history. It is described in the scriptures that from the sunrise of this day, revered Brahmaji started the creation of the universe. On this auspicious day, the coronation of Lord Shri Ram took place. The coronation of Yudhishthira also took place on this auspicious day. Emperor Vikramaditya started a new era by defeating the Shakas on this day and established his kingdom 2080 years ago and the first day of Vikrami Shak Samvat (Samvatsar) also starts on this day in your name. Today, the cultural identity of the nation of India is associated with Vikrami Samvat and the cultural festivals of India and birth anniversaries of great men like Ram, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak etc. are also celebrated according to this Indian time reckoning. Like King Vikramaditya, Shalivahan had also chosen this day to defeat the Huns and establish the best state in South India. Saint Jhulelal, the social savior of Sindh province, Varunavatar also appeared on this day, so the Sindhi community celebrates this day with great enthusiasm. Cultural functions are organized all over the country and tableaux etc. are taken out. The birthday of Dr. Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the foundation day of the Arya Samaj also falls on this day. Also, the first day of Navratri, the nine days of power and devotion, also begins from this day. With so many characteristics, the Hindu New Year in India really inspires to do something new. It is also considered the best day of the year.

On the day of the Indian New Year, a stream of new enthusiasm is seen flowing everywhere. Nature seems eager to take off its old cover and come to the new environment and it is said that Mother India is seen filling her sons with wealth and grains because it is at this time that the farmers harvest their crops. It is described in the scriptures that worshiping on the first day of the Indian New Year gives unlimited results. It is said that auspicious time is required for auspicious work and this auspicious time is found in the form of New Year’s Day.

Celebrating the beginning of the new year on the occasion of spring season in India is also joyful because in this season there is greenery all around and nature is beautified with new leaves and flowers. According to the Indian calendar, the date of Vasant Ritu and Chaitra Shukla Pratipada has also been the holy date of the creation process since ancient times. Vasantik Navratri, which comes in the spring, also always starts from this holy date. Vikramaditya had started the tradition of running his Navsamvatsar Samvat from the date of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada keeping in mind all these calculative cultural traditions of India and since then the whole of India greets this date every year.

On the day of Hindu New Year, on the occasion of the beginning of Navratri in Hindu houses, Kalash is established, flags, flags etc. are put up in the houses and blessings of all the elders including their favorite, Guru, parents are taken for the successful completion of the new year. At the very beginning of the Hindu New Year, fasting for nine days starts worshiping Maa Durga and performing Havan on the Navami day, prayers are offered to Maa Bhagwati for happiness, peace and well-being. In which everyone celebrates with great enthusiasm by fasting Satvik food, fasting, eating fruits and tying new saffron flags on the archway. Respect for women is also taught in the form of worshiping the new forms of Maa Durga. In this way, Indian culture and life have a deep connection with Vikrami Samvatsar, on these days people also give up Tamasi food, meat and alcohol.

Every day of Chaitra month has its own special importance. The day for worshiping and remembering most of the deities is fixed in Shuklapaksha. Uma Shiva is worshiped on Tritiya of Shukla Paksha, while Ganesh ji is worshiped on Chaturthi Tithi. Lakshmi ji and snake worship is done on Panchami date. Lord Kartikeya is worshiped on the sixth day of Shuklapaksha. There is a ritual of sun worship on Saptami. Worshiping Goddess Durga and taking a bath in the Brahmaputra river on Ashtami has its own importance. On this day, a huge crowd of bathers throngs the ghats of the Brahmaputra river in Assam. Bhadrakali is worshiped on Navami day.

Similarly in Maharashtra the new year is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. Gudi means victory flag. The victory of Yoga over enjoyment, the victory of Vibhuti over Vaibhav and the victory of thought over vice. Today, it is the need of the hour that the one who hoists this Gudi, which continuously circulates auspiciousness and purity in the environment, should introspect and see whether my mind has become calm, stable and pure or not. At the same time, the Hindu New Year based on solid mathematical and scientific time calculation method is the essence of our ancient culture and the use of which is not limited to the religious and cultural field, today it is necessary that we should adopt it in our daily life and celebrate it. Celebrate your new year with classical rituals from Dham.

– Prahlad Sabnani

retired deputy general manager

state Bank of India